Cybersecurity · head to head
Falco vs Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Falco
Cybersecurity
CNCF-graduated runtime threat detection for Linux and Kubernetes using eBPF
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Cybersecurity
Enterprise endpoint security built into Microsoft 365
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Falco has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Falco falco detects and alerts but does not block; stopping an attack requires wiring up Falco Talon or your own response tooling, so out of the box a confirmed detection still means a human intervening after the fact.; Microsoft Defender for Endpoint pricing not published on public websites; quote required from Microsoft sales
- They diverge on capability: Falco covers eBPF kernel instrumentation, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint covers Threat & vulnerability management.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Falco and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint actually diverge.
| Attribute | Falco | Microsoft Defender for Endpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | Open source, no licence fee | quote |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Linux, Kubernetes, Self-hosted | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Founded | Unknown | 1975 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Falco
- eBPF kernel instrumentation
- System call rules engine
- Container and Kubernetes context
- Default rule set
- Falcosidekick
- Falco Talon
- Plugins framework
- DaemonSet deployment
Only in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
- Threat & vulnerability management
- Attack surface reduction
- Next-gen protection
- EDR
- Auto investigation
- Microsoft Threat Experts
- Threat analytics
- Secure score
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Falco
- A platform team that needs to know when a shell is opened inside a production container, which image scanning cannot detect because it happens at runtimenot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
- A regulated business required to evidence host and container intrusion detection on Kubernetes nodes for an auditnot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
- A security team wanting a vendor-neutral detection layer whose rules they can read and modify rather than a black-box agentnot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
- A cluster where a compromised dependency might write to sensitive paths or open unexpected outbound connections, and only kernel-level visibility will catch itnot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
- Enterprise endpoint security across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS via Plans 1 or 2not Falco
- Small and medium-sized businesses using Microsoft Defender for Business as alternativenot Falco
- Organisations using Microsoft 365 E5 which includes Defender for Endpoint Plan 2not Falco
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Falco
- Falco detects and alerts but does not block; stopping an attack requires wiring up Falco Talon or your own response tooling, so out of the box a confirmed detection still means a human intervening after the fact.
- The default rule set is noisy in real clusters and generates a large volume of benign matches from normal operational activity; without weeks of tuning, alert fatigue sets in and the team stops reading the feed, which is the usual failure mode.
- There is no storage, console, search or case management in the project, so a working detection capability means also running Falcosidekick, an event store, a dashboard and alert routing, all of which you build, host and maintain.
- The modern eBPF driver requires kernel 5.8 or later; older hosts fall back to the legacy probe or the kernel module, which brings driver-building against kernel headers and the operational fragility that comes with it on every kernel upgrade.
- Per-node syscall instrumentation carries measurable CPU overhead on busy hosts, and the cost scales with syscall volume rather than with cluster size, so the noisiest and most performance-sensitive workloads are exactly the ones that feel it most.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
- Pricing not published on public websites; quote required from Microsoft sales
- Defender for Endpoint Plan 1 and Plan 2 do not include server licenses; additional licensing required for server protection
- Specific feature differences between Plan 1 and Plan 2 require consulting Microsoft documentation
Pricing, plan by plan
Falco
Free- Falco (open source)Free
- Apache 2.0 licence, CNCF graduated project
- eBPF and kernel module drivers
- Full rules engine and default rule set
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Falco if
- You need ebpf kernel instrumentation.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
- You also want system call rules engine.
Choose Microsoft Defender for Endpoint if
- You need threat & vulnerability management.
- You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
- You also want attack surface reduction.
Questions people ask
- Is Falco or Microsoft Defender for Endpoint better?
- Neither clearly leads. Falco starts at Free and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Falco or Microsoft Defender for Endpoint?
- Falco has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Falco and On request for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.
- Does Falco or Microsoft Defender for Endpoint run on more platforms?
- Falco runs on Linux, Kubernetes, Self-hosted. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Falco for free?
- Yes. Falco has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint starts at On request.
- What is Falco best used for?
- Falco is most often used for a platform team that needs to know when a shell is opened inside a production container, which image scanning cannot detect because it happens at runtime, a regulated business required to evidence host and container intrusion detection on kubernetes nodes for an audit, a security team wanting a vendor-neutral detection layer whose rules they can read and modify rather than a black-box agent, a cluster where a compromised dependency might write to sensitive paths or open unexpected outbound connections, and only kernel-level visibility will catch it. Of those, a platform team that needs to know when a shell is opened inside a production container, which image scanning cannot detect because it happens at runtime and a regulated business required to evidence host and container intrusion detection on kubernetes nodes for an audit are not what Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is typically brought in for.
- What can Falco do that Microsoft Defender for Endpoint cannot?
- Falco covers eBPF kernel instrumentation, System call rules engine, Container and Kubernetes context, Default rule set. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint covers Threat & vulnerability management, Attack surface reduction, Next-gen protection, EDR.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Falco: Does Falco block attacks?
No. It detects and emits events. Response requires Falco Talon or your own automation on top.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: How is Microsoft Defender for Endpoint priced?
Defender for Endpoint is bundled into Microsoft 365 enterprise subscriptions. Plan 1 is included in Microsoft 365 E3, and Plan 2 is included in Microsoft 365 E5. Individual pricing is not published separately.
SourceFalco: Is Falco owned by Sysdig?
Sysdig created and open sourced it, but it graduated within the CNCF in February 2024, so governance sits with the foundation rather than the vendor.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: Does Microsoft Defender for Endpoint offer a trial?
Yes. A free trial is available for prospective customers to test the product before committing to a subscription.
SourceFalco: What does it cost?
The project is Apache 2.0 with no licence fee. The cost is the storage, routing, tuning and staff time needed to make its output useful.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: What is the difference between Plan 1 and Plan 2?
Plan 1 (in E3) includes unified security tools, device controls, network protection, firewall, web/URL controls, APIs, SIEM connectors, and app controls. Plan 2 (in E5) adds endpoint detection and response, deception techniques, automatic attack disruption, exposure management, and threat intelligence.
SourceFalco: What kernel version do I need?
Kernel 5.8 or later for the default modern eBPF driver. Older hosts need the legacy eBPF probe or the kernel module.
Related pages
More on Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Other head to heads
- Falco vs Snyk
- Falco vs Teleport
- Falco vs Darktrace
- Falco vs LogRhythm SIEM
- Falco vs Trend Micro Vision One
- Falco vs Cybereason Defense Platform
- Falco vs Splunk Enterprise Security
- Falco vs WireGuard
- Falco vs Bitwarden
- Falco vs Infisical
- Falco vs Semgrep
- Falco vs Trivy
- Falco vs One Identity
- Falco vs Ory Kratos
- Falco vs OWASP ZAP
- Falco vs Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud
- Falco vs Passbolt
- Falco vs Ping Identity
- Falco vs SentinelOne Singularity
- Falco vs Bitdefender Total Security
- Falco vs 1Password
- Falco vs Norton 360
- Falco vs LastPass
- Falco vs VMware Carbon Black
- Falco vs CrowdStrike Falcon
- Falco vs Sophos Intercept X
- Falco vs Akeyless
- Falco vs DataGrail
- Falco vs Delinea
- Falco vs Doppler
- Falco vs Envysion
- Falco vs Feedzai
- Falco vs SentinelOne
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Snyk
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Teleport
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Darktrace
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs LogRhythm SIEM
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Trend Micro Vision One
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Cybereason Defense Platform
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Splunk Enterprise Security
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs WireGuard
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Bitwarden
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Infisical
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Semgrep
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Trivy
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs One Identity
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Ory Kratos
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs OWASP ZAP
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Passbolt
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Ping Identity
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs SentinelOne Singularity
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Bitdefender Total Security
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs 1Password
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Norton 360
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs LastPass
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs VMware Carbon Black
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs CrowdStrike Falcon
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Sophos Intercept X
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Akeyless
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs DataGrail
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Delinea
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Doppler
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Envysion
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Feedzai
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs SentinelOne