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Cybersecurity · head to head

Genetec Security Center vs Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Genetec Security Center logo

Genetec Security Center

Cybersecurity

Unified video, access control and licence plate platform sold in perpetual channel licences plus an annual maintenance contract

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint logo

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Cybersecurity

Enterprise endpoint security built into Microsoft 365

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Genetec Security Center genetec publishes no pricing and sells only through certified integrators, so buyers cannot benchmark a quote and the same 500-camera design can vary widely in price between integrators.; Microsoft Defender for Endpoint pricing not published on public websites; quote required from Microsoft sales
  • They diverge on capability: Genetec Security Center covers Omnicast video management, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint covers Threat & vulnerability management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Genetec Security Center and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint actually diverge.

Attributes where Genetec Security Center and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint differ
AttributeGenetec Security CenterMicrosoft Defender for Endpoint
PlatformsWindows, Web, iOS, AndroidWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
FoundedUnknown1975

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), 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 Genetec Security Center

  • Omnicast video management
  • Synergis access control
  • AutoVu ALPR
  • Security Desk
  • Federation
  • Genetec Clearance
  • Mission Control
  • Genetec Advantage

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.

Genetec Security Center

  • An airport unifying video, doors and licence plate recognition under one operator client and one audit trailnot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
  • A city federating dozens of independently owned camera systems into a regional monitoring centre without taking ownership of themnot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
  • A campus that refuses to be locked to one camera manufacturer over a fifteen-year refresh cyclenot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
  • A transit authority needing evidence export with a chain of custody that will survive a court challengenot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

  • Enterprise endpoint security across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS via Plans 1 or 2not Genetec Security Center
  • Small and medium-sized businesses using Microsoft Defender for Business as alternativenot Genetec Security Center
  • Organisations using Microsoft 365 E5 which includes Defender for Endpoint Plan 2not Genetec Security Center

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Genetec Security Center

  • Genetec publishes no pricing and sells only through certified integrators, so buyers cannot benchmark a quote and the same 500-camera design can vary widely in price between integrators.
  • Genetec Advantage is an annual maintenance agreement commonly quoted at 18 to 22 percent of licence value, so a perpetual licence is not a one-off cost, and letting it lapse freezes the system on its current version and stops support.
  • Licensing is per camera channel, so adding cameras is a licence purchase every time and organisations that expand a site by a hundred cameras discover the software line grows in step with the hardware.
  • It is a Windows server platform that has to be sized, patched, backed up and eventually migrated, so the real cost includes an IT estate and an integrator, which puts it out of reach of organisations without a security team.
  • Operator competence is a genuine dependency: Security Desk is dense, and sites that deploy it without training end up using a fraction of the platform they paid for while still paying full maintenance on all of it.

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

Genetec Security Center

On request
  • Security Center$undefined/year
    • Perpetual video channel licences, priced per camera
    • Standard, Professional and Enterprise editions
    • Access control and ALPR modules licensed separately

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Genetec Security Center if

  • You need omnicast video management.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want synergis access control.
Genetec Security Center review

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.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint review

Questions people ask

Is Genetec Security Center or Microsoft Defender for Endpoint better?
Neither clearly leads. Genetec Security Center starts at On request 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, Genetec Security Center or Microsoft Defender for Endpoint?
Genetec Security Center starts at On request and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint at On request.
Does Genetec Security Center or Microsoft Defender for Endpoint run on more platforms?
Genetec Security Center runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
What is Genetec Security Center best used for?
Genetec Security Center is most often used for an airport unifying video, doors and licence plate recognition under one operator client and one audit trail, a city federating dozens of independently owned camera systems into a regional monitoring centre without taking ownership of them, a campus that refuses to be locked to one camera manufacturer over a fifteen-year refresh cycle, a transit authority needing evidence export with a chain of custody that will survive a court challenge. Of those, an airport unifying video, doors and licence plate recognition under one operator client and one audit trail and a city federating dozens of independently owned camera systems into a regional monitoring centre without taking ownership of them are not what Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is typically brought in for.
What can Genetec Security Center do that Microsoft Defender for Endpoint cannot?
Genetec Security Center covers Omnicast video management, Synergis access control, AutoVu ALPR, Security Desk. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint covers Threat & vulnerability management, Attack surface reduction, Next-gen protection, EDR.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Genetec Security Center: How much does Genetec cost per camera?

Genetec does not publish prices. Independent estimates put on-premises video channel licences in the region of 150 to 250 US dollars per camera by edition, plus annual Advantage maintenance at roughly 18 to 22 percent of licence value.

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.

Source
Genetec Security Center: Is Genetec Advantage optional?

Technically yes, but without it you get no version upgrades and no support, and reinstating it later usually means paying for the lapsed period.

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.

Source
Genetec Security Center: Can I buy Genetec directly?

No. It is sold exclusively through certified integrators, who also do the design and commissioning.

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.

Source
Genetec Security Center: Does it work with any camera?

It supports thousands of models across manufacturers, which is its core advantage over camera-maker software, though NDAA-restricted brands should be checked against your own procurement rules.

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