Cybersecurity · head to head
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs NEOGOV
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Cybersecurity
Enterprise endpoint security built into Microsoft 365
- From
- On request
- Free plan
- No
NEOGOV
Government
Public sector HR suite covering civil service recruiting, onboarding, training and policy management
- From
- On request
- Free plan
- No
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint pricing not published on public websites; quote required from Microsoft sales; NEOGOV each module is shallower than the specialist product it competes with, so agencies buying the full suite for coherence accept weaker performance management and learning than they would get separately.
- They diverge on capability: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint covers Threat & vulnerability management, NEOGOV covers Civil service recruiting.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and NEOGOV actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Defender for Endpoint | NEOGOV |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
| Category | Cybersecurity | Government |
| Founded | 1975 | Unknown |
Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).
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 Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
- Threat & vulnerability management
- Attack surface reduction
- Next-gen protection
- EDR
- Auto investigation
- Microsoft Threat Experts
- Threat analytics
- Secure score
Only in NEOGOV
- Civil service recruiting
- Veterans preference handling
- GovernmentJobs.com posting
- Onboarding workflows
- Learning and training records
- Policy management
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
- Enterprise endpoint security across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS via Plans 1 or 2not NEOGOV
- Small and medium-sized businesses using Microsoft Defender for Business as alternativenot NEOGOV
- Organisations using Microsoft 365 E5 which includes Defender for Endpoint Plan 2not NEOGOV
NEOGOV
- A city or county HR department that must run scored examinations and ranked eligibility listsnot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
- A public safety agency needing policy acknowledgement records that stand up in litigationnot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
- An agency replacing a commercial applicant tracking system that cannot handle veterans preferencenot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
- A school district or university consolidating recruiting, onboarding and mandated training recordsnot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
NEOGOV
- Each module is shallower than the specialist product it competes with, so agencies buying the full suite for coherence accept weaker performance management and learning than they would get separately.
- Policy management arrived through the PowerDMS acquisition rather than being built in, and the join between it and the rest of the suite still reads as two products.
- Implementation is long and configuration heavy because the civil service rules that make the product valuable have to be encoded for your jurisdiction, and that work is billed.
- Pricing is not published and scales with headcount, so a large agency can pay several times what a comparable one pays without knowing it unless someone reads the public contracts.
- Private equity ownership since the Warburg Pincus investment has coincided with an acquisition led strategy, and buyers should expect further products bolted on rather than deeper integration of the existing ones.
Pricing, plan by plan
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint review.
NEOGOV
On request- NEOGOV Suite$undefined/year
- Quoted per module and scaled by employee headcount
- Implementation and data migration priced separately from the subscription
- Available through cooperative purchasing and state term contracts
Which should you pick?
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.
Choose NEOGOV if
- You need civil service recruiting.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want veterans preference handling.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Defender for Endpoint or NEOGOV better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint starts at On request and NEOGOV at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint or NEOGOV?
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint starts at On request and NEOGOV at On request.
- Does Microsoft Defender for Endpoint or NEOGOV run on more platforms?
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android. NEOGOV runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- What is Microsoft Defender for Endpoint best used for?
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is most often used for enterprise endpoint security across windows, macos, linux, android, and ios via plans 1 or 2, small and medium-sized businesses using microsoft defender for business as alternative, organisations using microsoft 365 e5 which includes defender for endpoint plan 2. Of those, enterprise endpoint security across windows, macos, linux, android, and ios via plans 1 or 2 and small and medium-sized businesses using microsoft defender for business as alternative are not what NEOGOV is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft Defender for Endpoint do that NEOGOV cannot?
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint covers Threat & vulnerability management, Attack surface reduction, Next-gen protection, EDR. NEOGOV covers Civil service recruiting, Veterans preference handling, GovernmentJobs.com posting, Onboarding workflows.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
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.
SourceNEOGOV: Why not use a commercial applicant tracking system?
Because civil service rules such as ranked eligibility lists, rule of three certification and veterans preference are not expressible in commercial products, so the statutory steps end up in spreadsheets.
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.
SourceNEOGOV: Can I find out what other agencies pay?
Yes. These are public procurements, so executed contract values appear in council agenda packets and state term contract listings. Read several before negotiating.
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.
SourceNEOGOV: What did NEOGOV acquire?
PowerDMS, a policy management and accreditation product, in 2021, which is now sold as the policy module of the suite.
NEOGOV: Is it only for the United States?
Effectively yes. The value is in encoding US civil service and public safety requirements.
Related pages
More on Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
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- NEOGOV vs 1Password
- NEOGOV vs Norton 360
- NEOGOV vs LastPass
- NEOGOV vs Cybereason Defense Platform
- NEOGOV vs VMware Carbon Black
- NEOGOV vs CrowdStrike Falcon
- NEOGOV vs Sophos Intercept X
- NEOGOV vs Trend Micro Vision One
- NEOGOV vs Darktrace
- NEOGOV vs Akeyless
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- NEOGOV vs Doppler
- NEOGOV vs Envysion
- NEOGOV vs Feedzai
- NEOGOV vs SentinelOne
- NEOGOV vs Tyler Technologies
- NEOGOV vs Granicus
- NEOGOV vs Bonfire
- NEOGOV vs ArchiveSocial
- NEOGOV vs Clariti
- NEOGOV vs GovPilot
- NEOGOV vs Periscope Holdings
- NEOGOV vs Zencity
- NEOGOV vs CivicPlus Asset Management
- NEOGOV vs mySidewalk
- NEOGOV vs Euna Solutions
- NEOGOV vs VUEWorks
- NEOGOV vs IAPro
- NEOGOV vs iCompass
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