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Cybersecurity · head to head

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs One Identity

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint logo

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Cybersecurity

Enterprise endpoint security built into Microsoft 365

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
One Identity logo

One Identity

Cybersecurity

Quest-owned identity governance, PAM and Active Directory management

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint pricing not published on public websites; quote required from Microsoft sales; One Identity the portfolio is assembled from separate acquisitions, so components are separately licensed, separately administered and do not present one console, which raises operational cost.
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint covers Threat & vulnerability management, One Identity covers Identity Manager.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and One Identity actually diverge.

Attributes where Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and One Identity differ
AttributeMicrosoft Defender for EndpointOne Identity
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, AndroidWeb, Windows, Linux
Founded1975Unknown

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 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 One Identity

  • Identity Manager
  • Safeguard
  • Active Roles
  • OneLogin
  • Password Manager
  • syslog-ng
  • Starling connectors

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 One Identity
  • Small and medium-sized businesses using Microsoft Defender for Business as alternativenot One Identity
  • Organisations using Microsoft 365 E5 which includes Defender for Endpoint Plan 2not One Identity

One Identity

  • An organisation whose authoritative directory will remain on premises Active Directory and needs delegated administration with attribute-level controlnot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
  • A government or defence environment requiring privileged session management on a hardened physical appliance rather than a cloud servicenot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
  • A manufacturer with SAP and Active Directory needing provisioning governed under one certification processnot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
  • An enterprise consolidating Active Directory after an acquisition and needing automated account lifecycle across both forestsnot 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

One Identity

  • The portfolio is assembled from separate acquisitions, so components are separately licensed, separately administered and do not present one console, which raises operational cost.
  • Identity Manager implementations are customisation-heavy and commonly run over a year, with the services spend exceeding the licence cost in the first year.
  • Quest has changed private equity ownership more than once since the Dell separation, and buyers should ask directly about product investment commitments before signing a multi-year deal.
  • Product documentation and support sit behind a customer portal, which makes independent evaluation before purchase harder than with vendors that publish openly.
  • The cloud-native and developer experience trails the pure-play identity vendors, so organisations moving decisively to SaaS applications find the on premises heritage becomes a constraint rather than an asset.

Pricing, plan by plan

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

On request

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

One Identity

On request
  • Identity Manager$undefined/year
    • Priced per managed identity
    • On premises or hosted
    • Access certification and provisioning
  • Safeguard$undefined/year
    • Priced per privileged user or per appliance
    • Hardened appliance option for session management
    • Licensed separately from Identity Manager
  • Active Roles$undefined/year
    • Priced per managed Active Directory account
    • Delegated administration and automated provisioning
    • Licensed separately

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.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint review

Choose One Identity if

  • You need identity manager.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want safeguard.
One Identity review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Defender for Endpoint or One Identity better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint starts at On request and One Identity 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 One Identity?
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint starts at On request and One Identity at On request.
Does Microsoft Defender for Endpoint or One Identity run on more platforms?
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android. One Identity runs on Web, Windows, Linux.
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 One Identity is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Defender for Endpoint do that One Identity cannot?
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint covers Threat & vulnerability management, Attack surface reduction, Next-gen protection, EDR. One Identity covers Identity Manager, Safeguard, Active Roles, OneLogin.

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.

Source
One Identity: Is One Identity the same company as Quest?

Yes. One Identity is Quest Software's identity and access management business unit, not a separate 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.

Source
One Identity: Does it include privileged access?

Safeguard provides it, but it is licensed separately from Identity Manager. Neither includes the other.

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
One Identity: Why choose this over SailPoint or Saviynt?

Almost always because of Active Directory depth via Active Roles or an appliance requirement for privileged sessions. For cloud-first estates the specialists are the stronger choice.

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