Cybersecurity · head to head
Microsoft Defender vs Netwrix
Microsoft Defender
Cybersecurity
Always-on protection for you and your family's data and devices
- From
- $12/month
- Rated
- -
Netwrix
Cybersecurity
Data access governance and change auditing across Active Directory, file shares and Microsoft 365
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Microsoft Defender defender Suite requires existing Microsoft 365 E3 or equivalent base licensing; Netwrix the portfolio is assembled from acquisitions, so consoles, agents and licensing metrics differ between products and the platform story is ahead of the engineering reality.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Defender and Netwrix actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Defender | Netwrix |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $12/month | On request |
| Pricing model | subscription | quote |
| Platforms | Web | Windows, Web |
Identical on both: 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
Nothing recorded that Netwrix does not also cover.
Only in Netwrix
- Change auditing
- Effective permissions
- Data classification
- Access remediation
- Threat detection
- Group policy management
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Microsoft Defender
- Endpoint security and threat protectionnot Netwrix
- Identity and access securitynot Netwrix
- Email threat protectionnot Netwrix
- SaaS application security monitoringnot Netwrix
Netwrix
- An organisation that cannot tell an auditor who has access to a sensitive file share and needs an answer with evidencenot Microsoft Defender
- A security team reducing ransomware blast radius by removing Everyone and Domain Users permissions from sensitive datanot Microsoft Defender
- An IT team investigating an unexplained Active Directory change and needing the exact account, time and previous valuenot Microsoft Defender
- A company responding to GDPR data subject access requests that must first locate personal data scattered across legacy sharesnot Microsoft Defender
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Microsoft Defender
- Defender Suite requires existing Microsoft 365 E3 or equivalent base licensing
- Some Defender products use pay-as-you-go pricing with variable costs
- Prices vary based on Microsoft agreements, requiring sales contact for custom quotes
Netwrix
- The portfolio is assembled from acquisitions, so consoles, agents and licensing metrics differ between products and the platform story is ahead of the engineering reality.
- Licensing metrics vary by product, per enabled user for some and per managed asset for others, which makes assembling a multi-product quote unusually difficult to compare against a single-vendor competitor.
- Auditing agents and collectors add load to domain controllers and file servers, and large estates need careful sizing to avoid degrading the systems being monitored.
- It reports and remediates but does not enforce access decisions at request time, so it complements rather than replaces identity governance and buyers still need an IGA tool for certification workflows.
- Coverage is strongest on Microsoft estates; Linux, NAS appliances and non-Microsoft SaaS are supported unevenly and often need additional modules or trail behind on feature parity.
Pricing, plan by plan
Microsoft Defender
$12/month- Microsoft Defender Suite$12/month
- Endpoint protection
- Identity threat detection
- Email security
- Microsoft 365 E5 with Defender$60/month
- Includes Defender Suite
- Microsoft Teams included
- Comprehensive security and compliance
- Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management Add-on$2/month
- Vulnerability scanning and management
- One-month free trial available
- Annual commitment required
Netwrix
On request- Netwrix Platform$undefined/year
- Priced per enabled user or per managed asset depending on the product
- Auditing, data classification, privileged access and threat products licensed separately
- Netwrix 1Secure SaaS console with a 14-day free trial
Which should you pick?
Choose Microsoft Defender if
Nothing in the data separates Microsoft Defender from Netwrix on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Choose Netwrix if
- You need change auditing.
- You work on Windows, Web.
- You also want effective permissions.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Defender or Netwrix better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month and Netwrix at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Defender or Netwrix?
- Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month and Netwrix at On request.
- Does Microsoft Defender or Netwrix run on more platforms?
- Microsoft Defender runs on Web. Netwrix runs on Windows, Web.
- What is Microsoft Defender best used for?
- Microsoft Defender is most often used for endpoint security and threat protection, identity and access security, email threat protection, saas application security monitoring. Of those, endpoint security and threat protection and identity and access security are not what Netwrix is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft Defender do that Netwrix cannot?
- Netwrix covers Change auditing, Effective permissions, Data classification, Access remediation.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Microsoft Defender: How much does Microsoft Defender Suite cost?
Microsoft Defender Suite costs $12/user/month (paid yearly), but requires existing Microsoft 365 E3 or equivalent base licensing. It includes endpoint protection, identity threat detection, email security, and SaaS application monitoring.
SourceNetwrix: Does it replace identity governance?
No. It shows you who has access and lets you fix it, but recertification campaigns and access request workflow are an IGA product.
Microsoft Defender: What add-ons are available for Microsoft Defender?
Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management Add-on costs $2/user/month with annual commitment and includes a one-month free trial. Additional pay-as-you-go products include External Attack Surface Management, Cloud Security Posture Management, and Sentinel.
SourceNetwrix: Is there a SaaS option?
Netwrix 1Secure is the cloud console covering data and identity visibility, with a 14-day free trial including full access.
Microsoft Defender: Is Defender included in Microsoft 365 E5?
Yes, Microsoft Defender Suite is included in Microsoft 365 E5 at $60/user/month (paid yearly with Teams). Prices may vary based on Microsoft agreements, requiring contact with Sales for customized quotes.
SourceNetwrix: How is it priced?
Per enabled user or per managed asset depending on the product, quoted rather than published. Assume separate line items per module.
Related pages
More on Microsoft Defender
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