Cybersecurity · head to head
Microsoft Defender vs Omada Identity
Microsoft Defender
Cybersecurity
Always-on protection for you and your family's data and devices
- From
- $12/month
- Rated
- -
Omada Identity
Cybersecurity
Identity governance and administration focused on access certification and compliance evidence
- 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; Omada Identity pricing is per managed identity, so organisations with large numbers of contractors, service accounts or seasonal staff pay governance fees on identities nobody is really governing.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Defender and Omada Identity actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Defender | Omada Identity |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $12/month | On request |
| Pricing model | subscription | quote |
Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web), 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 Omada Identity does not also cover.
Only in Omada Identity
- Access certification
- Joiner mover leaver
- Role modelling
- Segregation of duties
- Access request
- Connectors
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Microsoft Defender
- Endpoint security and threat protectionnot Omada Identity
- Identity and access securitynot Omada Identity
- Email threat protectionnot Omada Identity
- SaaS application security monitoringnot Omada Identity
Omada Identity
- An organisation whose auditors flagged that access recertification is run on spreadsheets and cannot be evidencednot Microsoft Defender
- A company with high staff turnover where leavers keep access to systems weeks after their last daynot Microsoft Defender
- A regulated firm needing documented segregation of duties across finance and ERP entitlementsnot Microsoft Defender
- A business that abandoned a previous multi-year IGA implementation and needs something that reaches production this yearnot 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
Omada Identity
- Pricing is per managed identity, so organisations with large numbers of contractors, service accounts or seasonal staff pay governance fees on identities nobody is really governing.
- It governs access but provides no single sign-on, multi-factor authentication or privileged session management, so it is always a second or third identity subscription rather than a consolidation.
- The fast-deployment promise depends on accepting its standard process model; organisations with genuinely unusual entitlement structures end up in custom work and the timeline advantage disappears.
- Connector coverage is strong for mainstream enterprise systems and thin for bespoke or industry-specific applications, and each custom connector is a project with ongoing maintenance.
- Data quality in the HR system determines whether joiner mover leaver automation works, so companies with messy HR records find the tool exposes that problem rather than solving it.
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$2/month
- Vulnerability scanning and management
- One-month free trial available
- Annual commitment required
Omada Identity
On request- Omada Identity Cloud$undefined/year
- Priced per managed identity per year
- SaaS on Microsoft Azure with regional deployment options
- Implementation delivered on a defined methodology, quoted separately
Which should you pick?
Choose Microsoft Defender if
Nothing in the data separates Microsoft Defender from Omada Identity on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Choose Omada Identity if
- You need access certification.
- You also want joiner mover leaver.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Defender or Omada Identity better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month and Omada Identity at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Defender or Omada Identity?
- Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month and Omada Identity at On request.
- Does Microsoft Defender or Omada Identity run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- 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 Omada Identity is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft Defender do that Omada Identity cannot?
- Omada Identity covers Access certification, Joiner mover leaver, Role modelling, Segregation of duties.
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.
SourceOmada Identity: Does it provide single sign-on?
No. Omada is governance only. You still need Entra ID, Okta or equivalent for authentication.
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.
SourceOmada Identity: How is it licensed?
Per managed identity per year. Count contractors and service accounts before you compare quotes, because they usually count.
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.
SourceOmada Identity: How long does deployment take?
Months rather than years is the positioning, and it is achievable if you accept the standard process model. Heavy customisation returns you to traditional IGA timelines.
Related pages
More on Microsoft Defender
More on Omada Identity
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