Cybersecurity · head to head
Microsoft Defender vs Periscope Holdings
Microsoft Defender
Cybersecurity
Always-on protection for you and your family's data and devices
- From
- $12/month
- Free plan
- No
Periscope Holdings
Government
Statewide e-procurement systems and supplier networks for large public agencies
- From
- On request
- Free plan
- No
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Microsoft Defender defender Suite requires existing Microsoft 365 E3 or equivalent base licensing; Periscope Holdings it is scaled and priced for statewide programmes, so a single city or county typically finds both the implementation effort and the cost out of proportion to its needs.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Defender and Periscope Holdings actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Defender | Periscope Holdings |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $12/month | On request |
| Pricing model | subscription | quote |
| Category | Cybersecurity | Government |
Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web), 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
Nothing recorded that Periscope Holdings does not also cover.
Only in Periscope Holdings
- Sealed bid solicitation
- Supplier registration network
- Contract catalogues
- Cooperative purchasing
- Spend and compliance reporting
- Supplier diversity tracking
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Microsoft Defender
- Endpoint security and threat protectionnot Periscope Holdings
- Identity and access securitynot Periscope Holdings
- Email threat protectionnot Periscope Holdings
- SaaS application security monitoringnot Periscope Holdings
Periscope Holdings
- A state building a central procurement portal serving many agencies and local entitiesnot Microsoft Defender
- A large agency needing statutory sealed bidding with a public opening recordnot Microsoft Defender
- A purchasing programme that must report spend and supplier diversity across entitiesnot Microsoft Defender
- A state wanting local governments to buy from its awarded cooperative contractsnot 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
Periscope Holdings
- It is scaled and priced for statewide programmes, so a single city or county typically finds both the implementation effort and the cost out of proportion to its needs.
- The interface reflects the age and regulatory weight of the platform, and suppliers routinely describe registration and bidding as harder than on newer portals, which can suppress bid response.
- Ownership has changed twice since 2021, from independent to mdf commerce to KKR, so roadmap and support continuity should be written into the contract rather than assumed.
- Sibling products inside mdf commerce cover adjacent procurement ground, which means an apparently competitive shortlist may contain two products with the same owner.
- Statewide implementations are multi year projects with heavy configuration and change management, and the professional services cost commonly exceeds the software over the contract term.
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$2/month
- Vulnerability scanning and management
- One-month free trial available
- Annual commitment required
Periscope Holdings
On request- BuySpeed$undefined/year
- Quoted per programme, scaled to entities served and transaction volume
- Multi year statewide contracts with implementation priced separately
- Supplier side registration fees form part of the commercial model on some programmes
Which should you pick?
Choose Microsoft Defender if
Nothing in the data separates Microsoft Defender from Periscope Holdings on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Choose Periscope Holdings if
- You need sealed bid solicitation.
- You also want supplier registration network.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Defender or Periscope Holdings better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month and Periscope Holdings at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Defender or Periscope Holdings?
- Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month and Periscope Holdings at On request.
- Does Microsoft Defender or Periscope Holdings 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 Periscope Holdings is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft Defender do that Periscope Holdings cannot?
- Periscope Holdings covers Sealed bid solicitation, Supplier registration network, Contract catalogues, Cooperative purchasing.
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.
SourcePeriscope Holdings: Who owns Periscope Holdings?
mdf commerce acquired it in 2021, and mdf commerce was itself acquired by KKR in 2024.
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.
SourcePeriscope Holdings: Is it suitable for a single city?
Usually not. It is built and priced for statewide or very large agency programmes.
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.
SourcePeriscope Holdings: What is BuySpeed?
The e-procurement platform behind its statewide deployments, covering solicitation through catalogue ordering and reporting.
Periscope Holdings: Can we see what a state paid?
Yes. State procurement awards are public records and typically disclose the full multi year contract value.
Related pages
More on Microsoft Defender
More on Periscope Holdings
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