Cybersecurity · head to head
Microsoft Defender vs Rapid7 InsightVM
Microsoft Defender
Cybersecurity
Always-on protection for you and your family's data and devices
- From
- $12/month
- Rated
- -
Rapid7 InsightVM
Cybersecurity
Vulnerability management at scale
- From
- $1.62/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Microsoft Defender defender Suite requires existing Microsoft 365 E3 or equivalent base licensing; Rapid7 InsightVM insightVM is now sold inside Exposure Command rather than as a standalone product
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Defender and Rapid7 InsightVM actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Defender | Rapid7 InsightVM |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $12/month | $1.62/month |
| Pricing model | subscription | usage-based |
| Platforms | Web | Web, Cloud, Api |
| Founded | Unknown | 2000 |
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 Rapid7 InsightVM does not also cover.
Only in Rapid7 InsightVM
- Asset discovery
- Vulnerability scanning
- Risk prioritization
- Threat intelligence
- Custom policies
- Remediation tracking
- Compliance reporting
- API access
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Microsoft Defender
- Endpoint security and threat protectionnot Rapid7 InsightVM
- Identity and access securitynot Rapid7 InsightVM
- Email threat protectionnot Rapid7 InsightVM
- SaaS application security monitoringnot Rapid7 InsightVM
Rapid7 InsightVM
- Vulnerability management and risk assessmentnot Microsoft Defender
- Web application security scanningnot Microsoft Defender
- Cloud infrastructure security monitoringnot 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
Rapid7 InsightVM
- InsightVM is now sold inside Exposure Command rather than as a standalone product
- Rapid7 states pricing is not publicly listed and is provided by custom quote based on the customer's environment
- Billing counts billable assets including devices, software, identities, cloud compute instances and applications, so the asset count grows faster than a device inventory suggests
- Cloud security, compliance, infrastructure as code scanning and application security testing require the Ultimate package rather than Essentials
- Volume discounts are described as commonly available for larger asset counts, so smaller buyers pay the higher unit rate
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
Rapid7 InsightVM
$1.62/month- InsightVM$1.62/month per asset
- Vulnerability risk management
- Unlimited user accounts
- 24/7 technical support
- InsightAppSec$175/month
- Web application security
- Per application pricing
- Unlimited user accounts
- InsightCloudsec$5775/month
- Cloud security
- Up to 500 instances
- Unlimited user accounts
Which should you pick?
Choose Microsoft Defender if
Nothing in the data separates Microsoft Defender from Rapid7 InsightVM on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Choose Rapid7 InsightVM if
- You need asset discovery.
- You work on Web, Cloud, Api.
- You also want vulnerability scanning.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Defender or Rapid7 InsightVM better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month and Rapid7 InsightVM at $1.62/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Defender or Rapid7 InsightVM?
- Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month and Rapid7 InsightVM at $1.62/month.
- Does Microsoft Defender or Rapid7 InsightVM run on more platforms?
- Microsoft Defender runs on Web. Rapid7 InsightVM runs on Web, Cloud, Api.
- 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 Rapid7 InsightVM is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft Defender do that Rapid7 InsightVM cannot?
- Rapid7 InsightVM covers Asset discovery, Vulnerability scanning, Risk prioritization, Threat intelligence.
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.
SourceRapid7 InsightVM: What is the starting price for Rapid7 InsightVM?
InsightVM starts at $1.62 per month per asset, with example pricing provided for 500-asset deployments.
SourceMicrosoft 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.
SourceRapid7 InsightVM: How much does InsightAppSec cost?
InsightAppSec starts at $175 per month per application for web application security scanning.
SourceMicrosoft 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.
SourceRapid7 InsightVM: What does InsightCloudsec cover?
InsightCloudsec starts at $5,775 per month for cloud security monitoring of up to 500 instances.
SourceRapid7 InsightVM: Do Rapid7 products include unlimited user accounts?
Yes, all Rapid7 products include unlimited user accounts, 24/7 technical support, single sign-on, and customer-success team access.
SourceRelated pages
More on Microsoft Defender
More on Rapid7 InsightVM
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