Cybersecurity · head to head
Microsoft Defender vs Salient CompleteView
Microsoft Defender
Cybersecurity
Always-on protection for you and your family's data and devices
- From
- $12/month
- Rated
- -
Salient CompleteView
Cybersecurity
Per-camera licensed video management software with unlimited client workstations
- 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; Salient CompleteView the third-party integration ecosystem is much smaller than Milestone's, so a specialist analytics, LPR or access control requirement is more likely to need custom integration work.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Defender and Salient CompleteView actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Defender | Salient CompleteView |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $12/month | On request |
| Pricing model | subscription | quote |
| Platforms | Web | Windows, Web, iOS, Android |
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 Salient CompleteView does not also cover.
Only in Salient CompleteView
- One licence per camera
- Open camera support
- Perpetual or subscription
- Recording server architecture
- Video wall
- Cloud Services
- Forensic search
- First responder access
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Microsoft Defender
- Endpoint security and threat protectionnot Salient CompleteView
- Identity and access securitynot Salient CompleteView
- Email threat protectionnot Salient CompleteView
- SaaS application security monitoringnot Salient CompleteView
Salient CompleteView
- A school district where dozens of administrators and resource officers need viewing access without per-seat licencesnot Microsoft Defender
- A hospital campus consolidating legacy recorders under one recording architecturenot Microsoft Defender
- A city department needing first responder access to specific cameras during an incidentnot Microsoft Defender
- An integrator deploying a mid-sized site where an enterprise VMS would be over-engineerednot 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
Salient CompleteView
- The third-party integration ecosystem is much smaller than Milestone's, so a specialist analytics, LPR or access control requirement is more likely to need custom integration work.
- It is Windows server based with a conventional recording architecture, so it carries the server, storage and maintenance burden that cloud-native competitors remove entirely.
- International presence is limited and the channel is concentrated in North America, so buyers elsewhere face thin support and few experienced integrators.
- No current pricing is published; distribution list prices circulate but the actual number depends on the integrator, which makes competitive comparison slow.
- Brand recognition is lower than the market leaders, which matters in public procurement where specifications are sometimes written around a named competitor and a substitution has to be argued.
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$2/month
- Vulnerability scanning and management
- One-month free trial available
- Annual commitment required
Salient CompleteView
On request- CompleteView$undefined/one-time
- One licence per IP camera, sold through distribution
- No charge or licence for client workstations, unlimited clients
- Perpetual and subscription licensing both available
Which should you pick?
Choose Microsoft Defender if
Nothing in the data separates Microsoft Defender from Salient CompleteView on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Choose Salient CompleteView if
- You need one licence per camera.
- You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want open camera support.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Defender or Salient CompleteView better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month and Salient CompleteView at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Defender or Salient CompleteView?
- Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month and Salient CompleteView at On request.
- Does Microsoft Defender or Salient CompleteView run on more platforms?
- Microsoft Defender runs on Web. Salient CompleteView runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
- 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 Salient CompleteView is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft Defender do that Salient CompleteView cannot?
- Salient CompleteView covers One licence per camera, Open camera support, Perpetual or subscription, Recording server architecture.
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.
SourceSalient CompleteView: Do I pay for client workstations?
No. CompleteView licenses one licence per IP camera with no additional charge or licence for clients and no limit on the number of client workstations.
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.
SourceSalient CompleteView: Is licensing perpetual or subscription?
Both are offered. Perpetual suits capital budgets; subscription suits organisations that prefer operating expenditure.
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.
SourceSalient CompleteView: Does it have a cloud option?
Yes, Salient Cloud Services, with free registration for an asset dashboard and paid upgrades for remote access, monitoring and first responder connectivity.
Salient CompleteView: What version is current?
CompleteView 8.0 is the current release line.
Related pages
More on Microsoft Defender
More on Salient CompleteView
Other head to heads
- Microsoft Defender vs Bitdefender Total Security
- Microsoft Defender vs Norton 360
- Microsoft Defender vs 1Password
- Microsoft Defender vs LastPass
- Microsoft Defender vs McAfee Total Protection
- Microsoft Defender vs Proofpoint
- Microsoft Defender vs CrowdStrike Falcon
- Microsoft Defender vs Avast One
- Microsoft Defender vs ESET NOD32 Antivirus
- Microsoft Defender vs Cybereason Defense Platform
- Microsoft Defender vs Fortinet FortiGate
- Microsoft Defender vs VMware Carbon Black
- Microsoft Defender vs Wireshark
- Microsoft Defender vs WorkOS
- Microsoft Defender vs Zscaler Internet Access
- Microsoft Defender vs Milestone XProtect
- Microsoft Defender vs Osano
- Microsoft Defender vs Bitdefender VPN
- Microsoft Defender vs VIVOTEK VAST Security Station
- Microsoft Defender vs Rhombus Systems
- Microsoft Defender vs DTiQ
- Microsoft Defender vs Eagle Eye Networks
- Microsoft Defender vs Genetec Security Center
- Microsoft Defender vs Hanwha Vision
- Microsoft Defender vs March Networks
- Microsoft Defender vs Dahua Technology
- Microsoft Defender vs Camio
- Microsoft Defender vs Envysion
- Microsoft Defender vs Spot AI
- Microsoft Defender vs KnowBe4
- Microsoft Defender vs Legit Security
- Microsoft Defender vs LogRhythm SIEM
- Microsoft Defender vs Metasploit
- Microsoft Defender vs MetricStream
- Salient CompleteView vs Bitdefender Total Security
- Salient CompleteView vs Norton 360
- Salient CompleteView vs 1Password
- Salient CompleteView vs LastPass
- Salient CompleteView vs McAfee Total Protection
- Salient CompleteView vs Proofpoint
- Salient CompleteView vs CrowdStrike Falcon
- Salient CompleteView vs Avast One
- Salient CompleteView vs ESET NOD32 Antivirus
- Salient CompleteView vs Cybereason Defense Platform
- Salient CompleteView vs Fortinet FortiGate
- Salient CompleteView vs VMware Carbon Black
- Salient CompleteView vs Wireshark
- Salient CompleteView vs WorkOS
- Salient CompleteView vs Zscaler Internet Access
- Salient CompleteView vs Milestone XProtect
- Salient CompleteView vs Osano
- Salient CompleteView vs Bitdefender VPN
- Salient CompleteView vs VIVOTEK VAST Security Station
- Salient CompleteView vs Rhombus Systems
- Salient CompleteView vs DTiQ
- Salient CompleteView vs Eagle Eye Networks
- Salient CompleteView vs Genetec Security Center
- Salient CompleteView vs Hanwha Vision
- Salient CompleteView vs March Networks
- Salient CompleteView vs Dahua Technology
- Salient CompleteView vs Camio
- Salient CompleteView vs Envysion
- Salient CompleteView vs Spot AI
- Salient CompleteView vs KnowBe4
- Salient CompleteView vs Legit Security
- Salient CompleteView vs LogRhythm SIEM
- Salient CompleteView vs Metasploit
- Salient CompleteView vs MetricStream