Cybersecurity · head to head
Microsoft Defender vs Sardine
Microsoft Defender
Cybersecurity
Always-on protection for you and your family's data and devices
- From
- $12/month
- Rated
- -
Sardine
Cybersecurity
Device intelligence and behaviour biometrics for fraud and compliance
- 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; Sardine signal quality depends on the SDK being embedded in your own web and mobile clients, so fraud improvements become dependent on your app release cycle and any coverage gap is a blind spot.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Defender and Sardine actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Defender | Sardine |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $12/month | On request |
| Pricing model | subscription | quote |
| Platforms | Web | 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 Sardine does not also cover.
Only in Sardine
- Device intelligence
- Behaviour biometrics
- Scam detection
- Onboarding risk scoring
- AML transaction monitoring
- Dispute and chargeback handling
- Rules editor
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Microsoft Defender
- Endpoint security and threat protectionnot Sardine
- Identity and access securitynot Sardine
- Email threat protectionnot Sardine
- SaaS application security monitoringnot Sardine
Sardine
- A neobank losing money to authorised push payment scams where the customer genuinely approved the transfernot Microsoft Defender
- A crypto exchange trying to detect accounts being operated by remote access rather than by their ownernot Microsoft Defender
- A fintech seeing synthetic identity signups that pass document verification but share device characteristicsnot Microsoft Defender
- A lender wanting first party fraud signals at application time that a credit bureau file does not containnot 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
Sardine
- Signal quality depends on the SDK being embedded in your own web and mobile clients, so fraud improvements become dependent on your app release cycle and any coverage gap is a blind spot.
- Behavioural and device telemetry collection needs a documented lawful basis under GDPR, and EU privacy reviews frequently delay rollouts that were scoped as engineering work.
- Pricing is per session or per active user, so a consumer product with many low value sessions pays in proportion to traffic rather than to fraud exposure.
- As a younger private company it lacks the enforcement-tested audit history that a bank examiner expects, which makes it a harder sell inside a regulated bank than inside a fintech.
- It is strongest on session-time signals and weaker as a system of record for long horizon AML typologies, so larger institutions end up running it alongside a traditional monitoring platform rather than instead of one.
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$2/month
- Vulnerability scanning and management
- One-month free trial available
- Annual commitment required
Sardine
On request- Sardine$undefined/year
- Priced per user session or per monthly active user
- Annual contract with volume commitment
- SDK for web, iOS and Android
Which should you pick?
Choose Microsoft Defender if
Nothing in the data separates Microsoft Defender from Sardine on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Choose Sardine if
- You need device intelligence.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want behaviour biometrics.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Defender or Sardine better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month and Sardine at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Defender or Sardine?
- Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month and Sardine at On request.
- Does Microsoft Defender or Sardine run on more platforms?
- Microsoft Defender runs on Web. Sardine runs on 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 Sardine is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft Defender do that Sardine cannot?
- Sardine covers Device intelligence, Behaviour biometrics, Scam detection, Onboarding risk scoring.
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.
SourceSardine: Does Sardine do document verification?
It focuses on device, behavioural and transaction signals, and integrates identity verification providers rather than being one. Treat it as complementary to a KYC vendor.
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.
SourceSardine: What does it need from us to work?
An SDK in your web and mobile applications plus transaction feeds. Without the client side collector you lose the signals that differentiate it.
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.
SourceSardine: Is pricing published?
No. It is quoted, typically per session or per monthly active user with an annual volume commitment.
Related pages
More on Microsoft Defender
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