Cybersecurity · head to head
Microsoft Defender vs Silent Eight
Microsoft Defender
Cybersecurity
Always-on protection for you and your family's data and devices
- From
- $12/month
- Rated
- -
Silent Eight
Cybersecurity
AI adjudication of sanctions screening and AML alerts
- 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; Silent Eight automated disposition has to clear model risk governance and a regulator, and the shadow running period before auto-close is permitted can consume most of the first year of the contract.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Defender and Silent Eight actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Defender | Silent Eight |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $12/month | On request |
| Pricing model | subscription | quote |
| Platforms | Web | Web, Linux |
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 Silent Eight does not also cover.
Only in Silent Eight
- Alert adjudication
- Narrative generation
- Name screening automation
- Quality assurance
- Shadow mode
- Model transparency reporting
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Microsoft Defender
- Endpoint security and threat protectionnot Silent Eight
- Identity and access securitynot Silent Eight
- Email threat protectionnot Silent Eight
- SaaS application security monitoringnot Silent Eight
Silent Eight
- A bank whose level one screening team spends most of its time closing obvious false name matchesnot Microsoft Defender
- A payments institution with alert volumes growing faster than it can recruit and train analystsnot Microsoft Defender
- A compliance function asked by a regulator to demonstrate consistency of alert decisions across offshore teamsnot Microsoft Defender
- An institution that has just tightened screening thresholds after an enforcement action and cannot staff the resulting alert increasenot 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
Silent Eight
- Automated disposition has to clear model risk governance and a regulator, and the shadow running period before auto-close is permitted can consume most of the first year of the contract.
- It does not improve detection, so an institution with a poorly tuned monitoring system automates the handling of bad alerts rather than fixing why they exist.
- Pricing is tied to alert volume, which means efficiency gains elsewhere that reduce alerts also reduce the vendor bill in a way sales teams structure minimums against.
- The headcount saving is only realised if the institution actually reduces the analyst pool, and many banks redeploy rather than cut, leaving the business case unrealised on paper.
- As a mid-sized private vendor serving tier one banks, concentration risk cuts both ways; the loss of one large client materially affects the company, and buyers should ask about financial stability during diligence.
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$2/month
- Vulnerability scanning and management
- One-month free trial available
- Annual commitment required
Silent Eight
On request- Iris$undefined/year
- Priced by alert volume adjudicated
- Deploys against existing screening and monitoring systems
- Shadow mode evaluation period
Which should you pick?
Choose Microsoft Defender if
Nothing in the data separates Microsoft Defender from Silent Eight on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Choose Silent Eight if
- You need alert adjudication.
- You work on Web, Linux.
- You also want narrative generation.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Defender or Silent Eight better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month and Silent Eight at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Defender or Silent Eight?
- Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month and Silent Eight at On request.
- Does Microsoft Defender or Silent Eight run on more platforms?
- Microsoft Defender runs on Web. Silent Eight runs on Web, Linux.
- 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 Silent Eight is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft Defender do that Silent Eight cannot?
- Silent Eight covers Alert adjudication, Narrative generation, Name screening automation, Quality assurance.
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.
SourceSilent Eight: Does Silent Eight replace our screening system?
No. It consumes alerts from your existing screening and monitoring systems and decides them. The detection layer stays where it is.
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.
SourceSilent Eight: Will a regulator accept AI closing alerts?
It depends on your jurisdiction and your model governance evidence. Banks typically run extended shadow mode first and phase auto-closure by alert type.
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.
SourceSilent Eight: Where is the company based?
Singapore, with offices in New York, London and Warsaw.
Related pages
More on Microsoft Defender
More on Silent Eight
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