Cybersecurity · head to head
Microsoft Defender vs Sourcegraph
Microsoft Defender
Cybersecurity
Always-on protection for you and your family's data and devices
- From
- $12/month
- Free plan
- No
Sourcegraph
Developer Tools
Code search and intelligence platform for large codebases with Cody AI assistant
- From
- $16000/year
- Free plan
- No
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Microsoft Defender defender Suite requires existing Microsoft 365 E3 or equivalent base licensing; Sourcegraph enterprise pricing starting at $16k annually creates significant barrier for small teams
- Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Defender and Sourcegraph actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Defender | Sourcegraph |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $12/month | $16000/year |
| Platforms | Web | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Category | Cybersecurity | Developer Tools |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Microsoft Defender
- Endpoint security and threat protectionnot Sourcegraph
- Identity and access securitynot Sourcegraph
- Email threat protectionnot Sourcegraph
- SaaS application security monitoringnot Sourcegraph
Sourcegraph
- Large-scale code migrations across hundreds of repositoriesnot Microsoft Defender
- Enterprise governance and code ownership trackingnot Microsoft Defender
- AI-assisted bug hunting and security pattern detectionnot Microsoft Defender
- Onboarding engineers into large unfamiliar codebasesnot Microsoft Defender
- Regulatory compliance and code audit trailsnot 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
Sourcegraph
- Enterprise pricing starting at $16k annually creates significant barrier for small teams
- No free tier or standard plan published; all options require custom sales engagement
- Complex enterprise-only positioning limits adoption compared to GitHub Copilot's pervasiveness
- Requires indexing entire codebase; not suitable for small or ephemeral projects
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
Sourcegraph
$16000/year- Enterprise$16000/year
- Scales with team size
- Credits for AI features per user
- Deep Search
Which should you pick?
Choose Microsoft Defender if
Nothing in the data separates Microsoft Defender from Sourcegraph on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Defender or Sourcegraph better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month and Sourcegraph at $16000/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Defender or Sourcegraph?
- Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month and Sourcegraph at $16000/year.
- Does Microsoft Defender or Sourcegraph run on more platforms?
- Microsoft Defender runs on Web. Sourcegraph runs on Cloud, Self-hosted.
- 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 Sourcegraph is typically brought in for.
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.
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.
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.
SourceRelated pages
More on Microsoft Defender
More on Sourcegraph
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