Cybersecurity · head to head
Microsoft Defender vs Stytch
Microsoft Defender
Cybersecurity
Always-on protection for you and your family's data and devices
- From
- $12/month
- Rated
- -
Stytch
Cybersecurity
Identity platform with passwordless auth, passkeys and bot detection.
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Stytch has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Microsoft Defender defender Suite requires existing Microsoft 365 E3 or equivalent base licensing; Stytch free tier limited to 10,000 monthly active users; scaling beyond this requires custom pricing negotiation
- Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Defender and Stytch actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Defender | Stytch |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $12/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web | Web, API |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Microsoft Defender
- Endpoint security and threat protectionnot Stytch
- Identity and access securitynot Stytch
- Email threat protectionnot Stytch
- SaaS application security monitoringnot Stytch
Stytch
- Applications prioritising passwordless and passkey authenticationnot Microsoft Defender
- SaaS platforms requiring AI agent authentication and machine-to-machine flowsnot Microsoft Defender
- Companies with emerging identity needs such as bot detection and device intelligencenot Microsoft Defender
- Organisations building with Next.js and React requiring modern auth patternsnot Microsoft Defender
- Applications needing transparent pricing without surprise tiers or feature gatingnot 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
Stytch
- Free tier limited to 10,000 monthly active users; scaling beyond this requires custom pricing negotiation
- Fraud prevention capabilities billed at $0.005 per fingerprint for usage exceeding 10,000 free checks
- Additional SSO or SCIM connections beyond the 5 included in free tier cost $125 each
- Brand customisation and email removal require one-time payment of $99
- HIPAA and advanced fraud protection only available in Enterprise tier
- No native UI builder; requires custom frontend development for fully-branded auth flows
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$2/month
- Vulnerability scanning and management
- One-month free trial available
- Annual commitment required
Stytch
Free- FreeFree
- 10,000 monthly active users and AI agents
- Unlimited organisations
- 5 SSO or SCIM connections
- Scaled$undefined/variable
- Usage-based pricing for users exceeding 10,000
- All free tier features
- Volume discounts available
- Enterprise$undefined/variable
- Custom pricing
- Discounted volume rates
- Enterprise support SLA
Which should you pick?
Choose Microsoft Defender if
Nothing in the data separates Microsoft Defender from Stytch on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Defender or Stytch better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month and Stytch at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Defender or Stytch?
- Stytch has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $12/month for Microsoft Defender and Free for Stytch.
- Does Microsoft Defender or Stytch run on more platforms?
- Microsoft Defender runs on Web. Stytch runs on Web, API.
- Can I use Stytch for free?
- Yes. Stytch has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month.
- 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 Stytch 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.
SourceStytch: What is included in Stytch's free tier?
The free tier includes 10,000 monthly active users (human and AI agents), unlimited organisations, 5 SSO or SCIM connections, and 1,000 machine-to-machine tokens with full authentication features.
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.
SourceStytch: Does Stytch support AI agent authentication?
Yes. Stytch provides native AI agent authentication and authorisation, with support for the Model Context Protocol (MCP) for authenticating AI agents accessing external systems.
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.
SourceStytch: What fraud prevention features does Stytch offer?
Stytch includes bot detection with 99.99% accuracy, device fingerprinting, invisible CAPTCHA, and zero-day device intelligence built into all tiers.
SourceRelated pages
More on Microsoft Defender
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 Cisco Duo
- Microsoft Defender vs Transmit Security
- Microsoft Defender vs Descope
- Microsoft Defender vs Authy
- Microsoft Defender vs Entrust Identity as a Service
- Microsoft Defender vs Feedzai
- Microsoft Defender vs NICE Actimize
- Microsoft Defender vs Salient CompleteView
- Microsoft Defender vs Sumsub
- Microsoft Defender vs Tuta
- Microsoft Defender vs Camio
- Microsoft Defender vs Clerk
- Stytch vs Bitdefender Total Security
- Stytch vs Norton 360
- Stytch vs 1Password
- Stytch vs LastPass
- Stytch vs McAfee Total Protection
- Stytch vs Proofpoint
- Stytch vs CrowdStrike Falcon
- Stytch vs Avast One
- Stytch vs ESET NOD32 Antivirus
- Stytch vs Cybereason Defense Platform
- Stytch vs Fortinet FortiGate
- Stytch vs VMware Carbon Black
- Stytch vs Wireshark
- Stytch vs WorkOS
- Stytch vs Zscaler Internet Access
- Stytch vs Milestone XProtect
- Stytch vs Osano
- Stytch vs Bitdefender VPN
- Stytch vs Cisco Duo
- Stytch vs Transmit Security
- Stytch vs Descope
- Stytch vs Authy
- Stytch vs Entrust Identity as a Service
- Stytch vs Feedzai
- Stytch vs NICE Actimize
- Stytch vs Salient CompleteView
- Stytch vs Sumsub
- Stytch vs Tuta
- Stytch vs Camio
- Stytch vs Clerk