Cybersecurity · head to head
Microsoft Defender vs Sweep
Microsoft Defender
Cybersecurity
Always-on protection for you and your family's data and devices
- From
- $12/month
- Free plan
- No
The short version
- Only Sweep 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; Sweep limited to JetBrains IDEs only, not available for VS Code or other editors
- Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Defender and Sweep actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Defender | Sweep |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $12/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | Freemium with paid tiers |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web | JetBrains IDEs |
| Category | Cybersecurity | Developer Tools |
| Founded | Unknown | 2023 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).
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 Sweep does not also cover.
Only in Sweep
- Autocomplete
- AI Agent
- Full codebase indexing
- Code review functionality
- Multi-IDE support
- GitHub integration
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Microsoft Defender
- Endpoint security and threat protectionnot Sweep
- Identity and access securitynot Sweep
- Email threat protectionnot Sweep
- SaaS application security monitoringnot Sweep
Sweep
- Accelerating code completion for JetBrains developersnot Microsoft Defender
- Automating refactoring tasks across codebasesnot Microsoft Defender
- Handling bug fixes with full repository contextnot Microsoft Defender
- Code review and quality assurancenot 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
Sweep
- Limited to JetBrains IDEs only, not available for VS Code or other editors
- Free tier limited to 1,000 autocompletes per month
- API credit consumption varies by feature usage
- Performance dependent on codebase size and indexing quality
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
Sweep
Free- FreeFree
- 1,000 autocompletes
- 5 USD API credits included
- All JetBrains IDEs supported
- Pro$20/month
- Unlimited autocomplete
- Higher API credit allocation
- Priority support
- Ultra$60/month
- Unlimited autocomplete
- Maximum API credit allocation
- Extended context window
Which should you pick?
Choose Microsoft Defender if
Nothing in the data separates Microsoft Defender from Sweep on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Choose Sweep if
- You need autocomplete.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on JetBrains IDEs.
- You also want ai agent.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Defender or Sweep better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month and Sweep at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Defender or Sweep?
- Sweep has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $12/month for Microsoft Defender and Free for Sweep.
- Does Microsoft Defender or Sweep run on more platforms?
- Microsoft Defender runs on Web. Sweep runs on JetBrains IDEs.
- Can I use Sweep for free?
- Yes. Sweep 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 Sweep is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft Defender do that Sweep cannot?
- Sweep covers Autocomplete, AI Agent, Full codebase indexing, Code review functionality.
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.
SourceSweep: What programming languages does Sweep support?
Sweep works with all programming languages supported by JetBrains IDEs, including Python, Java, JavaScript, Go, Kotlin, C++, and many others.
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.
SourceSweep: Does Sweep retain my code data?
No. Sweep is SOC 2 Type II certified with zero data retention. Code is processed for suggestions but not stored.
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.
SourceSweep: Can I cancel my Sweep subscription anytime?
Yes. You can cancel your subscription at any time from your account settings with no long-term commitments or cancellation fees.
SourceRelated pages
More on Microsoft Defender
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- Sweep vs GitHub Copilot
- Sweep vs Refact
- Sweep vs PhpStorm
- Sweep vs JetBrains Rider
- Sweep vs Pieces for Developers
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- Sweep vs Deep Code
- Sweep vs Pants Build
- Sweep vs Fig
- Sweep vs Namespace
- Sweep vs Nix
- Sweep vs Nixpacks
- Sweep vs Octopus Deploy
- Sweep vs Okteto
- Sweep vs OpsLevel
- Sweep vs RubyMine
- Sweep vs Sourcegraph
- Sweep vs GoLand