Cybersecurity · head to head
Microsoft Defender vs VIVOTEK VAST Security Station
Microsoft Defender
Cybersecurity
Always-on protection for you and your family's data and devices
- From
- $12/month
- Rated
- -
VIVOTEK VAST Security Station
Cybersecurity
Camera-vendor video management software with a free 32-channel tier for VIVOTEK devices
- 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; VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vAST 2 has entered end of maintenance with technical support and software files withdrawn, yet distributors still list VAST 2 licences, so a buyer can be quoted unsupported software without realising it.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Defender and VIVOTEK VAST Security Station actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Defender | VIVOTEK VAST Security Station |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $12/month | On request |
| Pricing model | subscription | One-time purchase per camera channel |
| Platforms | Web | Windows, 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 VIVOTEK VAST Security Station does not also cover.
Only in VIVOTEK VAST Security Station
- VSS Lite free tier
- Per-channel licensing
- Third-party camera support
- Failover and TV matrix
- Vision object analytics
- Embedded NVR licensing
- NDAA and TAA compliance
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Microsoft Defender
- Endpoint security and threat protectionnot VIVOTEK VAST Security Station
- Identity and access securitynot VIVOTEK VAST Security Station
- Email threat protectionnot VIVOTEK VAST Security Station
- SaaS application security monitoringnot VIVOTEK VAST Security Station
VIVOTEK VAST Security Station
- A school or small public building with fewer than 32 VIVOTEK cameras that needs a VMS at no licence costnot Microsoft Defender
- A United States public sector site that must meet NDAA and TAA procurement restrictionsnot Microsoft Defender
- An existing VAST 2 site that needs to migrate before the software falls further out of maintenancenot Microsoft Defender
- A mid-sized site standardising on VIVOTEK hardware with a handful of third-party cameras to absorbnot 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
VIVOTEK VAST Security Station
- VAST 2 has entered end of maintenance with technical support and software files withdrawn, yet distributors still list VAST 2 licences, so a buyer can be quoted unsupported software without realising it.
- The free Lite tier is hard capped at 32 cameras and VIVOTEK devices only, so a site that grows to 33 cameras or adds one third-party camera moves straight to paid Standard licensing.
- VSS Professional includes no camera licences at all, so the edition that large deployments need starts from a higher effective price than the tier comparison suggests.
- It is a camera manufacturer's VMS, so the third-party device list, analytics ecosystem and integration catalogue are all narrower than an independent platform like Milestone or Salient.
- No pricing is published for Standard or Professional channels; everything runs through distribution, which makes budgeting a phased expansion difficult without repeated quotes.
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$2/month
- Vulnerability scanning and management
- One-month free trial available
- Annual commitment required
VIVOTEK VAST Security Station
On request- VSS LiteFree
- Free of charge
- Up to 32 VIVOTEK cameras per server
- No third-party camera support
- VSS Standard$undefined/one-time
- Up to 256 cameras per server
- Eight camera licences included for VIVOTEK or third-party devices
- Additional channel licences purchased individually
- VSS Professional$undefined/one-time
- Large scale deployments with failover and TV matrix
- No camera licences included at all
- Every channel purchased or upgraded from Standard
Which should you pick?
Choose Microsoft Defender if
Nothing in the data separates Microsoft Defender from VIVOTEK VAST Security Station on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Choose VIVOTEK VAST Security Station if
- You need vss lite free tier.
- You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want per-channel licensing.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Defender or VIVOTEK VAST Security Station better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month and VIVOTEK VAST Security Station at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Defender or VIVOTEK VAST Security Station?
- Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month and VIVOTEK VAST Security Station at On request.
- Does Microsoft Defender or VIVOTEK VAST Security Station run on more platforms?
- Microsoft Defender runs on Web. VIVOTEK VAST Security Station runs on Windows, 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 VIVOTEK VAST Security Station is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft Defender do that VIVOTEK VAST Security Station cannot?
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station covers VSS Lite free tier, Per-channel licensing, Third-party camera support, Failover and TV matrix.
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.
SourceVIVOTEK VAST Security Station: Should I still buy VAST 2?
No. VAST 2 has entered end of maintenance with support and software files withdrawn. VSS is the current product, and any VAST 2 licence still on a distributor price list should be questioned.
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.
SourceVIVOTEK VAST Security Station: Is VSS Lite really free?
Yes, for up to 32 VIVOTEK cameras per server. It does not support third-party cameras and cannot exceed 32 channels.
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.
SourceVIVOTEK VAST Security Station: How many licences come with Standard?
Eight camera licences, usable for VIVOTEK or third-party devices. Professional includes none.
VIVOTEK VAST Security Station: Is VIVOTEK NDAA compliant?
VIVOTEK publishes an NDAA and TAA compliant product list, which is why it appears in United States public sector specifications where Section 889 excludes several other manufacturers.
Related pages
More on Microsoft Defender
More on VIVOTEK VAST Security Station
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 Salient CompleteView
- Microsoft Defender vs Rhombus Systems
- Microsoft Defender vs Genetec Security Center
- Microsoft Defender vs Hanwha Vision
- Microsoft Defender vs March Networks
- Microsoft Defender vs Eagle Eye Networks
- Microsoft Defender vs Dahua Technology
- Microsoft Defender vs Camio
- Microsoft Defender vs Envysion
- Microsoft Defender vs Spot AI
- Microsoft Defender vs DTiQ
- Microsoft Defender vs Infisical
- Microsoft Defender vs JumpCloud
- Microsoft Defender vs NICE Actimize
- Microsoft Defender vs Semgrep
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Bitdefender Total Security
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Norton 360
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs 1Password
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs LastPass
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs McAfee Total Protection
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Proofpoint
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs CrowdStrike Falcon
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Avast One
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs ESET NOD32 Antivirus
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Cybereason Defense Platform
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Fortinet FortiGate
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs VMware Carbon Black
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Wireshark
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs WorkOS
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Zscaler Internet Access
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Milestone XProtect
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Osano
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Bitdefender VPN
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Salient CompleteView
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Rhombus Systems
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Genetec Security Center
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Hanwha Vision
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs March Networks
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Eagle Eye Networks
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Dahua Technology
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Camio
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Envysion
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Spot AI
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs DTiQ
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Infisical
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs JumpCloud
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs NICE Actimize
- VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vs Semgrep