ESET Inspect vs Microsoft Defender XDR comparison

Why PeerSpot?

ESET and Microsoft are both solutions in the Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) category. ESET is ranked #51, while Microsoft is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.4. ESET holds a 0.9% mindshare in EDR, compared to Microsoft’s 2.0% mindshare. Additionally, 80% of ESET users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 98% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 9, 2024

ESET Inspect and Microsoft Defender XDR compete in the security monitoring and extended detection and response solutions category. Microsoft Defender XDR seems to have the upper hand due to its advanced features and integration capabilities, making it worth its higher price.

Features: ESET Inspect is praised for its detailed threat analysis, incident response capabilities, and cost-effectiveness. Microsoft Defender XDR is noted for its deep integration with other Microsoft products, advanced threat intelligence, and comprehensive extended detection and response solution. Microsoft Defender XDR's integration with other Microsoft services gives it a competitive edge.

Room for Improvement:ESET Inspect needs a more intuitive learning curve, improved scalability, and better documentation. Microsoft Defender XDR could benefit from better documentation, more flexible configuration options, and a smoother learning curve. ESET Inspect faces challenges with scalability while Microsoft Defender XDR's documentation could enhance user experience.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service:ESET Inspect is recognized for its straightforward deployment process and responsive customer service. Microsoft Defender XDR users find deployment to have a steeper learning curve but appreciate comprehensive support. ESET Inspect’s ease of deployment and customer service are strengths, while Microsoft Defender XDR requires more effort initially.

Pricing and ROI:ESET Inspect is noted for its affordability and positive ROI. Microsoft Defender XDR, though more expensive, is considered worth the investment because of its extensive features and integration benefits. ESET Inspect is cost-effective, while Microsoft Defender XDR offers higher ROI through its advanced functionalities.

To learn more, read our detailed ESET Inspect vs. Microsoft Defender XDR Report (Updated: September 2026).

Buyer's Guide

ESET Inspect vs. Microsoft Defender XDR

September 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Net...

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2026, in the Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) category, the mindshare of Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks is 3.7%, down from 3.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ESET Inspect is 0.9%, down from 1.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Defender XDR is 2.0%, down from 2.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks	3.7%
Microsoft Defender XDR	2.0%
ESET Inspect	0.9%
Other	93.4%

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

Featured Reviews

ABHISHEK_SINGH

Senior Process Expert at A.P. Moller - Maersk

Gained full visibility and streamlined threat detection through behavior-based insights and AI integration

Initially, we got to have a lot of false positives when we onboarded, but nowadays it's quite smooth. We have fine-tuned our security policies and allowed different levels of policies to get rid of those false positives. Currently, we are getting a fairly good amount of incidents that are not false positives or benign, but actionable items. The process is streamlined. In the initial days, the operations used to get involved in a lot of benign and other activities, but now the process is streamlined. We are leveraging the auto-detection and remediation plans. The operations teams are now more involved in other business roles as well, not just looking into the logs and fetching out what's happening there. They have fixed a lot of things. Initially, they didn't have IAC code drift detection, cloud posture management, or security posture management, but they have those now. They purchased different vendors and did a merger with that. They have now Prisma Cloud that gets integrated and now they are working with Cortex Cloud. Everything that was negative has now been addressed, and the product altogether looks to be in a very better and mature shape now. Currently, it's more or less detecting the workloads with AI-based best practices. Since most organizations are consuming AI agents and other things, we are looking forward to seeing what other feature enhancements Palo Alto can support in that.

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Cees Van Den Haak

ICT Manager at Bouwbedrijf de Vries en Verburg BV

A product with an easy setup phase that helps manage attacks and vulnerabilities

The most valuable features of the solution stem from the fact that you can manage and react to vulnerabilities and attacks on all the workstations or laptops. You can put certain workstations and isolation. With ESET PROTECT, you see only one machine that is protected, but with ESET Inspect, you see all the machines that are protected in an environment.

Read full review

reviewer2812758

Infosec at a government with 10,001+ employees

Integrated defenses have unified threat hunting, phishing simulations, and identity investigations

I appreciate Microsoft Defender XDR's MDE, Microsoft Defender tool, which has Attack Simulator. Instead of doing a phishing campaign and getting a separate tool, Microsoft Defender XDR does it all. These features of Microsoft Defender XDR have helped us conduct a phishing campaign quarterly, which has been beneficial. I also appreciate the fact that it has Defender for Office integrated, Defender for Identity, and everything integrated together. I would describe the process of using Microsoft Defender XDR to prioritize incidents in my security operations as quite decent. I appreciate the automatic alerting system where any incidents or alerts we receive come directly to our email. From there, we can open the email, go directly to Microsoft Defender XDR, and start our investigations and remediations. I perceive the integration of security and identity access management in Microsoft Defender XDR as affecting my identity protection strategies very well because it is well integrated with Purview, integrated well with Entra ID, and integrated well with Exchange. I especially appreciate MDO, the Office product. If anything happens and I want to conduct an investigation, it takes me directly to Exchange, where I can also investigate any emails or phishing incidents. Instead of going to different portals, everything can be done from Microsoft Defender XDR. If necessary for further investigation, Microsoft Defender XDR then directs me to that environment. I would assess the integration of AI in guiding security actions within Microsoft Defender XDR as quite positive. Recently, Security Copilot went big, and it is beneficial that I can use that, especially to write KQL. I can do threat hunting features and intelligence all within using Microsoft's Security Copilot. It also has a nice AI feature for threat hunting. I know that all the Defender logs go to Sentinel, and I can pull it up from Microsoft Defender XDR or from Sentinel. The fact that I can actually do all that within Microsoft Defender XDR is a nice feature. In the top module, I can do threat lookups, and I can actually type KQLs in Microsoft Defender XDR and look up incidents. Predictive shielding has had a nice impact on my proactive security measures. It is beneficial that it has, similar to Entra ID, a secure score. For me to improve the product, the secure score helps me out. If I rate it from highest to lowest, I can see what things I can improve. Secure score helps me see what areas I can improve in Microsoft Defender XDR to increase my score and bring it to 80 or more. Knowing Microsoft Defender XDR from using it since 2019, before COVID days, I know that they have improved significantly. It is much more user-friendly and has a very nice vulnerability feature that I find handy and useful. The fact that this feature integrates into Intune is also very decent.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The most valuable for us is the correlation feature."

"Stability is one of the features we like the most."

"The stability of this product is very good."

"It has pretty much everything we need and works well within the Palo Alto ecosystem."

"Implementing Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks has had a significant impact on my security analyst workload because it becomes much easier."

"The stability of the solution is very good. We have about 100 users on it right now, and we use it twice a week."

"When the pandemic started, Palo Alto came up with many solutions, which helped with the quick shift from on-premises to the cloud."

"Cortex XDR alerts us on the dashboard when there's a threat, which allows us to restrict that user and helps secure our infrastructure."

More Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks pros

"ESET Enterprise Inspector's most valuable feature is EDR."

"Rules are the most valuable feature of ESET Inspect. They are created through XML language, and they track and filter events from endpoints. If the event matches the rule, the rule is triggered. Exceptions are the second most valuable feature because it gives you the power to filter false positives in large numbers. The third most valuable feature is the Learning mode that facilitates making exceptions for known processes with a good reputation."

"Scalability-wise, it is a very good solution."

"The product's most valuable features are its performance and stability."

"ESET Enterprise Inspector's greatest asset lies in its user-friendly interface, which allows for easy navigation and thorough analysis of incidents."

"I find the multilayered endpoint security the most valuable feature."

"The rules are the best and most useful features."

"This solution is easy to install, setup and monitor."

"We are able to consolidate licences and make use of many Microsoft products using this solution, and if we have any Microsoft customers, we encourage them to use this solution for enterprise defence."

"Microsoft 365 Defender is simple to upgrade."

"The incident-level visibility across the cyber attack chain when using Microsoft Defender XDR is great."

"The unified view of the threat landscape on a central dashboard is the most valuable feature."

"The most valuable aspect is undoubtedly the exploration capability"

"A crucial aspect for our team is the inclusion of identity and access management tools from the vendor."

"Microsoft 365 Defender is a stable solution."

"It has been great for us. Previously, we didn't have a solution to protect us, especially from malware, whereas now, we are getting protection up front, especially from the malware attacks coming through emails or endpoints."

More Microsoft Defender XDR pros

Cons

"When it comes to core analysis, and security analysis, Cortex needs to provide more information."

"In some cases, there are too many options for me, and it is a bit too hard to find some settings which I really need to implement."

"We would also like to have advanced tech protection and email scanning."

"There's room for improvement with Mac device installations, which can be challenging."

"Based on our experience so far, its implementation is quite complex."

"Cortex XDR could be improved with more GUI features."

"The downsides of Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks are that in many incidents, when I enter the causality chain, there are numerous logs."

"It's very time-consuming to log support issues and the people that answer the tickets aren't very knowledgeable."

More Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks cons

"The platform's price could be better."

"The product is complex to configure, and there are too many errors that are not errors, making it an area that can be considered for improvement."

"Every vendor is working on making the job of SOC analysts easier, with fewer false positives and more precise detections. ESET uses LiveGrid technology that provides feedback on the reputation of files and operations. It's hard to eliminate all of the false positives, but hopefully, we'll see some improvement with the advances in AI."

"It is not a stable product. We were disappointed in the stability of this product in comparison to McAffee."

"One area that needs improvement for the product is ransomware protection, which does not offer complete security."

"It may be difficult for a first-time customer to understand all of the functions that are available to him."

"The solution could improve the consumption of resources. The RAM and CPU usage increases during usage which can cause issues. We have three separate services and it would be beneficial if all were executed from one agent limiting the over usage of system resources."

"The Defender agent itself is more compatible with Windows 10 and Windows 11. Other than these two lines, there are so many compatibility issues. Security is not only about Microsoft. The core technical aspects of it are quite good, but it would be good if they can better support non-Microsoft solutions in terms of putting the agents directly into VMware and other virtualization solutions. There should be more emphasis on RHEL and other operating systems that we use, other than Windows, in the server category."

"The solution does not offer a unified response and standard data."

"The support from Microsoft could improve. There are times I have to wait for a response from a qualified specialist."

"The AI could be improved. As an analyst, I want to be able to interact more with AI. The AI simply sends summaries. I can't ask it, for example, if it has seen any suspicious activity with device two. I have to go and check device two for myself."

"There are a few technical issues with Defender XDR that can be improved. Sometimes, the endpoint devices are not reporting properly to the Defender 365 portal. When you're getting all the information from the Microsoft portal, the devices are sometimes not in sync. We have hundreds of endpoint devices, some needing to be onboarded again."

"The capability to not only thwart attacks but also to adapt to evolving threats is crucial."

"Every now and then, Microsoft Defender XDR seems to go through and aggregates almost a week's worth of incidents and wraps them up, indicating a huge problem."

"There are still some components, such as vulnerability management within the vendor product, where improved integration would be beneficial."

More Microsoft Defender XDR cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is cost-effective compared to similar solutions. It fits for the small businesses through to the big businesses."

"Cortex XDR’s pricing is very reasonable."

"The price of the solution is high for the license and in general."

"It is "expensive" and flexible."

"Very costly product."

"This is an expensive solution."

"Every customer has to pay for a license because it doesn't work with what you get from a managed services provider."

"The price of the product is not very economical."

More Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks pricing and cost advice

"The platform's licensing is affordable and straightforward."

"I feel it is a very expensive product."

"The pricing and licensing are the big issue now, in my opinion. If the price was less than other companies, or a one-time charge for service was available, I think there would be more users of this solution."

"This is true in the case of licensing, we do not have the most expensive products, and we don't have the cheapest product, it's somewhere in the middle. Perhaps a little higher from the middle, but we are known for what we provide to our customers, and they are pleased."

"The platform is expensive; it could be cheaper."

"The price could be better. Normally, the costs depend on the country you're located in for the license. When we were in the initial stage, we went with the E5 license they call premium standard. It cost us around $5.20 per month for four users."

"The solutions price is fair for what they offer."

"It is 15 dollars per server per month. It is worth it, but it can be costly. It depends on the company's size."

"We've managed to navigate it effectively through our enterprise agreement, and Microsoft's academic discounts have proven to be quite generous."

"Licensing is somewhat confusing, particularly when presenting our pitch decks to stakeholders and leveraging key features in premium SKUs, but we managed with some assistance from Microsoft."

"While Microsoft Defender XDR carries a higher cost, its ease of use compared to Defender may justify the investment."

"Defender plan 1 is tenant-wise, and Defender plan 2 is per-user, which makes it more expensive. To have certain features, you would need to purchase the E5 license. For all of the capabilities that the tool provides, the price, though it can be high, is fair."

"Microsoft should provide lower-level licensing options. They should do it in such a way that even an individual could purchase a license, and it should be entirely flexible."

More Microsoft Defender XDR pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Comms Service Provider

13%

Outsourcing Company

12%

Construction Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

13%

Financial Services Firm

Outsourcing Company

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Outsourcing Company

Computer Software Company

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	48
Midsize Enterprise	21
Large Enterprise	56

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	5
Large Enterprise	2

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	46
Midsize Enterprise	28
Large Enterprise	41

Questions from the Community

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How is Cortex XDR compared with Microsoft Defender?

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a cloud-delivered endpoint security solution. The tool reduces the attack surface,...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft 365 Defender?

My experience with the pricing, setup costs, and licensing of Microsoft Defender XDR is that we are on an E5 license,...

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What needs improvement with Microsoft 365 Defender?

From my perspective, Microsoft Defender XDR can be improved with better visibility in certain areas where I can trigg...

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What is your primary use case for Microsoft 365 Defender?

My main use cases for Microsoft Defender XDR are telemetry, advanced hunting, and the ability to perform host isolati...

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Comparisons

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks

Compared 15% of the time

SentinelOne Singularity Endpoint vs Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks

Compared 5% of the time

CrowdStrike Falcon vs Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks

Compared 4% of the time

Symantec Endpoint Security vs Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks

Compared 3% of the time

Cortex XSIAM vs Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks

Compared 3% of the time

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CrowdStrike Falcon vs ESET Inspect

Compared 14% of the time

HP Wolf Security vs ESET Inspect

Compared 5% of the time

SentinelOne Singularity Endpoint vs ESET Inspect

Compared 5% of the time

Fortinet FortiEDR vs ESET Inspect

Compared 4% of the time

TrendAI Vision One vs ESET Inspect

Compared 4% of the time

More ESET Inspect Competitors

CrowdStrike Falcon vs Microsoft Defender XDR

Compared 8% of the time

Wazuh vs Microsoft Defender XDR

Compared 5% of the time

SentinelOne Singularity Endpoint vs Microsoft Defender XDR

Compared 4% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Cloud vs Microsoft Defender XDR

Compared 3% of the time

Huntress Managed EDR vs Microsoft Defender XDR

Compared 2% of the time

More Microsoft Defender XDR Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks

October 2026

Download Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks product report

Buyer's Guide

ESET Inspect

October 2026

Download ESET Inspect product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender XDR

October 2026

Download Microsoft Defender XDR product report

Also Known As

Cyvera, Cortex XDR, Palo Alto Networks Traps

ESET Enterprise Inspector

Microsoft 365 Defender, Microsoft Threat Protection, MS 365 Defender

Overview

Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks provides advanced threat detection with AI-driven endpoint protection and seamless integration, ensuring multi-layered security and automatic threat response.

Cortex XDR is designed to safeguard endpoints against malware and suspicious activities. It offers advanced threat detection and response capabilities using behavioral analysis, AI, and machine learning. It seamlessly integrates with security infrastructures, providing endpoint security, firewall integration, and enhanced visibility in both cloud-based and on-premises environments.

What are the key features of Cortex XDR?

Advanced Threat Detection: Uses AI and machine learning for proactive threat identification.
Multi-layered Security: Combines various security measures for comprehensive protection.
Endpoint Protection: Safeguards against malware and exploits.
Behavioral Analysis: Monitors suspicious activity for early detection.
Automatic Threat Response: Automates responses to neutralize threats.

What benefits should users expect?

Ease of Use: Simplifies security management with intuitive design.
Resource Efficiency: Minimizes impact on system resources.
Integration Capabilities: Works well with existing security setups.
Reduced Analyst Workload: Automates processes to decrease manual intervention.

Organizations in diverse sectors deploy Cortex XDR to protect against malware, leveraging its advanced threat detection capabilities. Its integration with existing security infrastructures appeals to those seeking comprehensive protection in both cloud and on-premises environments, providing enhanced visibility and threat intelligence.

Palo Alto Networks

ESET Inspect provides strong EDR capabilities with user-friendly operations and multilayered security for threat detection and response, supporting efficient management across multiple devices.

ESET Inspect enables organizations to manage security effectively through its lightweight connector, handling EDR/XDR services for vulnerability and attack management. It allows tracking of potential threats, including lateral movements and anomaly detection, and employs XML-based rules for customized filtering. The interface supports exception management and a learning mode, enhancing control over false positives. Performance, stability, and flexible deployment options add value to its comprehensive security approach.

What are the key features of ESET Inspect?

User-Friendly Interface: Simplifies navigation and threat monitoring.
Effective EDR Capabilities: Enables detailed response actions for security incidents.
Multilayered Security: Prevents malicious activities with layered protection.
XML-Based Rules: Allows customizable filtering and monitoring.
Learning Mode: Facilitates the management of false positives through exceptions.
Lightweight Connector: Efficiently manages security across devices.

What benefits can users expect from ESET Inspect?

Enhanced Threat Detection: Provides deep insights into network processes.
Comprehensive Management: Offers multilayered security across cloud and on-premises setups.
Proactive Threat Response: Enables actions like process termination for anomalies.
Flexible Deployment: Supports antivirus, spam protection, and IDS functions.

ESET Inspect is often deployed by administrators in industries requiring stringent security management, such as IT services and business sectors with sensitive data handling. It is used for network monitoring, antivirus protections across desktops, laptops, and servers, allowing proactive responses to threats with built-in and regularly updated rules.

ESET

Microsoft Defender XDR is a comprehensive security solution designed to protect against threats in the Microsoft 365 environment.

It offers robust security measures, comprehensive threat detection capabilities, and an efficient incident response system. With seamless integration with other Microsoft products and a user-friendly interface, it simplifies security management tasks.

Users have found it effective in detecting and preventing various types of attacks, such as phishing attempts, malware infections, and data breaches.

Watch the Microsoft demo video here: Microsoft Defender XDR demo video.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

CBI Health Group, University Honda, VakifBank

Mitsubishi Motors, Allianz Suisse, Cannon, T-Mobile

Accenture, Deloitte, ExxonMobil, General Electric, IBM, Johnson & Johnson and many others.

Buyer's Guide

ESET Inspect vs. Microsoft Defender XDR

September 2026

Free Report: ESET Inspect vs. Microsoft Defender XDR

Find out what your peers are saying about ESET Inspect vs. Microsoft Defender XDR and other solutions. Updated: September 2026.

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