AppRiver Email Security vs Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) comparison

AppRiver Email Security vs. Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

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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

Microsoft Defender for Offi...

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2025, in the Email Security category, the mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is 13.7%, down from 20.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of AppRiver Email Security is 1.1%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) is 7.3%, down from 9.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Email Security

Featured Reviews

Tolu Omolaja

Head of Department of Network Communications at Eko electricity

Great URL scanning and attachment scanning, but I would like more proactive threat analysis

The two main features that prove most beneficial for us are URL scanning and attachment scanning. URL scanning involves an automatic scan of links and emails. When a user clicks on a link within an email, the system promptly checks the link's safety. If the link is deemed safe, access is granted automatically. However, if it is flagged as unsafe, we receive feedback and notification to caution us about the potentially harmful link. At this point, we are presented with the option to proceed or return. I have personally witnessed the system identify a few unsafe links, making this the primary advantage of using the solution. The second crucial aspect is the scanning of attachments. When an email containing an attachment arrives, we receive a notification of the new email, along with information that the attachment is being scanned for threats. This additional layer of security provides peace of mind for our organization. While Microsoft Defender for Office 365 offers numerous features, these two stand out as particularly impressive and valuable to us.

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John Zupancic

Vice President / Branch Manager / Senior Technician at Aperion Information Technologies, Inc.

Pricing that is competitive, excellent technical support, and email security

They do a better job of distinguishing between what's real and what's not than most of the other solutions we've tried. They are very easy to use. We don't have as many problems with email security. They have some areas that could be improved. For example, we also use Zix email Encryption for email encryption, which was clunky and could be improved, but the email security itself has been excellent.

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Nur Mohammad

Deputy Manager at B-Trac Technologies Ltd.

An effective email security solution that provides DLP, Safe Attachment, and Safe Links

If you want extensive email security, you need to purchase a Plan 2 license. Plan 1 and Plan 2 are the two plans for Microsoft Exchange Online Protection. Some customers hesitate to purchase this product because it adds some costs to them, which is necessary for them. It would be helpful for customers if Plan 1 features were included with EOP. However, they still need to purchase Plan 2 for advanced security features. One of our clients recently requested to compare Zimbra's features with Microsoft Exchange Online Protection. Zimbra is open source, while Microsoft Exchange Online Protection is not. When I compare both the products, many free features are available in Zimbra because it is open-source software. It makes no sense to request Microsoft Exchange Online Protection add all the features people get on open-source software like Zimbra. Hence, I would say whatever features Microsoft Exchange Online Protection has are enough. Microsoft has a dedicated research team that should research and add new techniques like phishing and spamming solutions to the product.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Defender for 365 is a comprehensive cloud-based solution. The value of the cloud is that you aren't alone. Threat intelligence and analytics are shared in the cloud. We don't have to find the solution alone. If you face an unknown threat with traditional solutions like Trend Micro and Symantec, you need to open a case and send your information to them to analyze forensically and identify the source of the attack."

"It’s easy to handle integrations, and we don't need a lot of people in our IT team."

"Threat Explorer is an invaluable tool for me, and it plays a crucial role in helping me discern the origins of various email campaigns, pinpointing where they emanate from, and identifying the individuals within our organization who are affected."

"Microsoft Defender has a feature to protect each and every attachment. Even if it's an encrypted attachment, it will check for any potential threats."

"Some of the valuable features on the email side are anti-phishing, anti-malware, and Safe Links."

"Defender helps us prioritize threats across our organization."

"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is a stable solution."

"The email protection is excellent, especially in terms of anti-phishing policies."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 pros

"It's easy to use and user-friendly. Users can also easily release spam emails."

"They are very easy to use."

"The most valuable features of Microsoft Exchange Online Protection are the EOP, ATP, safe links, fishing, and antispam."

"The most valuable feature is the ease of administration. Other solutions require complex administration, but Microsoft Exchange Online Protection is easier."

"The scalability is pretty good; it does what it is supposed to do."

"The security features provided by Microsoft are robust."

"We use the solution in all our environments. We use it for remedy tickets and give them updates. It was our main communication point."

"I like the product's ZAP feature."

"It is an easy solution."

"The product's most valuable feature is third-party integrations."

More Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) pros

Cons

"Microsoft Defender for Office 365's Mac functionality requires improvement to deliver the same level of protection found on Windows devices."

"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 could improve by giving customers information on techniques to prevent threats. For example, information about best practices on how to protect their own devices against hackers and scammers, such as educational information or training. This would help others have a better understanding of cyber security. Additionally, there can be more security features added."

"Configuring the default strategies and policies in Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps generates a lot of noise and false positives."

"In some situations, it has not been able to pick impersonated emails having no attachments. Technical support definitely has a scope for improvement."

"They have moved features from one console to another. Things have been moved around in the interface and it takes me time to find where certain features are."

"You should be able to deploy Defender for every subscription without the need to add servers."

"About eight months ago, we started to measure the quantity of phishing and spam that we have been receiving, and it has been increasing a lot. That means that protection for our email is not as good as we were expecting."

"I am generally satisfied with how it currently is. If I could improve anything, I would reduce the cost."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 cons

"Email security checks contain a small number of false positives."

"It needs to make sure that the application is up to date with new attacks. They should also send us the demo or introductions for their new incoming features."

"Having orchestration features added to Microsoft Exchange Online Protection, particularly automation and remediation, would be quite useful."

"If a company wants to put in line back-to-back anti-spam solutions, they need to work on that part because Microsoft recommends either you use EOP as a front line or you don't use it."

"It wasn't easy or intuitive enough for me to start using it. So, the reason was that the solution changed."

"We have experienced issues while migrating from on-prem to the cloud. The tool needs to improve its stability."

"It would be helpful for customers if Plan 1 features were included with EOP."

"The licensing can be on the expensive side, especially in the cloud space."

"The management interface of Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) could be intuitive."

"The product could be more stable. Microsoft products could be more stable because sometimes, even though they are updating some things, we cannot find those updates."

More Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing has become expensive."

"The product is expensive."

"While Microsoft Defender for Office 365 necessitates pricier E3 or E5 subscriptions, the extensive functionality offered by these licenses across various Microsoft products justifies the investment."

"For licensing, it's usually a yearly package for customers who are subscribed to Office 365, but they can also pay on a monthly basis."

"The solution could be better by simplifying the business model of their licensing. It was hard to figure out how to get the licensing done for the environment, initially."

"For large enterprise organizations, they can definitely afford it, but for small and medium organizations, they might struggle to cover the expenses."

"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 comes with Microsoft Windows. It is free with the operating system."

"I know that the product is incredibly expensive."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 pricing and cost advice

"I can rate it five out of ten because there are different platforms that also offer the same services for lower prices. But AppRiver is more flexible."

"They're fairly inexpensive, but they're right in the ballpark of most of the other online products like that."

"The tool's pricing is excellent."

"The price of Microsoft Exchange Online Protection is reasonable."

"The solution should reduce the cost."

"On a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap, and ten is very expensive, I rate the pricing a six. For licensing, we can make monthly or yearly payments. Right now, we pay 5 USD per month to secure a person's license."

"Microsoft Exchange Online Protection is a good solution at an affordable price. It is a good investment."

"The product is expensive."

"Regarding the price, it's comparable to other service providers. We've also looked at Check Point's offerings, and the pricing doesn't seem to be an issue."

"Microsoft Exchange Online Protection's pricing is a little bit more because its price has recently increased."

More Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

17%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Government

Computer Software Company

14%

Non Profit

Construction Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

15%

Financial Services Firm

Government

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

Threat Explorer is an invaluable tool for me, and it plays a crucial role in helping me discern the origins of variou...

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

I don't have detailed specifics on pricing, setup cost, or licensing.

What needs improvement with Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

I am generally satisfied with how it currently is. If I could improve anything, I would reduce the cost.

What do you like most about AppRiver Email Security?

It's easy to use and user-friendly. Users can also easily release spam emails.

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for AppRiver Email Security?

I can rate it five out of ten because there are different platforms that also offer the same services for lower price...

What needs improvement with AppRiver Email Security?

It needs to make sure that the application is up to date with new attacks. They should also send us the demo or intro...

What do you like most about Microsoft Exchange Online Protection?

The initial setup was easy. The configuration process is very straightforward.

What needs improvement with Microsoft Exchange Online Protection?

Some of the searchability when looking for specifics in Exchange logs is tedious. Although eventually the information...

What is your primary use case for Microsoft Exchange Online Protection?

I use the tools to protect customers' emails, mostly utilizing Defender products to protect emails and links from Sha...

Proofpoint Email Protection vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365

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Abnormal Security vs AppRiver Email Security

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Mimecast Email Security vs AppRiver Email Security

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Proofpoint Email Protection vs Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

Compared 14% of the time

Cisco Secure Email vs Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

Compared 10% of the time

Fortinet FortiMail vs Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

Compared 9% of the time

Mimecast Email Security vs Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

Compared 6% of the time

Barracuda Email Security Gateway vs Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

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Product Reports

Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Download Microsoft Defender for Office 365 product report

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 report

Email Security

Download AppRiver Email Security product report

Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

Download Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) product report

Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) report

Also Known As

MS Defender for Office 365

AppRiver Advanced Email Security

Microsoft EOP, MS Exchange Online Protection

Overview

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is a comprehensive security solution designed to protect organizations against advanced threats in their email, collaboration, and productivity environments. It combines the power of Microsoft's threat intelligence, machine learning, and behavioral analytics to provide real-time protection against phishing, malware, ransomware, and other malicious attacks.

With Microsoft Defender for Office 365, organizations can safeguard their email communication by detecting and blocking malicious links, attachments, and unsafe email content. It employs advanced anti-phishing capabilities to identify and prevent sophisticated phishing attacks that attempt to steal sensitive information or compromise user credentials.

This solution also offers robust protection against malware and ransomware. It leverages machine learning algorithms to analyze email attachments and URLs in real-time, identifying and blocking malicious content before it reaches users' inboxes. Additionally, it provides advanced threat-hunting capabilities, allowing security teams to proactively investigate and respond to potential threats.

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 goes beyond email protection and extends its security features to other collaboration tools like SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams. It scans files and documents stored in these platforms, ensuring that they are free from malware and other malicious content. It also provides visibility into user activities, helping organizations detect and mitigate insider threats.

Furthermore, this solution offers rich reporting and analytics capabilities, providing organizations with insights into their security posture and threat landscape. It enables security administrators to monitor and manage security incidents, track trends, and take proactive measures to enhance their overall security posture.

Microsoft

AppRiver’s Email Security Solution is a cloud-based Anti Phishing and malware filter that’s designed to keep your inbox clean and your network safe. A simple MX Record change routes your mail through the Email Security servers before it ever reaches your network, which ensures that the mail that reaches your network doesn’t pose a threat. While our solution contains numerous adjustable settings, it is designed to work efficiently and optimally with little or no interaction from administrators.

AppRiver

Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) is a comprehensive email filtering and security service designed to protect organizations from spam, malware, and other email-based threats. It provides advanced threat protection, anti-malware and anti-spam filtering, and data loss prevention capabilities.

With EOP, organizations can ensure the security and integrity of their email communications. It uses multiple layers of filtering and scanning to detect and block malicious content, including phishing attempts, viruses, and ransomware. EOP also leverages machine learning and artificial intelligence to continuously improve its threat detection capabilities.

In addition to its robust security features, EOP offers advanced anti-spam filtering to reduce unwanted and unsolicited emails. It uses a combination of reputation-based filtering, content filtering, and sender authentication techniques to identify and block spam messages.

EOP also includes data loss prevention (DLP) capabilities to prevent sensitive information from being leaked or shared inappropriately. It allows organizations to define policies to detect and prevent the transmission of sensitive data, such as credit card numbers or social security numbers, via email.

Furthermore, EOP integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Exchange Online and other Office 365 services, providing a unified and integrated email security solution. It can be easily managed through the Exchange admin center, allowing administrators to configure and monitor security settings, review reports, and manage quarantined emails.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is trusted by companies such as Ithaca College.

IHMC

Information Not Available

AppRiver Email Security vs. Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)