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Field Effect MDR vs Microsoft Defender Experts for Hunting comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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

Field Effect MDR
Ranking in Managed Detection and Response (MDR)
3rd
Average Rating
9.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
31
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Microsoft Defender Experts ...
Ranking in Managed Detection and Response (MDR)
18th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
5.6
Number of Reviews
4
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Managed Detection and Response (MDR) category, the mindshare of Field Effect MDR is 2.1%, down from 3.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Defender Experts for Hunting is 1.7%, up from 1.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Managed Detection and Response (MDR) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Field Effect MDR2.1%
Microsoft Defender Experts for Hunting1.7%
Other96.2%
Managed Detection and Response (MDR)
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer2753850 - PeerSpot reviewer
Owner at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Customer security is enhanced with software and update detection while licensing process needs improvement
A quick specific example of how I use Field Effect MDR to keep my customers secure is that it helps me identify computers that need updates, even when I believe they are already updated. Field Effect MDR finds software and Windows updates that aren't being completed, which I find very valuable.
Mondher-Smii - PeerSpot reviewer
Cybersecurity Manager at Insomea
Has supported clients in managing incidents through clear pricing and hybrid deployment options
What really stands out about Microsoft Defender Experts for Hunting is that it's easy to use. The cost is clear, and the pricing is transparent. The onboarding of the product on the customer's environment is straightforward. We can use it in a hybrid environment, in the cloud, or on-premise environment. This is the main advantage regarding this product. If it's configured correctly, everything will be good, resilient, and secure, which supports threat mitigation efforts depending on the configuration on the tenant and the parameters on Microsoft Defender Experts for Hunting. Threat intelligence updates have some impact on our overall security posture. They give us external eyes regarding threat actors, which is good. It's very helpful to enrich the SIEM, which is Microsoft Sentinel. It's a good feature that we can include threat intel on the product.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Direct and easy and quick communication to the Field Effect cybersecurity team experts has led to quick resolution of any problems or alerts."
"One of the most useful and impressive features of the system is its detailed notification mechanism."
"The most valuable aspect of Field MDR is the comprehensive visibility the solution offers. Most solutions cover the traditional threat landscape of computers, endpoints, servers, etc. However, there are also things happening within the network environment, such as WiFi, mobile, the Internet of Things, smart TVs, video surveillance systems, etc., that have associated vulnerabilities. Most environments do not manage or protect these assets."
"We are getting visibility over the network, not just for those hosts that have a Field Effect EDR agent but also things like the Internet of Things, guest networks, or rogue devices. We definitely have visibility into all network traffic, which is very cool."
"I appreciate the "set it and forget it" nature of Field Effect Covalence."
"The AROs have been incredibly helpful."
"It is very user-friendly. We have regular reports to see what is going on."
"Hackers are trying to breach a business when they least expect it - that's often at night, weekends, and holidays. Covalence never sleeps or misses a second of monitoring."
"The solution helps to detect some suspicious items for us and our clients."
"The best feature of this solution is that it is an integrated and comprehensive solution for the entire Microsoft ecosystem."
"What really stands out about Microsoft Defender Experts for Hunting is that it's easy to use, the cost is clear, and the pricing is transparent, with straightforward onboarding in hybrid, cloud, or on-premise environments."
"What really stands out about Microsoft Defender Experts for Hunting is that it's easy to use, the cost is clear, and the pricing is transparent, with straightforward onboarding in hybrid, cloud, or on-premise environments."
"Easy to use is what my customers say is the biggest benefit of Microsoft Defender Experts for Hunting for them."
 

Cons

"It would be incredibly valuable to have the Field Effect team handle some of the third-party application patching they're currently identifying."
"I'd suggest that Field Effect focus more on including things like phishing simulation and cybersecurity training."
"In terms of improvement, there are instances where the ARO responses are slightly slower than preferred."
"One limitation is that if someone takes their laptop outside the office building, the DNS firewall provides minimal coverage, and we are unable to generate reports."
"I have had a couple of challenges around updates to the agents where it seems it doesn't automatically replace older versions."
"It would be greatly beneficial to integrate compliance-related reporting directly into the portal."
"In the AROs tab, if we encounter multiple duplicate recommendations, it would be helpful to be able to select and resolve or dismiss them all at once."
"It would be more effective if it could surgically isolate the specific malicious process instead of deleting the entire machine."
"There is a lot of change in a small period. This might not be helpful for IT administrators and users."
"The solution’s user interface could be improved."
"There is a lot of change in a small period. This might not be helpful for IT administrators and users."
"We tried the proactive threat hunting feature, but it was not a good experience with Microsoft Defender Experts for Hunting. It created more trouble than expected with false positives and non-expected answers."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is on the high end, but it is worth it for the service that you get from them."
"The pricing isn't sized, so Field Effect doesn't make it easy for anything under 25 users. I'm not crazy about that."
"We're currently enrolled in the volume package, which offers tiered pricing based on usage."
"While Field Effect Covalence's pricing seems competitive for the market, the biggest hurdle lies in the lack of dedicated security budgets within many organizations."
"A top-tier competitor to Field Effect in Magic Quadrant that we had been using until our switch to Field Effect was a great product, but each capability had an additional charge. We had to license modules separately, and each of those add-ons had to be added onto its own consumption and agreement. It was a nightmare from a billing perspective because we had multiple agreements, and each one had a jagged anniversary or a renewal anniversary. It was a nightmare, whereas Field Effect MDR is one product."
"It is a little pricey. It is a little on the high end, but we are continuing to use it. We signed the contract and have not canceled, so we find value in having it."
"The pricing is fair and reasonable."
"While the contract duration might change, the pricing remains highly attractive."
Information not available
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
39%
Outsourcing Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Retailer
6%
Computer Software Company
22%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Energy/Utilities Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business32
Midsize Enterprise3
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Field Effect Covalence?
It is very user-friendly. We have regular reports to see what is going on.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Field Effect Covalence?
Pricing was initially a concern, but the recent updates have resolved that by offering a more accessible buying cost.
What needs improvement with Field Effect Covalence?
One way Field Effect MDR can be improved is through its licensing process, which is not ideal. The licensing process is difficult because I have to access a separate website to complete it.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Defender Experts for Hunting?
Microsoft now changes a lot in products, which might be a disadvantage right now. There is a lot of change in a small period. This might not be helpful for IT administrators and users. New features...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Defender Experts for Hunting?
Right now we manage some firewalls using Microsoft products. In regard to Microsoft Defender Experts for Hunting, I have been working with this product so far. Mainly and basically for incident han...
What advice do you have for others considering Microsoft Defender Experts for Hunting?
The pricing, engineers behind Microsoft Defender Experts for Hunting, changes, and support services make the difference compared to other products. In terms of pricing, the solution is good, and th...
 

Also Known As

Field Effect Covalence
No data available
 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about Field Effect MDR vs. Microsoft Defender Experts for Hunting and other solutions. Updated: January 2026.
883,824 professionals have used our research since 2012.