Kiteworks vs Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) comparison

Kiteworks and Microsoft are both solutions in the Email Security category. Kiteworks is ranked #28 with an average rating of 8.5, while Microsoft is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.1. Kiteworks holds a 0.3% mindshare in Email Security, compared to Microsoft’s 7.1% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Kiteworks users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 3, 2024

Kiteworks and Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) are competing in secure communications and email security. Kiteworks has the upper hand in data protection and secure file sharing, while EOP is preferred for email security due to its comprehensive threat protection.

Features: Kiteworks offers secure file sharing, privacy compliance, and robust data protection, making it suitable for enterprises focused on data security. Key features include the ability to send large files, a private content network, and centralized management of information exchanges. EOP provides advanced threat protection with anti-phishing, anti-malware, and spam filtering capabilities, integrated with Microsoft 365, making it an excellent choice for businesses focused on email security.

Room for Improvement: Kiteworks could enhance its user interface to make navigation more intuitive and improve integration with other enterprise applications for greater ecosystem compatibility. Additional reporting capabilities would be beneficial. EOP could improve its complexity in threat management interface, as some users may find configuration challenging, enhance its handling of false positives in spam filtering, and further streamline integration with non-Microsoft systems.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Kiteworks offers customizable deployment options, including cloud and on-premises, backed by direct, personalized support for a smooth setup. EOP integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365, utilizing a cloud-based model with extensive support from Microsoft's ecosystem, though some users may find the support less personalized.

Pricing and ROI: Kiteworks utilizes a custom pricing model which might require a significant initial investment but offers substantial ROI through its enhanced data security. EOP, often bundled with Microsoft 365, provides a competitive cost structure, delivering ROI through its strong email protection features, with cost efficiency being a major attractive point.

To learn more, read our detailed Kiteworks vs. Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) Report (Updated: March 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Kiteworks vs. Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

March 2025

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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 March 2025, in the Email Security category, the mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is 13.5%, down from 19.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Kiteworks is 0.3%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) is 7.1%, down from 9.7% 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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Sukkanta Banerjee

Senior Software Engineer at Wipro Limited

Two-factor authentication and .ZIP format make large file transfers very secure

The most valuable feature is the ability to send a large file of 30 GB in size and more. In Outlook and other email applications, you cannot send files that are larger than 20 MB. But with Kiteworks, 30 GB is transferable by default and, with the proper approval, a file of up to 100 GB can be sent. It makes file transfer very easy and smooth. Also, only the .ZIP format is supported because it is a very secure mode of file transfer, and that is why it is recommended. It also has built-in antivirus, so if it detects any malware it will quarantine the file and it won't be delivered. This is really important to keep the service up and running in a proper and secure manner. With people working from home, the data needs to be checked to see what kind of data is being sent. It has a two-factor authentication mechanism. For example, if a person with a particular domain is using Kiteworks and sends a file to a party outside of his domain, that external party has to go through two-factor authentication. The receiver gets a link that takes them to the setup of a temporary account, which will be valid for three days. The recipient will also receive a customized password separately. Only after all these steps will they be able to access the file. That access is only available to a person with the mail ID to which the file was sent. In addition, admins can see who is sending sensitive content, what that content is, and to whom it is being sent, and can track emails. One week of good training will give a user complete knowledge for using the solution. The system is very easy to use. You just click on "Compose," attach a file, and send it. It's very easy compared to Outlook or Teams. It's quite simple, even for someone logging in for the first time. It is very smooth and easy to send files.

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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

"Microsoft Defender for Office 365's most valuable features are safe attachments and safe links."

"The solution is very easy to use. All you have to do is to assign the license to the end-user and it's done. The customer will only have the feature activated, and the solution will monitor the emails to determine if they are a threat or not."

"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 facilitates efficient management and updates through the cloud. We do not have to worry about incompatibilities. It just works."

"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 has improved my organization's security. It makes it easier to manage the infrastructure without the help of third-party applications."

"The good part is that you don't have to configure it, which is very convenient."

"The most valuable feature is the integration. It's a single console, so we don't have to switch around between multiple products. Another valuable feature is the ease of operations and maintenance."

"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is data backups that we can provide through ticket requests."

"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 helps people to work remotely. It is a secure solution. We don't need to use our company's computers or get VPN connections to the networks. I can control how they share screens and what they send to the devices. It keeps our organizations confidential and sensitive information safe."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 pros

"The benefits that Kiteworks has provided to its customers in terms of data sovereignty."

"The most valuable feature is the ability to allow end-users to manage their own information and data with minimal administration. That's the best feature from my perspective."

"We could see whether the customer with whom we shared a file had downloaded it, which was not available with GitHub."

"The most valuable aspect of Kiteworks is undoubtedly the private content network. This feature is particularly beneficial for us. Furthermore, it serves as a centralized platform that enables us to track and manage our information exchange."

"The best part of this solution is that we can generate multiple reports about how the data is transferred and about user information or IP."

"Scalability is impressive."

"The solution removes the limitations with file attachment size that is found with regular email."

"The top two features are the two-factor authentication, which is pretty good. It's easily understood by the users. And their API is rather robust. We have numerous integrations that work off the API."

More Kiteworks pros

"The threat management feature includes policies and alerts that are valuable."

"The solution uses artificial intelligence and machine learning, so you don't need train it to detect something. The detection and response times are short. It's an excellent product."

"With Microsoft Exchange Online Protection, if malware is attached to a mailer, it's very easy to go into the incident alert and find out what's happening with that identity and the mail."

"The email policy configuration options in Microsoft EOP are satisfactory."

"Online Protection's most valuable feature is its admin interface."

"I like the product's ZAP feature."

"We like the holding facility that is available for potentially suspicious URL's. This allows a real-time review to be performed before the email reaches a users inbox."

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

More Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) pros

Cons

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

"The custom alerts have to improve a lot."

"Too many false positives and lacks an accurate capability to detect malicious SharePoint sites."

"It would be better if it were more scalable. It depends on the architecture, but we would like to make it more scalable for both data centers."

"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 must improve the overall management style, including the GUI. It also needs to change the filters so that it is easy to whitelist and blacklist data."

"In one of the reports I can get the exact place where a vulnerable file resides. But for that, I need to explicitly go into the device and check. If they could include that file part in the report, without my having to go to the device itself, that would help."

"Configuration at the mid-level could be improved for the support team."

"Microsoft security solutions work as expected. They are constantly updating the solutions to make them better. At the same time, the changes can impact a customer's environment, and we need to adjust settings. Sometimes we aren't aware of the changes, and nothing is pushed from the backend automatically."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 cons

"We have experienced a few hiccups and bugs when using the admin console and from a user perspective."

"I would like to see immediate releases of fixes because now it takes at least a week. If that time span can be reduced to one day or two days, that would be very helpful for users so that things are sorted and transactions work smoothly."

"The one feature, which I have also requested directly to Kiteworks, is to have a scheduled upgrade function. Currently, one of my engineers logs in after hours for the upgrade. We're a hospital, and we're 24/7, but the primary users are seven to five. So, we log in the early evening just to push a button to tell it to do the update. It would be nice if that could be very easily scheduled."

"File location could be improved."

"There is no offboarding process for end-users in Kiteworks. It's a manual process. There is no automated syncing with LDAP and checking to see if the account is still active. It's a manual process to get people out of here, which isn't the best way."

"Kiteworks could benefit from enhancing the proposal knowledge base section, specifically regarding the type of work involved. Currently, the knowledge base seems insufficiently dedicated to this topic, making it challenging for new users to access the relevant administrative law. Improving the visual aids and providing clearer explanations could alleviate this issue."

"It would be nice if Kiteworks could provide a free version of the platform so that it could be used for a certain number of file transfers. We could be charged a fee if we exceeded the number of allotted file transfers."

"I noticed the Kiteworks login UI is very basic, lacking customization. Allowing more HTML tags to add hyperlinks or user-friendly information on the home page would be very useful."

More Kiteworks cons

"Some features, like encryption, are not available."

"Some of the searchability when looking for specifics in Exchange logs is tedious."

"The security features could be better."

"I would like to get reports about vulnerable connections from our clients with information about domains, public IPs, etc. That would be highly useful."

"When you're using a Microsoft product solution, you can scale it, but if you're not, there are limitations."

"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."

"Online Protection has an issue in that it doesn't provide an option to stop impersonation."

"The tool is not 100% stable."

More Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product is expensive."

"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is an add-on to the Office license. Many customers are purchasing this solution."

"The pricing has become expensive."

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

"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."

"It's a user-base subscription."

"Microsoft Defender is expensive. I typically recommend it only if clients have the budget. Otherwise, I would suggest an alternative."

"The product is very expensive."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 pricing and cost advice

"I believe it's a little costly, but given the faith that we put into it from a security perspective to maintain the integrity of our patient information that is being transferred through this system, that's a small price to pay. So, on the surface, it might look like a lot of money, but depending on the need for security, which is where we feel it shines, it's okay price-wise."

"They changed it midstream. We were being charged a certain flat rate for SFTP traffic. For whatever reason, at the beginning of the year, our pricing changed, and we are now being charged more for using a feature of the product than we were when we first bought it. That has been our experience with billing. It turned out to be more expensive than when we started with it."

"The license management is changing and confusing. If I could make one change to it, it would be better license management through the API."

"The solution is very expensive because we are buying with Malaysian Ringgit and it's sold in US dollars."

"The price of Kiteworks is reasonable."

"It is not really expensive. I mean, to me it's obviously expensive, but it's worth it."

"The solution is expensive but is backed by Microsoft's reputation."

"The price could be lower."

"The solution is priced high and could be less expensive compared to other solutions."

"The solution's pricing is subscription-based rather than a yearly licensing cost. Pricing is based on the size of the environment and company and can be expensive."

"The product's pricing is competitive for the US market."

"The tool's pricing is excellent."

"Online Protection is fairly expensive."

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

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

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Government

Financial Services Firm

13%

Government

12%

Computer Software Company

Healthcare Company

Computer Software Company

15%

Government

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

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By reviewers

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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...

See all answers

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.

See all answers

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.

See all answers

What is Kiteworks?

Kiteworks is a secured file sharing platform that enables users to collaborate with different parties across a robust...

See all answers

What do you like most about Kiteworks?

The benefits that Kiteworks has provided to its customers in terms of data sovereignty.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Kiteworks?

I'm not a network expert, however, there must be some room for improvement. Perhaps there could be a notification to ...

See all answers

What do you like most about Microsoft Exchange Online Protection?

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

See all answers

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...

See all answers

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...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Abnormal Security vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365

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Mimecast Email Security vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365

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Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct vs Kiteworks

Compared 43% of the time

MOVEit vs Kiteworks

Compared 11% of the time

SharePoint vs Kiteworks

Compared 11% of the time

FileCloud vs Kiteworks

Compared 9% of the time

GoAnywhere MFT vs Kiteworks

Compared 8% of the time

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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 11% 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

Trend Micro Email Security vs Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

Compared 5% of the time

More Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender for Office 365

February 2025

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 report

Download Microsoft Defender for Office 365 product report

Buyer's Guide

Kiteworks

March 2025

Download Kiteworks product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

February 2025

Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) report

Download Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) product report

Also Known As

MS Defender for Office 365

Accellion

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

Kiteworks empowers organizations to effectively manage risk in every send, share, receive, and save of sensitive content over numerous communications channels: email, file sharing, managed file transfer, APIs, and web forms. The Kiteworks platform unifies, tracks, controls, and secures sensitive content moving within, into, and out of an organization, significantly improving risk management and ensuring regulatory compliance.

Kiteworks

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.

United States Securities and Exchange Commission, National Health Service, Husch Blackwell LLP, NYC Health + Hospitals, Viatris, MITRE Corporation, Chubb, Kraft Heinz, KPMG, Kohler, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Purdue Pharma, AVL

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Kiteworks vs. Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

March 2025

Free Report: Kiteworks vs. Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

Find out what your peers are saying about Kiteworks vs. Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.

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