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Microsoft Defender for Business vs Symantec Endpoint Security Complete comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 29, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

Customer Service

Sentiment score
4.8
Microsoft Defender for Business customer service is generally good with quick online responses, but phone contact and efficiency need improvement.
No sentiment score available
Symantec Endpoint Security Complete's customer service is rated highly, but some users note variability in response times and basic support.
 

Room For Improvement

Sentiment score
3.8
Microsoft Defender for Business needs better reporting, URL filtering, DLP capabilities, integration, false positive management, threat response, communication, and Mac support.
Sentiment score
4.4
Symantec Endpoint Security Complete requires improvements in installation, deployment, EDR/XDR features, performance, support, scalability, and pricing.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
8.3
Microsoft Defender for Business is highly scalable, cloud-driven, and successfully deployed on 20,000 endpoints with 2,000 users.
Sentiment score
7.1
Symantec Endpoint Security Complete is generally scalable, with varying user experiences ranging from high praise to some noted limitations.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
9.3
Users find Microsoft Defender for Business reliable and stable, appreciating its seamless integration, consistent protection, and minimal maintenance requirements.
Sentiment score
8.6
Symantec Endpoint Security Complete is generally stable with high ratings, but some users experience new bugs and delayed features.
 

Valuable Features

Sentiment score
7.9
Microsoft Defender for Business offers scalable, user-friendly security with strong EDR capabilities and integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365 and Lighthouse.
Sentiment score
8.4
Symantec Endpoint Security Complete provides comprehensive adaptive protection, advanced threat detection, and high performance without significantly impacting workstation performance.
 

Setup Cost

No sentiment score available
No sentiment score available
Enterprise buyers find Symantec Endpoint Security Complete cost-effective but becoming pricier, with cumbersome renewal and additional feature fees.
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Defender for Busi...
Ranking in Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)
41st
Average Rating
7.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
8
Ranking in other categories
Microsoft Security Suite (18th)
Symantec Endpoint Security ...
Ranking in Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)
35th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
16
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2024, in the Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) category, the mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Business is 1.7%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Symantec Endpoint Security Complete is 0.4%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)
 

Featured Reviews

Tim_Howard - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides good protection against viruses but support needs improvement
The product's initial setup phase wasn't too bad. The product's installation phase wasn't terrible, but it could have been good to club the things in the process, especially for the ones who are doing it for the first time, and it would be good if Microsoft offered users, someone, to talk to who knows the product. You will be gambling if you use Google for the tool because who knows if it really knows what Microsoft Defender for Business is all about. On a scale of one to ten, if ten is the easiest, I rate the setup phase as an eight out of ten. The setup phase was straightforward. As the tool was needed in a small shop, the solution's deployment was done in a couple of days. The solution was deployed in my company with the help of a small team of ten people. I had my head of IT help me in rolling it out in our company.
Nikhilesh Verma - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers in-application policies and device blocking and easy to deploy
There are some limitations from the cloud security point of view. Symantec is not a cloud-based security, which means if any endpoints move to different locations, they cannot connect directly. It has to reconnect via VPN through the organization. So remote client control, I don't think Broadcom has developed that as of now, compared to Trend Micro.
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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) solutions are best for your needs.
816,636 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
17%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Retailer
6%
Computer Software Company
19%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Microsoft Defender for Business?
A few things are valuable. One is the alerting we see when any kind of intrusion is happening, any kind of malware is being deployed across the endpoints, or any kind of suspicious activity is goin...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Defender for Business?
The tool's cost has been a little high, but I do not think it was terrible.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Defender for Business?
The tool's support is an area of concern where improvements are needed. I have had issues trying to get support or even trying to get to somebody. I often give up chasing the support and end up goi...
What do you like most about Symantec Endpoint Security Complete?
The solution prevents any damage from viruses and provides risk mitigation for virus threats.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Symantec Endpoint Security Complete?
Symantec Endpoint Security Full/Complete license is not expensive and advise using the full feature.
What needs improvement with Symantec Endpoint Security Complete?
Instead of the updates, the tool needs to come up with a concept similar to zero trust.
 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Defender for Business vs. Symantec Endpoint Security Complete and other solutions. Updated: October 2024.
816,636 professionals have used our research since 2012.