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Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs Perception Point Advanced Email Security comparison

Microsoft and Perception Point are both solutions in the Email Security category. Microsoft is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.5, while Perception Point is ranked #17 with an average rating of 9.3. Microsoft holds a 13.1% mindshare in Email Security, compared to Perception Point’s 2.2% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Perception Point users who would recommend it.
Microsoft Defender for Offi...
Read 48 Microsoft Defender for Office 365 reviews
  • 13,537 Views
  • 10,561 Comparison Views
96% willing to recommend
Perception Point Advanced E...
Read 23 Perception Point Advanced Email Security reviews
  • 2,204 Views
  • 1,332 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 12, 2025

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 and Perception Point Advanced Email Security compete in the email security category. Based on feature comparison, Microsoft Defender for Office 365 seems to have the upper hand due to its robust integration and comprehensive threat protection.

Features: Microsoft Defender for Office 365 provides anti-phishing, malware protection, and Safe Links, ensuring cross-environment protection. Its data loss prevention and threat visibility features integrate seamlessly with other Microsoft products for a smooth user experience. Perception Point's strength lies in its high detection rate and quick scanning, particularly in handling impersonation and malicious email analysis. Its API-based implementation facilitates easy deployment without the need for MX record changes.

Room for Improvement: Microsoft Defender for Office 365 could benefit from enhanced cross-platform support, more detailed reporting, and a more user-friendly interface. Improved threat visibility and a simpler pricing model have also been suggested. Perception Point needs to enable better alert customization and real-time notifications and expand its threat intelligence for deeper analysis while addressing some false positives and improving anti-spam and customer engagement.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Defender for Office 365 supports hybrid, public, and private clouds, providing flexibility, though documentation can sometimes feel overwhelming. It receives mixed reviews on technical support. Perception Point operates mainly on the public cloud and is praised for its simple deployment and responsive technical support, though some users seek more direct control and better documentation integration.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is bundled with E3 or E5 subscriptions, perceived as expensive but offering strong ROI due to its comprehensive protection and integration within the Microsoft ecosystem. Perception Point is priced per email with additional scan costs, considered reasonably priced and offering flexible licensing for SMBs, aligning well with customer budgets and needs.

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Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs. Perception Point Advanced Email Security
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...
Ranking in Email Security
1st
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
48
Ranking in other categories
Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) (1st), Microsoft Security Suite (11th)
Perception Point Advanced E...
Ranking in Email Security
17th
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
23
Ranking in other categories
Internet Security (6th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Email Security category, the mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is 13.1%, down from 19.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Perception Point Advanced Email Security is 2.2%, up from 1.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Email Security
 

Featured Reviews

Tolu Omolaja - PeerSpot reviewer
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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Jijin Joseph - PeerSpot reviewer
Gives in-depth analysis reports to end users for any malicious content found in emails
Our users would like the solution to scan outgoing emails. So, if my system is compromised, and I have malicious content in my system, then there is a possibility that I send malicious email to my colleague. There is a dependency on AWS cloud.This means if the cloud service is down, which may impact the perception point's email delivery.So it would be great if there is any HA for the solution. I would like a user-friendly configuration, like APIs. This solution is API-friendly configuration by following the steps provided. It would be great if it could be automate it, like the Avanan.Also, it would be good if Perception Point Advanced Email Security could have an MSP model. During the early stages of working with this solution, there were some constraints and issues.
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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

"The product is not resource-intensive."
"Defender helps us prioritize threats across our organization."
"I would say that 90% of the spam and phishing attack emails get blocked right off the bat."
"The benefit that stands out to me is the ability for multiple individuals to collaborate simultaneously within the same document. Additionally, there is the option to save the document directly in the integrated OneDrive or SharePoint."
"The stability of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is fantastic."
"Does a thorough job of examining email and URLs for malicious content."
"The two main features that prove most beneficial for us are URL scanning and attachment scanning."
"Since we have started using the solution, there have been fewer compromises."
More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 pros
"We can use it to perform detection and analysis of emails. For any malicious content found in emails, it gives in-depth analysis reports to end users. If you log into the console, you can see in-depth detection and how it happens."
"After integration, the tool is very easy to use. I had a problem with scripts for one customer, but my team did the integration for other customers without issues. So, I think I made a mistake in my integration. Both inline and API work fine."
"The solution’s effectiveness when it comes to detection is very good. It has a very good mechanism. It scans our emails. It identifies any threat or phishing attempts and phishing campaigns as well as any bad reputation, servers, or links, then it blocks them. This is what I find to be very good about this system."
"What's really good about this platform is that you have full visibility, it has a very nice and very friendly UI, it's quick, and there's no latency in the scanning."
"The solution is used to block malicious items hidden inside a document or PDF file."
"One is the hardware-assisted platform that provides more insight into the threat scenarios. And the other is their instant response team's availability, 24/7, for identifying and responding to incidents. These are the two main things that everyone likes."
"I see from time to time that Perception Point is being proactive. They approach us, and say, "Can you check this, and this?" So, it does seem that they are an extension of my incident response."
"The most valuable features of the solution are the ones that are related to finding impersonation attacks and detecting attempts to steal credentials. In scenarios where attackers get you to follow URLs to a malicious site that looks similar to a good site, and then ask for the user credentials to try to steal them, it is very useful."
More Perception Point Advanced Email Security pros
 

Cons

"Microsoft sometimes has downtime, and we'll get several incidents coming in back to back. We have a huge backlog of notifications, many of which may be false positives. However, there might be serious alerts, so we can't risk dismissing all of them at once."
"There's room for improvement regarding the time frame for retrieving emails."
"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."
"We noticed that from time to time, Microsoft's stability does have problems. Sometimes the service goes up and down. Sometimes they change without prior notice."
"There needs to be an improvement in integrating the product to work across multiple operating systems, and to have better support for non-Microsoft file types."
"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 should be more proactive."
"Sometimes, phishing emails manage to pass through the filter, so the system needs to enhance its phishing email detection capabilities."
More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 cons
"In terms of architecture, and I know that they're going to improve this, the solution needs to be much more redundant. There was an outage a month ago in AWS, and that basically stopped the service for two or three hours. Although in two years, this was the first time that something like that happened, our expectation from a company like Perception Point is that it should work with either a multi-cloud or multi-region architecture, to improve the resilience."
"Integration and end-user interaction can be improved as the current system does not allow end-users to send back information to the platform, unlike Google Workspace or competitive tools like Ironscales."
"Email alerts should be available in real-time."
"Dashboard is an area of concern in the solution where improvements are required."
"There is room for improvement in terms of adding the DLP (Data Loss Prevention) solution, which would be a good option for Perception Point to look into."
"It would be helpful for Perception Point Advanced Email Security to have more integration with other solutions."
"We have had a few false positives, not that many, but a few... they have a feature where someone from the Incident Response team can look at an email and mark it as 'verified malicious.' You might think that if an engine detects it is malicious, and an IR team member has flagged it as malicious, it will definitely be malicious. But that's not always the case."
"From a forensics point of view, it could improve a bit more from a threat intelligence aspect. So, if I find a malicious email, they could have more investigations about sources, headers, where it comes from, if they have seen it in other campaigns before, etc. I would like a little bit more from a threat intelligence point of view so I can understand who else might be affected and attacked as well as the vectors of attack."
More Perception Point Advanced Email Security cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing is normal. Considering its popularity, it's not overpriced."
"Defender for 365 comes in various plans and licenses, along with other Microsoft security solutions. Purchasing this kind of package or security bundle gives good value for money, and that's what I recommend."
"The license is expensive because the cost is based on the number of users."
"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is an add-on to the Office license. Many customers are purchasing this solution."
"I was working in the government and it was too expensive for us to use our Microsoft products."
"Defender is a little bit more expensive as compared to others. We are in the manufacturing environment. So, we don't have a high budget for all of our endpoint devices. Its cost is a major concern for us."
"The product is expensive."
"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."
More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 pricing and cost advice
"If a user only wants protection for email, then the price of the product is okay, but if they opt for the collaboration options offered by the product, then it becomes a little expensive."
"The price of the solution is high."
"The price of this solution was within our budget and I think that it will suit most SMBs."
"In Brazil, the dollar price affects the cost. Perception Point Advanced Email Security is about 50 percent less expensive."
"The pricing compared to the value Perception Point brings is super-competitive. They're not the cheapest in the market, but the value and the quality of the product are superior to anything else in the market, so we don't mind paying more for it."
"They are not the most expensive vendor. There are much more expensive vendors. They are not cheap, but they are not the most expensive. They are somewhere in the middle."
"The pricing is not cheap, but I can see the value. In security, if you are trying to save by giving up quality, that's a very bad decision."
"We would always like it to be cheaper and save more money. However, we are getting the value from it."
More Perception Point Advanced Email Security pricing and cost advice
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
6%
Computer Software Company
18%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Retailer
5%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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 various email campaigns, pinpointing where they emanate from, and identifying the indi...
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 do you like most about Perception Point Advanced Email Security?
The most valuable feature is the technical support services.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Perception Point Advanced Email Security?
In Brazil, the dollar price affects the cost. Perception Point Advanced Email Security is about 50 percent less expensive.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Perception Point Advanced Email Security?
To improve the solution, maybe a portal for end users to consult their emails would be helpful. The end user could access the portal and see their emails or events. They could also refresh the names.
See all answers
 

Comparisons

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Compared 5% of the time
Abnormal Security vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Logo
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Compared 4% of the time
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Avanan vs Perception Point Advanced Email Security Logo
Avanan vs Perception Point Advanced Email Security
Compared 16% of the time
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Compared 12% of the time
Fortinet FortiMail Cloud vs Perception Point Advanced Email Security Logo
Fortinet FortiMail Cloud vs Perception Point Advanced Email Security
Compared 11% of the time
IRONSCALES vs Perception Point Advanced Email Security Logo
IRONSCALES vs Perception Point Advanced Email Security
Compared 10% of the time
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Fortinet FortiMail vs Perception Point Advanced Email Security
Compared 9% of the time
More Perception Point Advanced Email Security Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Defender for Office 365
March 2025
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 reportDownload Microsoft Defender for Office 365 product report
Buyer's Guide
Perception Point Advanced Email Security
March 2025
Perception Point Advanced Email Security reportDownload Perception Point Advanced Email Security product report
 

Also Known As

MS Defender for Office 365
No data available
 

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

Perception Point Advanced Email Security is a comprehensive solution designed to protect organizations from advanced email threats. Leveraging cutting-edge technology, it offers multi-layered defense mechanisms to detect and block sophisticated attacks such as phishing, malware, and ransomware. 

With its advanced threat intelligence capabilities, it can identify and neutralize zero-day threats in real-time. The solution also provides robust data loss prevention features, ensuring sensitive information remains secure. Its user-friendly interface allows for easy management and monitoring of email security, while its seamless integration with existing email platforms ensures a hassle-free deployment process. 

Perception Point Advanced Email Security is a reliable and efficient solution that safeguards organizations against the ever-evolving landscape of email-based threats.

Perception Point
 

Sample Customers

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is trusted by companies such as Ithaca College.
Information Not Available
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs. Perception Point Advanced Email Security
March 2025
Free Report: Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs. Perception Point Advanced Email Security
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