Microsoft Defender XDR vs WatchGuard EPDR comparison

Microsoft and WatchGuard are both solutions in the Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) category. Microsoft is ranked #7 with an average rating of 8.4, while WatchGuard is ranked #13 with an average rating of 8.8. Microsoft holds a 2.6% mindshare in EDR, compared to WatchGuard’s 1.9% mindshare. Additionally, 98% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of WatchGuard users who would recommend it.

Microsoft Defender XDR

Read 106 Microsoft Defender XDR reviews

10,352 Views
5,487 Comparison Views

98% willing to recommend

WatchGuard EPDR

Read 37 WatchGuard EPDR reviews

5,078 Views
3,250 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Microsoft Defender XDR

WatchGuard EPDR

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 9, 2024

Microsoft Defender XDR and WatchGuard EPDR are prominent cybersecurity solutions. Users report better satisfaction with WatchGuard EPDR's features, leading to a preference for its extensive feature set and high perceived value.

Features: Microsoft Defender XDR offers comprehensive threat detection, automation capabilities, and seamless integration with the Microsoft ecosystem. WatchGuard EPDR is highlighted for advanced behavioral analysis, endpoint protection, and proactive threat hunting features.

Room for Improvement: Microsoft Defender XDR could benefit from enhanced cross-platform compatibility, improved user interface, and better performance under high loads. WatchGuard EPDR users desire more streamlined management, enhanced reporting tools, and reduced initial deployment complexity.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Defender XDR is praised for straightforward deployment and integration but receives mixed reviews on customer support responsiveness. WatchGuard EPDR receives high marks for onboarding assistance and robust customer service, though some users note initial deployment complexities.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Defender XDR offers competitive pricing, seen as cost-effective for businesses invested in Microsoft services. WatchGuard EPDR, though potentially higher in setup costs, is viewed as delivering superior ROI through advanced threat prevention capabilities.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Defender XDR vs. WatchGuard EPDR Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender XDR vs. WatchGuard EPDR

December 2025

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Helped 879,422 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score

7.1

Microsoft Defender XDR provides high ROI by consolidating security tools, streamlining operations, and enhancing security, despite licensing costs.

Sentiment score

3.7

WatchGuard EPDR optimizes operations, reduces costs, enhances security, and provides efficient endpoint management, especially valued in Latin America and schools.

We can quarantine and isolate a device within minutes.

Agustin-Torres

Information Security Analyst at a educational organization with 10,001+ employees

Microsoft Defender XDR has saved me at least 50% of my time.

Kunle Oluwadiya

House security operator at Cypress Creek Renewables

It helped stop multiple intrusion points where we would have had millions in lost revenue if the attackers got in.

Joshua Hart

Network Technician at T. Baker Smith, LLC

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender XDR report

I can say that knowing you have a product like WatchGuard EPDR that's working 24/7 to help protect students in a school is good for ROI.

Simon-Walker

IT Manager at Redeemer Baptist School

For more quotes and insights, download the WatchGuard EPDR report

Customer Service

Sentiment score

6.1

Microsoft Defender XDR's support is timely and responsive, yet smaller organizations experience slower, less effective assistance than larger ones.

Sentiment score

6.2

WatchGuard EPDR's customer service is praised for knowledge and resolution speed, but some experience inefficiencies and availability issues.

You get stuck in low-level support for way longer than you should, instead of them escalating the issue up the chain.

Darrell Carr

Enterprise Application Engineer at a legal firm with 1,001-5,000 employees

It's critical to escalate SEV B issues immediately to a domestic engineer.

Ty Ryan

Infrastructure engineer at Cetera Financial Group

Once issues are escalated to the second or third layer, the support is much better.

Ankit-Joshi

Cyber Security Engineer at a financial services firm with 1-10 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender XDR report

They create a case, tell me to refer to articles, and if not resolved, they take a remote session to solve the issue.

Victor Massey

Solution Architect at Simvicitsolutions

Technical support for Panda Adaptive Defense 360 is provided by the reseller, and they also do preventive maintenance yearly.

Norlia Jalani

Section Head, Information Technology at a transportation company with 201-500 employees

The technical support from WatchGuard would rate at about an eight on a scale of 1 to 10, where one is the worst technical support and 10 is the best technical support.

Dewald Vermaak

Citrix Solutions Architect at Digital Generation

For more quotes and insights, download the WatchGuard EPDR report

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score

6.9

Microsoft Defender XDR scales well for various organizations, efficiently supporting growth and flexibility despite some network deployment challenges.

Sentiment score

7.6

WatchGuard EPDR offers excellent scalability and integration, efficiently supporting diverse users across platforms, particularly small to medium businesses.

My concern is about the scale of events and alerts being generated, and the product is doing a very good job of only surfacing the important items for us.

reviewer2315544

Vice President, Information Technology at a construction company with 201-500 employees

Microsoft Defender XDR shows tremendous scalability, much more so than on-premises solutions.

Ty Ryan

Infrastructure engineer at Cetera Financial Group

Microsoft Defender XDR scales pretty well.

Agustin-Torres

Information Security Analyst at a educational organization with 10,001+ employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender XDR report

WatchGuard EPDR is very competitive regarding its scalability.

Dewald Vermaak

Citrix Solutions Architect at Digital Generation

For more quotes and insights, download the WatchGuard EPDR report

Stability Issues

Sentiment score

8.1

Microsoft Defender XDR is praised for high stability, reliable performance, minimal issues, frequent updates, and prompt issue resolution.

Sentiment score

8.3

WatchGuard EPDR and Panda Security Adaptive Defense are stable, with high user satisfaction, minor update issues, and effective malware detection.

The service has remained consistently online, with any issues isolated to specific components, suggesting a well-designed and modular architecture.

reviewer2595618

Senior System Engineer at a sports company with 5,001-10,000 employees

The services within our ecosystem have been reliable, meeting their SLAs.

Ty Ryan

Infrastructure engineer at Cetera Financial Group

It provides high-fidelity signals.

Agustin-Torres

Information Security Analyst at a educational organization with 10,001+ employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender XDR report

It is very stable with no hanging problems.

Victor Massey

Solution Architect at Simvicitsolutions

WatchGuard EPDR is a very stable solution and is not resource intensive.

Dewald Vermaak

Citrix Solutions Architect at Digital Generation

The stability is approximately a seven to eight out of ten.

reviewer2562924

IT System Support Administrator at a non-profit with 501-1,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the WatchGuard EPDR report

Room For Improvement

Microsoft Defender XDR requires enhancements in speed, integration, automation, AI, ease-of-use, and industry-specific threat intelligence.

WatchGuard EPDR needs improved integration, data protection, intuitive administration, DNS security, stability, deployment, reporting, and lower processor load.

The licensing process needs improvement and clarification.

reviewer2595324

Owner at a consultancy with 11-50 employees

Improvements are needed in automated response capabilities.

Soumitra_Chakraborty

Security manager at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees

Some inconsistencies exist between blades, which could be improved for a more seamless user and UI experience.

Ty Ryan

Infrastructure engineer at Cetera Financial Group

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender XDR report

Panda Adaptive Defense 360 is not compatible with certain network devices like access points, switches, or routers, which would be an area for improvement.

reviewer2562924

IT System Support Administrator at a non-profit with 501-1,000 employees

Other firewalls allow adding categories and in-app controls which WatchGuard currently lacks.

Victor Massey

Solution Architect at Simvicitsolutions

An area for improvement would be the software deployment to seamlessly deploy software packages across multiple machines simultaneously.

Dewald Vermaak

Citrix Solutions Architect at Digital Generation

For more quotes and insights, download the WatchGuard EPDR report

Setup Cost

Microsoft Defender XDR pricing is seen as complex but fair, with high costs alleviated in bundled Microsoft 365 packages.

WatchGuard EPDR offers flexible subscription pricing that's seen as reasonable, with advanced features justifying higher costs.

There are certainly savings when using Microsoft Defender XDR, which can range from 30%, 40%, and even up to 50%.

Clay Bowlin

Director, Sales at a tech vendor with 201-500 employees

I would rate the pricing as eight out of ten, indicating it is a reasonable cost for the product.

Soumitra_Chakraborty

Security manager at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees

Microsoft purposefully obfuscates this through marketing ploys to hide costs.

reviewer2595618

Senior System Engineer at a sports company with 5,001-10,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender XDR report

It is worth the money and provides good return on investment.

reviewer2649315

Works

The pricing is slightly high, but the product quality justifies it.

Victor Massey

Solution Architect at Simvicitsolutions

Regarding pricing, I am not sure because I did not compare it with other antivirus; maybe it is pricey.

Norlia Jalani

Section Head, Information Technology at a transportation company with 201-500 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the WatchGuard EPDR report

Valuable Features

Microsoft Defender XDR integrates tools for comprehensive security, offering threat detection, automation, identity protection, and enhanced efficiency.

WatchGuard EPDR simplifies threat detection and enhances IT productivity with advanced search, real-time insights, and robust endpoint protection.

With Microsoft threat intelligence information, it detects various types of threats, including insider attacks, malicious content, and data exfiltration.

Soumitra_Chakraborty

Security manager at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees

This allows us to secure our systems in advance and proactively improve security, rather than waiting for incidents to occur.

A Roy

Works at Hometrack

Once we have it on the security dashboard, we can see a real-time storyline.

Agustin-Torres

Information Security Analyst at a educational organization with 10,001+ employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender XDR report

The cloud of WatchGuard lets me see all my devices, updating me to minute levels with detailed information, such as patch status and vulnerabilities.

Victor Massey

Solution Architect at Simvicitsolutions

The detection capabilities for malicious activities are effective.

reviewer2562924

IT System Support Administrator at a non-profit with 501-1,000 employees

The EDR has a high accuracy rate with only a few false positives.

reviewer2649315

Works

For more quotes and insights, download the WatchGuard EPDR report

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Defender XDR

Ranking in Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

7th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

106

Ranking in other categories

Extended Detection and Response (XDR) (4th), Microsoft Security Suite (5th)

WatchGuard EPDR

Ranking in Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

13th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) (10th)

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) category, the mindshare of Microsoft Defender XDR is 2.6%, down from 3.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of WatchGuard EPDR is 1.9%, up from 1.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Microsoft Defender XDR	2.6%
WatchGuard EPDR	1.9%
Other	95.5%

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

Featured Reviews

Kunle Oluwadiya

House security operator at Cypress Creek Renewables

Advanced threat hunting saves significant time in tracking and responding to incidents

Microsoft Defender XDR could be improved with a lower price. My main suggestion would essentially be what Copilot is providing, which is a single pane of glass, so I don't have to go to different windows. That's just a workflow consideration for me. It would be great to have all the information centralized into one particular data app. If I need to open up extra ones, I can, however, I would appreciate a future where everything I need is right there on one single pane of glass. Beyond that, there's really nothing else I see that I would want Microsoft to improve.

Read full review

Norlia Jalani

Section Head, Information Technology at a transportation company with 201-500 employees

Using cloud-based console for software inventory management and email alerts

I have no idea if I use some automation functions. I can't find any disadvantages; maybe that is because many companies haven't used it. I would prefer to see some features such as AI in antivirus solutions. I appreciate reporting, but it could be better with monthly reporting or auto-generated monthly reports.

Read full review

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

13%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Manufacturing Company

Hospitality Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	47
Midsize Enterprise	25
Large Enterprise	38

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	26
Midsize Enterprise	8
Large Enterprise	2

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Microsoft 365 Defender?

Microsoft Defender XDR provides strong identity protection with comprehensive insights into risky user behavior and potential indicators of compromise.

See all answers

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

My experience with pricing, setup, costs, and licensing of Microsoft Defender XDR is tied to our E5 subscription, which is very straightforward for us. We also purchase the uplift for our mobile us...

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What needs improvement with Microsoft 365 Defender?

I am not aware of a mobile app that would be available for my team. With a single analyst, if she is ever away, it would be beneficial to have easier access. While she can use the web portal, the e...

See all answers

What do you like most about WatchGuard EPDR?

The product's most valuable features are the zero-trust application service and its capability to detect threats and attacks.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for WatchGuard EPDR?

The price of the solution is okay. It's all right.

See all answers

What needs improvement with WatchGuard EPDR?

I would not be able to say what areas of WatchGuard EPDR have improved, as I do not work with the product myself so much anymore. I just used to assist with installation and deployment, especially ...

See all answers

Comparisons

CrowdStrike Falcon vs Microsoft Defender XDR

Compared 11% of the time

Wazuh vs Microsoft Defender XDR

Compared 8% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Cloud vs Microsoft Defender XDR

Compared 7% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Microsoft Defender XDR

Compared 4% of the time

Microsoft Sentinel vs Microsoft Defender XDR

Compared 4% of the time

More Microsoft Defender XDR Competitors

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs WatchGuard EPDR

Compared 12% of the time

ESET Endpoint Protection Platform vs WatchGuard EPDR

Compared 8% of the time

CrowdStrike Falcon vs WatchGuard EPDR

Compared 6% of the time

Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business vs WatchGuard EPDR

Compared 4% of the time

Trend Micro Smart Protection vs WatchGuard EPDR

Compared 2% of the time

More WatchGuard EPDR Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender XDR

December 2025

Download Microsoft Defender XDR product report

Buyer's Guide

WatchGuard EPDR

December 2025

Download WatchGuard EPDR product report

Also Known As

Microsoft 365 Defender, Microsoft Threat Protection, MS 365 Defender

Panda Adaptive Defense 360

Overview

Microsoft Defender XDR is a comprehensive security solution designed to protect against threats in the Microsoft 365 environment.

It offers robust security measures, comprehensive threat detection capabilities, and an efficient incident response system. With seamless integration with other Microsoft products and a user-friendly interface, it simplifies security management tasks.

Users have found it effective in detecting and preventing various types of attacks, such as phishing attempts, malware infections, and data breaches.

Watch the Microsoft demo video here: Microsoft Defender XDR demo video.

Microsoft

EDR for continuous monitoring that prevents the execution of unknown processes. Behavioral analysis and detection of IoAs (indicators of attack) scripts, macros, etc.
Automatic detection and response for targeted attacks and in-memory exploits. Endpoint protection capabilities such as URL filtering, device control and managed firewall.
Zero-Trust Application and Threat Hunting features delivered as managed services. Lightweight agent and easy-to-use Cloud-based console with detailed reporting.

WatchGuard

Sample Customers

Accenture, Deloitte, ExxonMobil, General Electric, IBM, Johnson & Johnson and many others.

Indra, Valea AB, Fineit, Aemcom, Data Solutions INC., Gloucestershire NHS, Golden Star Resources Ltd, Hispania Racing Team, Instituto Dos Museus e da ConserÊo, Escuelas Pias Provincia Emaus, Axiom Housing Association, Municipality of Bjuv, Lesedi Nuclear, Mullsj_ municipality, Eng. skolan Norr AB, Dalakraft AB, Peter Green Haulage Ltd

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender XDR vs. WatchGuard EPDR

December 2025

Free Report: Microsoft Defender XDR vs. WatchGuard EPDR

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