--- title: Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Reviews meta_title: 'Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2' meta_description: Filter 299 reviews by the users' company size, role or industry to find out how Microsoft Defender for Office 365 works for a business like yours. aggregate_rating: rating_value: 4.5 review_count: 299 scale: '5' date_modified: '2026-11-11' parent_category: name: Email Security url: https://www.g2.com/categories/email-security ---

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Reviews & Product Details

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Pricing

Pricing provided by Microsoft Defender for....

Microsoft Defender for Office Plan 1

$2.00
1 User Per Month

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 2

$5.00
1 User Per Month

User Insights

Average based on 299 real user reviews.

Implementation Time

2 months

Perceived Cost

$$$$$

Typical contract price

$0k - $0k

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Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Reviews (299)

Reviews

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Reviews (299)

4.5
299 reviews

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Christian R.
CR
Christian R.
Jefe de Sistemas
Construction
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Simple interface, but insufficient protection for a large business ecosystem"
2.5/5
What do you like best about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

The interface is quite simple, the system itself performs well, but I think it doesn't detect all threats in real-time. Support must be handled directly with a partner, which makes it dependent on the quality of that partner. The price is reasonable compared to other similar options. Regarding integration, I don't have much information, and I am unaware of how AI analysis works. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

It's not powerful enough to truly protect the business ecosystem for a company of our size. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Adesh T.
AT
Adesh T.
Manager ( Head IT Infra & Cyber Security )
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Built-In Defender Policies Strengthen Office 365 Security"
4/5
What do you like best about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

Defender is provide inbuild policies to us for securing our office 365 users, and applications, including emails, accouts, oneDrive and MS teams. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

Email Security is not properly working in Defender, as some times we found glitch in spam filtering. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Aravinda S.
AS
Aravinda S.
Desktop Support Engineer
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Effective Email Security with Excellent Microsoft 365 Integration"
4.5/5
What do you like best about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

I love Microsoft Defender for Office 365 for its excellent protection against phishing attacks. The Safe Links feature really helps prevent users from opening malicious websites, and the Safe Attachments scans files effectively before delivery. I also appreciate the seamless integration from a centralized console, which means I can manage everything easily. The threat investigation and reporting tools are very useful, offering valuable insights and protection from accidental clicks and downloads. Plus, the solution scaled well for our environment, managing email security efficiently across the organization. Integration within the Microsoft ecosystem is also a big plus, and setting it up was straightforward since we already use Microsoft 365. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

Advanced policy configuration has a learning curve. Reporting and dashboards can feel complex for new administrators. Sometimes legitimate emails are flagged and require review. Security settings are spread across multiple portals. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

HS
Hemant S.
Manger
Legal Services
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Effective Email Security, Complex Dashboard"
4/5
What do you like best about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

I like that Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is an inbuilt Windows tool that acts as a default antivirus for computers and laptops. I find the features like Safe Links and Safe Attachments work effectively, providing an extra layer of protection. These features give warnings while opening suspicious links or attachments that may contain hidden malware or viruses, protecting my system from potential threats. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

The interface and the reporting dashboard can sometimes feel complex. Improving the usability and making the UI more user-friendly can definitely help in resolving the issue. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Andy W.
AW
Andy W.
Cybersecurity Specialist & Technical Support
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Strong built-in email protection for Microsoft 365 tenants we manage"
4/5
What do you like best about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

What I like most is that Defender for Office 365 works natively within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, which is important for us because we manage multiple client tenants in an MSP environment. We don’t need additional gateways or extra infrastructure, and we can deploy policies directly through the Microsoft security portals.

Safe Links and Safe Attachments help reduce phishing risk significantly, and Threat Explorer is especially helpful when we’re investigating suspicious emails that users report. From an admin perspective, having everything connected to Microsoft logs, audit trails, and incident response workflows makes investigations much faster than when using external email security tools. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

The biggest challenge is that configuration is spread across multiple portals, which can be confusing even for experienced admins. In MSP scenarios, it also takes time to tune policies correctly—especially anti-phishing and impersonation protection—so you can avoid false positives for clients with different email patterns. Another pain point is licensing complexity: explaining the differences between Defender Plan 1, Plan 2, and E5 security features to clients isn’t always straightforward. Reporting is powerful, but it can still take several clicks to reach the exact information you need during an investigation. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Youssef B.
YB
Youssef B.
Senior IT & Business Management
Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)
Originally submitted 5/4/2026
"Strong Real-Time Protection, but Alerts and Policy Tuning Take Time"
3.5/5
What do you like best about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

I like that Microsoft Defender for Office 365 delivers strong, real-time protection without creating extra work for me. Its automated threat detection, Safe Links, and email scanning make it straightforward to keep our environment secure and stay on top of potential threats. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

I don’t like that Microsoft Defender for Office 365 can generate too many alerts, including false positives. Some features also feel a bit complicated to configure, and it takes time to fine-tune the policies so they work the way I need. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Igor B.
IB
Igor B.
Customer engineer
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"AI-Powered, Real-Time Protection That Strengthens Our Microsoft 365 Workspace"
5/5
What do you like best about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is essentially a high-tech “bouncer” for your digital workspace. While basic email filtering through Exchange Online Protection handles the obvious spam, Defender for Office 365 goes further by using AI and “sandboxing” to catch more sophisticated attacks that are designed to look legitimate.

For me, the most helpful aspects and upsides come down to three main pillars: real-time verification, automation, and cross-platform security. Together, these are what make it feel like more than just another filter, and more like an added layer of protection across the workspace. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

While Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is a powerhouse for anyone already in the Microsoft ecosystem, it’s not without its frustrations. The least helpful parts tend to come down to its complexity, its “black box” feel, and the friction it can create for legitimate users trying to get their work done. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Education Management
UE
Verified User in Education Management
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Useful and reliable protection and security functions"
5/5
What do you like best about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

The protection and security features offered by the application seem very useful and reliable to me. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

The price is high to access the advanced features, and I have also noticed some false positives. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Jesus Alberto G.
JG
Jesus Alberto G.
admission specialist
Education Management
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"all in on MD 365 BUILT FOR RESILENCE AND SIMPLICITY"
2/5
What do you like best about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

Integrated Email ProtectionEmail Encryptionans spam malware protection Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

Overly Strict Filtering: Can occasionally flag or block legitimate URLs and websites that lack valid SSL certificat Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

KV
Khushwant V.
IT Security Apprentice
Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)
"Proactive Threat Protection That Secures Email Effortlessly"
5/5
What do you like best about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

Its proactive threat protection is the standout feature. Safe Links and Safe Attachments ensure malicious content is blocked before reaching users, while real-time threat intelligence keeps defenses updated. Automated investigation and response save time and reduce manual workload, making it a robust solution for securing email and collaboration tools. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

The main drawback is the complexity of configuration and policy management, which can be overwhelming for new administrators. Occasionally, false positives occur, requiring manual review. Additionally, reporting dashboards could be more intuitive for quicker insights. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

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GU
Guest User
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Last activity almost 3 years ago

What are the security features of Microsoft 365?

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GU
Guest User
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Last activity over 2 years ago

Does Microsoft 365 include Microsoft Defender?

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Pricing Options

Pricing provided by Microsoft Defender for....

Microsoft Defender for Office Plan 1

$2.00
1 User Per Month

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 2

$5.00
1 User Per Month
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Comparisons
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Features
Anti-Malware/Anti-Spam
Encryption
Quarantine
Auditing
Allow and block lists
Compliance
Intelligence Reporting
Email Integration Suppor
Access Management
Autonomous Task Execution