# Microsoft Defender for Business

> Endpoint security for small businesses, from $3 per user per month or included in Microsoft 365.

Microsoft Defender for Business is an endpoint detection and response solution from Microsoft for small and medium businesses, included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium or available as a standalone product starting at $3.00 per user per month for annual billing. Listing updated 6 September 2026. Checked by MSP Software 6 September 2026.

- Page: https://mspsoftware.net/software/defender-for-business
- Vendor: Microsoft, https://mspsoftware.net/vendors/microsoft, website https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/business/endpoint-security/microsoft-defender-business
- Categories: EDR and XDR (primary), Microsoft 365 and cloud management
- Free trial: yes. Free version: no.
- Deployment: cloud. Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and web. HQ: United States. Founded: 1975.
- Support: email, help desk, knowledge base and phone. Training: documentation, videos and webinars.

## From the vendor

Microsoft Defender for Business is an endpoint detection and response product from Microsoft for small and medium businesses with up to 300 users. It includes AI-powered antivirus, vulnerability management, attack surface reduction rules, and automated investigation and remediation. The product is available as a standalone add-on or included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium, managed from the Microsoft 365 admin centre rather than a dedicated separate security console. It supports Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android endpoints. Defender for Business suits MSPs already standardised on Microsoft 365 Business Premium, where the product is effectively already included in the licence rather than an additional cost, or organisations that want endpoint security without managing a separate EDR platform or maintaining a non-Microsoft security console. It is less suited to shops needing cross-platform EDR that also protects Linux servers, or MSPs wanting a dedicated security console independent of Microsoft's admin tools and Lighthouse. Pricing starts at $3.00 per user per month for annual billing as a standalone product (checked September 2026), or is included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium at $22.00 per user per month. A 30-day free trial is available. Defender for Business integrates natively with Microsoft Entra ID for identity management, Microsoft Intune for device management, and Microsoft 365 Lighthouse for MSPs managing several client tenants. Support is available through Microsoft's help desk and knowledge base, though it depends on a client already being or becoming a Microsoft 365 customer. Before buying, check whether the standalone add-on or the Business Premium bundle is the better fit for a client's existing Microsoft licensing, and confirm which attack surface reduction rules are enabled by default versus requiring manual configuration for your specific security posture needs.

## Pricing

Microsoft Defender for Business starts at US$3.00 per endpoint per month, according to the vendor (pricing page: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/business/compare-all-microsoft-365-business-products).

| Plan | Price | Per | Highlights |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Standalone | US$3.00 | endpoint per month | Annual billing, Vulnerability management, Automated remediation |
| Microsoft 365 Business Premium | US$22.00 | endpoint per month | Includes Defender, Office apps, Teams, Cloud storage |

## Features

| Feature | Supported | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Behavioural detection | yes | Real-time threat detection with AI-powered capabilities |
| Automated remediation | yes | Automated investigation and remediation of detected threats |
| USB and device control | yes | USB and device control through attack surface reduction rules |
| Application allow-listing | yes | Application allow-listing and attack surface reduction rules |
| Offline protection | no | Requires cloud connectivity for detection and remediation |
| Threat hunting console | no | Simplified console; threat hunting is an enterprise Defender for Endpoint feature |
| Managed MDR add-on | no | Defender for Business does not include managed detection and response; available for enterprise Defender for Endpoint |
| SIEM and SOAR integration | yes | Integrates with Microsoft Sentinel for SIEM/SOAR |
| RMM integration | no | No native RMM integration; would require custom API implementation |
| macOS support | yes | Full endpoint protection on macOS devices |
| Linux support | no | Defender for Business does not support Linux; available in enterprise Defender for Endpoint |
| Licence assignment | yes | Licence assignment managed through Microsoft 365 admin centre |
| Security baseline templates | yes | Attack surface reduction rules serve as security baselines |
| Conditional access management | yes | Integrates with Microsoft Entra ID conditional access policies |
| Multi-tenant console | yes | Microsoft 365 Lighthouse provides multi-tenant management for MSPs |
| Reporting and QBR exports | yes | Reports and exports available through Microsoft 365 admin centre and Lighthouse |
| Microsoft Graph API integration | yes | Integrates with Microsoft Graph API |
| PSA integration | no | No native PSA integration; would require custom development |
| Backup integration | no | Defender for Business does not include or integrate backup functionality |
| Delegated admin (GDAP) support | yes | Supports Delegated Admin Privileges (GDAP) for MSP management |

## Integrations

- Microsoft Entra ID, https://mspsoftware.net/software/microsoft-entra-id
- Microsoft Intune, https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/business/microsoft-intune
- Microsoft 365 Lighthouse, https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/business/microsoft-365-lighthouse
- Microsoft Sentinel, https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/business/siem-and-xdr/microsoft-sentinel

Listed products that integrate with Microsoft Defender for Business: ConnectWise Managed EDR and Nerdio Manager for MSP.

## Alternatives

- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: Enterprise EDR bundled with Microsoft 365 E5, with multi-tenant management for MSPs via Lighthouse. https://mspsoftware.net/software/defender-for-endpoint. Compare: https://mspsoftware.net/compare/defender-for-business-vs-defender-for-endpoint
- CrowdStrike Falcon: Cloud-native EDR with behavioral detection, threat hunting and managed response via OverWatch. https://mspsoftware.net/software/crowdstrike-falcon. Compare: https://mspsoftware.net/compare/crowdstrike-falcon-vs-defender-for-business
- FortiEDR: Endpoint detection and response integrated with the Fortinet Security Fabric, quote-only pricing. https://mspsoftware.net/software/fortiedr. Compare: https://mspsoftware.net/compare/defender-for-business-vs-fortiedr
- Cisco Secure Endpoint: Cloud-native EDR with threat hunting, vulnerability management and automated response. https://mspsoftware.net/software/cisco-secure-endpoint. Compare: https://mspsoftware.net/compare/cisco-secure-endpoint-vs-defender-for-business

## FAQ

### How much does Microsoft Defender for Business cost?

Microsoft Defender for Business starts at US$3.00 per endpoint per month, according to the vendor, checked September 2026.

### Does Microsoft Defender for Business offer a free trial?

Microsoft Defender for Business offers a free trial. There is no free version.

### What does Microsoft Defender for Business integrate with?

Microsoft Defender for Business lists integrations with Microsoft Entra ID, Microsoft Intune, Microsoft 365 Lighthouse and Microsoft Sentinel.

### What integrates with Microsoft Defender for Business?

ConnectWise Managed EDR and Nerdio Manager for MSP list an integration with Microsoft Defender for Business.

### Is Microsoft Defender for Business cloud or on-premises?

Microsoft Defender for Business is cloud-hosted; there is no on-premises version.

### Who is Microsoft Defender for Business for?

MSPs report using Microsoft Defender for Business at sizes of 6-15, 16-50 and 51-200 technicians.

### Is Defender for Business included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium, or is it a separate cost?

Microsoft Defender for Business is included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium at no additional cost, so a client already on that licence is not paying for it as a separate line item. It is also sold as a standalone add-on starting at $3.00 per user per month (annual billing) for organisations that want Defender for Business without the rest of the Business Premium bundle. Before quoting, check which licensing model gives the better total cost of ownership for the client's specific needs.

### Does Defender for Business work with Microsoft Intune and Entra ID?

Microsoft Defender for Business integrates natively with Microsoft Entra ID for identity management and Microsoft Intune for device management, since all three are part of the same Microsoft security and device management stack. MSPs managing several client tenants can also use Microsoft 365 Lighthouse to review Defender status, security alerts, and compliance across every tenant from one place rather than switching between individual tenant admin centres.

### Does Defender for Business protect devices that are not on Microsoft 365?

Microsoft Defender for Business depends on a client already being, or becoming, a Microsoft 365 customer, since it is managed through the Microsoft 365 admin centre rather than a standalone console. It is not a general-purpose endpoint detection and response product for environments entirely outside the Microsoft ecosystem, so MSPs with clients not using Microsoft 365 would need a separate EDR product like CrowdStrike Falcon or SentinelOne for those endpoints.

### Is Defender for Business managed from a separate console, or from the Microsoft 365 admin centre?

Microsoft Defender for Business is managed from the Microsoft 365 admin centre alongside a client's other Microsoft licences and settings, rather than a dedicated standalone security console. MSPs managing several clients can use Microsoft 365 Lighthouse for a consolidated view of Defender alerts and status across tenants. This model suits MSPs already comfortable working inside Microsoft's own admin tools rather than wanting every security product in one separate dashboard.

### What is the difference between Defender for Business and enterprise Defender for Endpoint?

Microsoft Defender for Business is designed for small and medium businesses with up to 300 users, with a simplified management console and fixed feature set. Enterprise Defender for Endpoint, by contrast, is aimed at larger organisations and includes advanced features such as threat hunting, managed detection and response add-ons, Linux support, and more granular policy controls. MSPs should verify client size and feature requirements before choosing between them, as moving from Defender for Business to Defender for Endpoint later requires a licence change.