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Microsoft Defender for Endpoint VS Microsoft Defender XDR_

As of 4 November 2026, Microsoft Defender XDR is named by 251 companies and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint by 509; Microsoft Defender for Endpoint skews to companies under 200 people (32% vs 26%), Microsoft Defender XDR to companies over 1,000 (41% vs 39%).

As of 4 November 2026 · refreshed daily · counts move as websites, DNS and career sites are re-read.

The website-and-DNS footprint is not comparable between a marketing suite and a CRM: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint's script and mail records show on hundreds of thousands of small sites, Microsoft Defender XDR rarely leaves a trace outside its own apps. Compare on the job-posting numbers; use the footprint for reach.

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: 2–200 employees
32%
Microsoft Defender XDR: 2–200 employees
26%
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: 1,000+ employees
39%
Microsoft Defender XDR: 1,000+ employees
41%
Postings per company, 90 days
2.4 · 2.5
Website or DNS footprint
0 · 0
509companies name Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
251companies name Microsoft Defender XDR
131name both
1,215 · 619postings in 90 days, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint · Microsoft Defender XDR
02 — Side by side

Who chooses which

Share of each tool's companies in every segment. "Leans" marks a gap of more than two points.

By company size
SegmentMicrosoft Defender for EndpointshareMicrosoft Defender XDRshareLeans
Self-employed41%42%even
2-10 employees275%125%even
11-50 employees438%166%Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
51-200 employees9519%3715%Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
201-500 employees9018%4920%even
501-1000 employees5010%2912%even
1001-5000 employees11022%6024%Microsoft Defender XDR
5001-10000 employees286%125%even
10,001+ employees6212%3213%even
By industry
SegmentMicrosoft Defender for EndpointshareMicrosoft Defender XDRshareLeans
Technology & software16132%10441%Microsoft Defender XDR
Business & finance services9318%6325%Microsoft Defender XDR
Manufacturing & industry9318%2711%Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Commerce & trade449%94%Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Transport, logistics & rental245%31%Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Utilities & infrastructure184%114%even
Public, community & associations143%104%even
Consumer services & leisure122%62%even
Media & content122%31%even
Automotive112%––outside top 12
Property & construction112%73%even
Health care92%31%even
Hospitality & travel––42%outside top 12
By country
SegmentMicrosoft Defender for EndpointshareMicrosoft Defender XDRshareLeans
United States24147%12751%Microsoft Defender XDR
Germany10621%198%Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
United Kingdom357%2912%Microsoft Defender XDR
Switzerland163%42%even
Australia122%42%even
Canada112%73%even
Austria92%––outside top 12
France92%62%even
Belgium82%62%even
Netherlands82%104%Microsoft Defender XDR
Brazil51%––outside top 12
Spain41%31%even
Sweden––52%outside top 12
Poland––42%outside top 12
Postings by team (share of each tool's postings)
SegmentMicrosoft Defender for EndpointshareMicrosoft Defender XDRshareLeans
IT operations & business systems97266%59782%Microsoft Defender XDR
logistics warehouse and transport22215%––outside top 12
Engineering (non-software)232%41%even
manufacturing and production211%––outside top 12
Software engineering201%61%even
Sales141%162%even
Product, program & project management121%71%even
facilities cleaning and security101%41%even
skilled trades and field service101%20%even
Unclassified81%––outside top 12
Customer service & success60%132%even
General management & consulting50%20%even
Data & AI40%20%even
Legal, compliance & risk40%10%even
Quality, safety & environment40%––outside top 12
Administration & office10%20%even
Business development & strategy10%10%even
construction and civil10%––outside top 12
Education & training10%10%even
social care and community10%––outside top 12
Marketing & communications––10%outside top 12
Cite this

Quote the sentence with the date and the link. The numbers change daily; the link always shows the current ones.

Microsoft Defender XDR is named by 251 companies in job postings and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint by 509; 131 name both. (Breaknorm, 4 November 2026, https://breaknorm.co/compare/microsoft-defender-for-endpoint-vs-microsoft-defender-xdr)
How we know

Read from the source, not self-reported

Every number on this page can be traced to a page we crawled or a posting we read. Full methodology →

  • Job postingsRead hourly from career sites. A tool counts when the employer's own text names it as the team's system; both tools can count for one company.
  • Website and DNSScripts and embeds on the company's pages, plus SPF, DKIM, MX and CNAME records of its domain that point at the vendor.
  • SegmentsCountry, size and industry from the company profile built from its website.
  • Not a reviewNo ratings, prices or feature claims. For those, read the vendors.
FAQ

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Microsoft Defender XDR: questions

Which is more used, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint or Microsoft Defender XDR?

By companies naming it in their own job postings, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (509) over Microsoft Defender XDR (251). By website-and-DNS footprint, Microsoft Defender XDR (0 vs 0), because its scripts and mail records sit on many small company sites.

Who chooses Microsoft Defender for Endpoint?

32% of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint companies have 2 to 200 employees, against 26% for Microsoft Defender XDR. 39% of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint companies have over 1,000 employees, against 41% for Microsoft Defender XDR.

Do companies run both?

131 companies name both in their postings, usually Microsoft Defender for Endpoint in marketing and Microsoft Defender XDR in sales, or during a migration.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the employer's own text in job postings read hourly from career sites, and from scripts found on company websites in our crawl. No vendor data, no surveys.

Companies and people

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