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Microsoft Defender for Identity VS Microsoft Defender XDR_

As of 4 November 2026, Microsoft Defender XDR is named by 251 companies and Microsoft Defender for Identity by 156; Microsoft Defender for Identity skews to companies under 200 people (22% vs 26%), Microsoft Defender XDR to companies over 1,000 (41% vs 52%).

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 Identity'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 Identity: 2–200 employees
22%
Microsoft Defender XDR: 2–200 employees
26%
Microsoft Defender for Identity: 1,000+ employees
52%
Microsoft Defender XDR: 1,000+ employees
41%
Postings per company, 90 days
2.5 · 2.5
Website or DNS footprint
0 · 0
156companies name Microsoft Defender for Identity
251companies name Microsoft Defender XDR
61name both
395 · 619postings in 90 days, Microsoft Defender for Identity · 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 IdentityshareMicrosoft Defender XDRshareLeans
Self-employed32%42%even
2-10 employees53%125%even
11-50 employees138%166%even
51-200 employees1711%3715%Microsoft Defender XDR
201-500 employees1912%4920%Microsoft Defender XDR
501-1000 employees1812%2912%even
1001-5000 employees3925%6024%even
5001-10000 employees1510%125%Microsoft Defender for Identity
10,001+ employees2717%3213%Microsoft Defender for Identity
By industry
SegmentMicrosoft Defender for IdentityshareMicrosoft Defender XDRshareLeans
Manufacturing & industry4328%2711%Microsoft Defender for Identity
Business & finance services2919%6325%Microsoft Defender XDR
Technology & software2919%10441%Microsoft Defender XDR
Health care1711%31%Microsoft Defender for Identity
Automotive64%––outside top 12
Commerce & trade64%94%even
Consumer services & leisure53%62%even
Media & content53%31%Microsoft Defender for Identity
Utilities & infrastructure53%114%even
Public, community & associations43%104%even
Property & construction32%73%even
Transport, logistics & rental32%31%even
Hospitality & travel––42%outside top 12
By country
SegmentMicrosoft Defender for IdentityshareMicrosoft Defender XDRshareLeans
United States10970%12751%Microsoft Defender for Identity
United Kingdom128%2912%Microsoft Defender XDR
Germany96%198%even
Belgium43%62%even
Australia32%42%even
United Arab Emirates21%––outside top 12
Switzerland21%42%even
Denmark11%––outside top 12
Spain11%31%even
Ireland11%––outside top 12
India11%––outside top 12
Italy11%––outside top 12
Netherlands––104%outside top 12
Canada––73%outside top 12
France––62%outside top 12
Sweden––52%outside top 12
Poland––42%outside top 12
Postings by team (share of each tool's postings)
SegmentMicrosoft Defender for IdentityshareMicrosoft Defender XDRshareLeans
IT operations & business systems26754%59782%Microsoft Defender XDR
manufacturing and production6112%––outside top 12
skilled trades and field service173%20%Microsoft Defender for Identity
healthcare clinical143%––outside top 12
Engineering (non-software)122%41%even
Quality, safety & environment112%––outside top 12
Software engineering82%61%even
Finance & accounting61%––outside top 12
General management & consulting61%20%even
Administration & office41%20%even
Data & AI41%20%even
facilities cleaning and security41%41%even
logistics warehouse and transport41%––outside top 12
Marketing & communications41%10%even
healthcare support and caregiving31%––outside top 12
Product, program & project management31%71%even
Sales31%162%even
Legal, compliance & risk20%10%even
Unclassified20%––outside top 12
Customer service & success10%132%even
research and science10%––outside top 12
Business development & strategy––10%outside top 12
Education & training––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 Identity by 156; 61 name both. (Breaknorm, 4 November 2026, https://breaknorm.co/compare/microsoft-defender-for-identity-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 Identity vs Microsoft Defender XDR: questions

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

By companies naming it in their own job postings, Microsoft Defender XDR (251) over Microsoft Defender for Identity (156). 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 Identity?

22% of Microsoft Defender for Identity companies have 2 to 200 employees, against 26% for Microsoft Defender XDR. 52% of Microsoft Defender for Identity companies have over 1,000 employees, against 41% for Microsoft Defender XDR.

Do companies run both?

61 companies name both in their postings, usually Microsoft Defender for Identity 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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Every company on either tool,
with the person who owns it

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