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Microsoft Defender VS Microsoft Defender for Identity_

As of 4 November 2026, Microsoft Defender for Identity is named by 156 companies and Microsoft Defender by 1,329; Microsoft Defender skews to companies under 200 people (33% vs 22%), Microsoft Defender for Identity to companies over 1,000 (52% vs 36%).

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's script and mail records show on hundreds of thousands of small sites, Microsoft Defender for Identity rarely leaves a trace outside its own apps. Compare on the job-posting numbers; use the footprint for reach.

Microsoft Defender: 2–200 employees
33%
Microsoft Defender for Identity: 2–200 employees
22%
Microsoft Defender: 1,000+ employees
36%
Microsoft Defender for Identity: 1,000+ employees
52%
Postings per company, 90 days
2.1 · 2.5
Website or DNS footprint
0 · 0
1,329companies name Microsoft Defender
156companies name Microsoft Defender for Identity
75name both
2,751 · 395postings in 90 days, Microsoft Defender · Microsoft Defender for Identity
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 DefendershareMicrosoft Defender for IdentityshareLeans
Self-employed171%32%even
2-10 employees564%53%even
11-50 employees1239%138%even
51-200 employees25319%1711%Microsoft Defender
201-500 employees23117%1912%Microsoft Defender
501-1000 employees17613%1812%even
1001-5000 employees25319%3925%Microsoft Defender for Identity
5001-10000 employees705%1510%Microsoft Defender for Identity
10,001+ employees15011%2717%Microsoft Defender for Identity
By industry
SegmentMicrosoft DefendershareMicrosoft Defender for IdentityshareLeans
Technology & software46635%2919%Microsoft Defender
Business & finance services30423%2919%Microsoft Defender
Manufacturing & industry18914%4328%Microsoft Defender for Identity
Public, community & associations534%43%even
Utilities & infrastructure514%53%even
Commerce & trade494%64%even
Property & construction443%32%even
Consumer services & leisure403%53%even
Health care383%1711%Microsoft Defender for Identity
Transport, logistics & rental343%32%even
Media & content262%53%even
Automotive191%64%Microsoft Defender for Identity
By country
SegmentMicrosoft DefendershareMicrosoft Defender for IdentityshareLeans
United States71454%10970%Microsoft Defender for Identity
United Kingdom1149%128%even
Germany877%96%even
Canada544%––outside top 12
Australia423%32%even
Netherlands383%––outside top 12
France343%––outside top 12
Belgium181%43%even
India171%11%even
Denmark161%11%even
Sweden161%––outside top 12
Switzerland141%21%even
United Arab Emirates––21%outside top 12
Spain––11%outside top 12
Ireland––11%outside top 12
Italy––11%outside top 12
Postings by team (share of each tool's postings)
SegmentMicrosoft DefendershareMicrosoft Defender for IdentityshareLeans
IT operations & business systems2,61177%26754%Microsoft Defender
Software engineering983%82%even
Sales792%31%even
Engineering (non-software)461%122%even
Product, program & project management461%31%even
Customer service & success361%10%even
General management & consulting251%61%even
Data & AI231%41%even
facilities cleaning and security181%41%even
Legal, compliance & risk171%20%even
Marketing & communications110%41%even
Unclassified60%20%even
Business development & strategy50%––outside top 12
Administration & office30%41%even
construction and civil30%––outside top 12
Education & training30%––outside top 12
skilled trades and field service30%173%Microsoft Defender for Identity
Finance & accounting20%61%even
logistics warehouse and transport10%41%even
Quality, safety & environment10%112%Microsoft Defender for Identity
manufacturing and production––6112%outside top 12
healthcare clinical––143%outside top 12
healthcare support and caregiving––31%outside top 12
research and science––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 for Identity is named by 156 companies in job postings and Microsoft Defender by 1,329; 75 name both. (Breaknorm, 4 November 2026, https://breaknorm.co/compare/microsoft-defender-vs-microsoft-defender-for-identity)
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 vs Microsoft Defender for Identity: questions

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

By companies naming it in their own job postings, Microsoft Defender (1,329) over Microsoft Defender for Identity (156). By website-and-DNS footprint, Microsoft Defender for Identity (0 vs 0), because its scripts and mail records sit on many small company sites.

Who chooses Microsoft Defender?

33% of Microsoft Defender companies have 2 to 200 employees, against 22% for Microsoft Defender for Identity. 36% of Microsoft Defender companies have over 1,000 employees, against 52% for Microsoft Defender for Identity.

Do companies run both?

75 companies name both in their postings, usually Microsoft Defender in marketing and Microsoft Defender for Identity 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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