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Microsoft Defender VS Microsoft Defender XDR_

As of 4 November 2026, Microsoft Defender XDR is named by 251 companies and Microsoft Defender by 1,329; Microsoft Defender skews to companies under 200 people (33% vs 26%), Microsoft Defender XDR to companies over 1,000 (41% 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 XDR 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 XDR: 2–200 employees
26%
Microsoft Defender: 1,000+ employees
36%
Microsoft Defender XDR: 1,000+ employees
41%
Postings per company, 90 days
2.1 · 2.5
Website or DNS footprint
0 · 0
1,329companies name Microsoft Defender
251companies name Microsoft Defender XDR
139name both
2,751 · 619postings in 90 days, Microsoft Defender · 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 DefendershareMicrosoft Defender XDRshareLeans
Self-employed171%42%even
2-10 employees564%125%even
11-50 employees1239%166%Microsoft Defender
51-200 employees25319%3715%Microsoft Defender
201-500 employees23117%4920%Microsoft Defender XDR
501-1000 employees17613%2912%even
1001-5000 employees25319%6024%Microsoft Defender XDR
5001-10000 employees705%125%even
10,001+ employees15011%3213%even
By industry
SegmentMicrosoft DefendershareMicrosoft Defender XDRshareLeans
Technology & software46635%10441%Microsoft Defender XDR
Business & finance services30423%6325%Microsoft Defender XDR
Manufacturing & industry18914%2711%Microsoft Defender
Public, community & associations534%104%even
Utilities & infrastructure514%114%even
Commerce & trade494%94%even
Property & construction443%73%even
Consumer services & leisure403%62%even
Health care383%31%even
Transport, logistics & rental343%31%even
Media & content262%31%even
Automotive191%––outside top 12
Hospitality & travel––42%outside top 12
By country
SegmentMicrosoft DefendershareMicrosoft Defender XDRshareLeans
United States71454%12751%Microsoft Defender
United Kingdom1149%2912%Microsoft Defender XDR
Germany877%198%even
Canada544%73%even
Australia423%42%even
Netherlands383%104%even
France343%62%even
Belgium181%62%even
India171%––outside top 12
Denmark161%––outside top 12
Sweden161%52%even
Switzerland141%42%even
Poland––42%outside top 12
Spain––31%outside top 12
Postings by team (share of each tool's postings)
SegmentMicrosoft DefendershareMicrosoft Defender XDRshareLeans
IT operations & business systems2,61177%59782%Microsoft Defender XDR
Software engineering983%61%Microsoft Defender
Sales792%162%even
Engineering (non-software)461%41%even
Product, program & project management461%71%even
Customer service & success361%132%even
General management & consulting251%20%even
Data & AI231%20%even
facilities cleaning and security181%41%even
Legal, compliance & risk171%10%even
Marketing & communications110%10%even
Unclassified60%––outside top 12
Business development & strategy50%10%even
Administration & office30%20%even
construction and civil30%––outside top 12
Education & training30%10%even
skilled trades and field service30%20%even
Finance & accounting20%––outside top 12
logistics warehouse and transport10%––outside top 12
Quality, safety & environment10%––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 by 1,329; 139 name both. (Breaknorm, 4 November 2026, https://breaknorm.co/compare/microsoft-defender-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 vs Microsoft Defender XDR: questions

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

By companies naming it in their own job postings, Microsoft Defender (1,329) 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?

33% of Microsoft Defender companies have 2 to 200 employees, against 26% for Microsoft Defender XDR. 36% of Microsoft Defender companies have over 1,000 employees, against 41% for Microsoft Defender XDR.

Do companies run both?

139 companies name both in their postings, usually Microsoft Defender 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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