# Microsoft Defender: how AI models rank it, November 2026

Gane Index, November 2026 Edition. Named in 16 judge labels across 8 categories by 7 of 14 models. Page: https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/microsoft-defender

## Standing by category

| Category | Share | Rank | Negative rate | Labels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Endpoint protection](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/operations/endpoint-protection/index.md) | 2% | 11 | 50% | 2 |
| [Identity threat detection and response](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/identity/identity-threat-detection-and-response/index.md) | 0% | 27 | 0% | 4 |
| [Microsoft 365 management](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/operations/microsoft-365-management/index.md) | 0% | 112 | 50% | 2 |
| [Network detection and response](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/security/network-detection-and-response/index.md) | 0% | 85 | 50% | 2 |
| [Threat intelligence platforms](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/security/threat-intelligence-platforms/index.md) | 0% | 63 | 0% | 2 |
| [Vulnerability management platforms](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/security/vulnerability-management-platforms/index.md) | 0% | 72 | 50% | 2 |
| [Data loss prevention](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/security/data-loss-prevention/index.md) | 0% | 65 | 0% | 1 |
| [DNS filtering](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/network/dns-filtering/index.md) | 0% | 45 | 0% | 1 |

## What the models said for it

- "I recommend starting with either Microsoft Defender (if using Windows) or Bitdefender GravityZone for the best balance of protection and cost." (MiniMax M2.5, Endpoint protection)
- "Already licensed for Microsoft's security stack and have people to monitor it | Microsoft Defender / Entra identity protection" (GPT-6 Luna, ITDR)
- "Integrated M365/E5 Stack. Deeply integrated with Defender XDR and Microsoft Graph API." (Qwen 3.7 Flash, Vuln management)

## And against it

- "Using Avast Free, AVG, or built-in Windows Defender alone (without proper management) is cautioned against" (Mistral Small, Endpoint protection)
- "XDR platforms from vendors such as Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks, and CrowdStrike, these solutions still tend to be heavily EDR-focused" (Muse Glimmer 30B, NDR)
- "avoiding enterprise bloat from tools like IBM or Microsoft Defender for full enterprises" (Grok 4.20, Vuln management)
- "Don't rely solely on Microsoft Defender for all security needs" (Claude Haiku 4.5, M365 management)

## By model

| Model | First choice | Alternative | Mention | Warning | Labels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Haiku 4.5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| GPT-5.4 mini | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gemini 3.5 Flash | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Perplexity Sonar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Grok 4.20 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Mistral Small | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| DeepSeek V4 Flash | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Llama 4 Maverick | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Qwen 3.7 Flash | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| Kimi K2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GLM 4.7 FlashX | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MiniMax M2.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| GPT-6 Luna | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Muse Glimmer 30B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |

## Sources returned with these answers

The sites and pages cited by the answers that named Microsoft Defender, from 52 of the 57 answers that named it (only the models that return a source list).

### Domains cited

- g2.com: 22
- microsoft.com: 14 (its own site)
- expertinsights.com: 13
- gane.ai/index: 12
- guideflow.com: 10
- huntress.com: 9
- reddit.com: 9
- crowdstrike.com: 8
- gartner.com: 8
- ciopages.com: 7

### Pages cited

- https://expertinsights.com/it-management/the-top-microsoft-365-management-tools: 7
- https://cloudfuze.com/microsoft-365-admin-tools: 6
- https://g2.com/categories/endpoint-protection-platforms/small-business: 6
- https://guideflow.com/blog/office-365-management-tools: 6
- https://syncrosecure.com/blog/best-microsoft-365-management-tools-for-msps: 6
- https://huntress.com/internal-it-cybersecurity-guide/best-endpoint-protection-for-small-businesses: 5
- https://ciopages.com/buyer-guides/network-detection-response: 4
- https://g2.com/categories/microsoft-365-management-tools/enterprise: 4

## In its own words

What Microsoft Defender's own pages state, read 2026-10-05. Stated by the vendor, not checked by the index.

- Positioning: Професионална, винаги включена защита за вас и данните и устройствата на вашето семейство – за работа или личен живот. (https://www.microsoft.com/bg-bg/microsoft-365/microsoft-defender-for-individuals)
- For: отделни хора и семейства (https://www.microsoft.com/bg-bg/microsoft-365/microsoft-defender-for-individuals)
- Price stated: Microsoft 365 Personal 10.899 RSD godišnje; Microsoft 365 Family 13.499 RSD godišnje; Microsoft 365 Premium 24.999 RSD godišnje (https://www.microsoft.com/sr-latn-rs/microsoft-365/microsoft-defender-for-individuals)
- Starting price: 10.899 RSD godišnje (https://www.microsoft.com/sr-latn-rs/microsoft-365/microsoft-defender-for-individuals)
- Hosting: United States and US territories

## Record

- Method: https://www.gane.ai/index/it/methodology
- License: CC BY 4.0. Cite as Gane Index, November 2026 Edition, www.gane.ai/index/it.