# Microsoft Defender for Endpoint alternatives: what AI models name instead, October 2026

IT AI Recommendation Index, October 2026 Edition. 303 of the 504 answers in the 2 categories where Microsoft Defender for Endpoint holds a standing named it neither first nor as an alternative; these are the first choices those answers made. Page: https://it-ai-index.com/vendors/microsoft-defender-for-endpoint/alternatives/

## Named instead, most often (every category and segment added)

- Microsoft Defender for Cloud: 82
- Huntress Managed EDR: 32
- Bitdefender GravityZone: 13
- SentinelOne Singularity: 11
- CrowdStrike Falcon Insight: 8
- CrowdStrike: 6

## Endpoint detection and response

**Small business**: 72 of 84 answers did not name Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is #4 of 9 at 4%).

- Microsoft Defender for Cloud: first choice in 28 of those 72
- Huntress Managed EDR: first choice in 20 of those 72
- SentinelOne Singularity: first choice in 5 of those 72
- Bitdefender GravityZone EDR: first choice in 1 of those 72
- CNiC Managed EDR: first choice in 1 of those 72
- CrowdStrike Falcon Insight: first choice in 1 of those 72
- Cynet: first choice in 1 of those 72
- Defender: first choice in 1 of those 72

**Mid-market**: 44 of 84 answers did not name Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is #1 of 9 at 30%).

- Microsoft Defender for Cloud: first choice in 8 of those 44
- CrowdStrike Falcon Insight: first choice in 4 of those 44
- Bitdefender GravityZone EDR: first choice in 1 of those 44
- Microsoft Defender: first choice in 1 of those 44
- SentinelOne Singularity: first choice in 1 of those 44
- Sophos Endpoint with MDR: first choice in 1 of those 44

**Enterprise**: 30 of 84 answers did not name Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is #2 of 8 at 29%).

- CrowdStrike: first choice in 3 of those 30
- CrowdStrike Falcon Insight: first choice in 3 of those 30
- SentinelOne Singularity: first choice in 2 of those 30
- Microsoft: first choice in 1 of those 30
- Microsoft Defender: first choice in 1 of those 30

## Endpoint protection

**Small business**: 78 of 84 answers did not name Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is #6 of 12 at 3%).

- Microsoft Defender for Cloud: first choice in 36 of those 78
- Huntress Managed EDR: first choice in 12 of those 78
- Bitdefender GravityZone: first choice in 6 of those 78
- Bitdefender GravityZone Business Security: first choice in 4 of those 78
- Bitdefender GravityZone Small Business Security: first choice in 4 of those 78
- Sophos Intercept X: first choice in 4 of those 78
- SentinelOne Singularity Endpoint: first choice in 2 of those 78
- Avast Premium Business Security: first choice in 1 of those 78

**Mid-market**: 52 of 84 answers did not name Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is #1 of 11 at 22%).

- Microsoft Defender for Cloud: first choice in 10 of those 52
- Bitdefender GravityZone: first choice in 6 of those 52
- ESET PROTECT: first choice in 3 of those 52
- CrowdStrike: first choice in 2 of those 52
- CrowdStrike Falcon: first choice in 2 of those 52
- Microsoft Defender for Business / Defender for Endpoint: first choice in 2 of those 52
- SentinelOne Singularity: first choice in 2 of those 52
- SentinelOne Singularity Endpoint: first choice in 2 of those 52

**Enterprise**: 27 of 84 answers did not name Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is #1 of 9 at 44%).

- Microsoft Defender: first choice in 3 of those 27
- CrowdStrike Falcon: first choice in 2 of those 27
- Bitdefender GravityZone: first choice in 1 of those 27
- CrowdStrike: first choice in 1 of those 27
- SentinelOne Singularity: first choice in 1 of those 27
- SentinelOne Singularity Endpoint: first choice in 1 of those 27

Published under CC BY 4.0. The output is the models' output; nothing here is a recommendation by the index.