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

IT AI Recommendation Index, September 2026 Edition. Named in 15 judge labels across 6 categories by 8 of 12 models. Page: https://it-ai-index.com/vendors/microsoft-defender/

## Standing by category

| Category | Share | Rank | Negative rate | Labels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endpoint protection | 2% | 17 | 40% | 5 |
| Endpoint detection and response | 2% | 10 | 0% | 3 |
| Attack surface management | 0% | 75 | 33% | 3 |
| Threat intelligence platforms | 0% | 57 | 0% | 2 |
| Container and Kubernetes security | 0% | 52 | 0% | 1 |
| SOAR platforms | 0% | 29 | 0% | 1 |

## What the models said for it

- "Already on Microsoft 365 E5 | Microsoft Defender for Endpoint | Zero marginal cost; genuinely competitive" (Kimi K2, EDR)
- "If Microsoft-heavy, Defender for Endpoint often wins on integration/cost." (Grok 4.1 Fast, Endpoint protection)
- "Microsoft Defender for Endpoint P2 — genuinely competitive and essentially *free* if you already hold Microsoft 365 E5. Strong economic case." (DeepSeek V4 Flash, EDR)
- "built-in operating system protections (like Microsoft Defender) or lightweight antivirus suites are often sufficient and more cost-effective" (Mistral Small, Endpoint protection)

## And against it

- "or unmanaged Windows Defender" (Gemini 3.5 Flash, Endpoint protection)
- "folded into massive enterprise security suites (like Microsoft Defender...) ... if you are looking for an agile, standalone, multi-cloud solution, these acquired platforms are often overpriced" (Gemini 3.5 Flash, ASM)
- "Triple zero-day vulnerabilities ... 2 still unpatched"; yet "For personal use, consider Microsoft Defender" (GLM 4.7 FlashX, Endpoint protection)

## Record

- Method: https://it-ai-index.com/methodology/
- Raw judge labels and full responses: https://it-ai-index.com/data/
- License: CC BY 4.0. Cite as IT AI Recommendation Index, September 2026 Edition, it-ai-index.com.