Proofpoint vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Side-by-side from the Top 11 ranking of Top 11 Email Security Software. Last verified July 4, 2026.
The short answer
Proofpoint ranks higher on Top 11 (#2 vs #4) for IT and security leaders. Full gateway plus DLP and encryption for regulated firms.
At a glance
| Proofpoint | Microsoft Defender for Office 365 | |
|---|---|---|
| Top 11 rank | #2 / Top 11 Email Security Software | #4 / Top 11 Email Security Software |
| Score (out of 9.4) | 9 | 8.8 |
| Best for | Best for regulated enterprise gateways | Best native option for Microsoft 365 |
| Pricing | $$$ (custom, per-user enterprise pricing) | $ ($2/user/mo Plan 1, $5/user/mo Plan 2, or bundled in E5) |
| HQ | Sunnyvale, USA | Redmond, USA |
| Founded | 2002 | 2015 |
Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Native M365 protection, included in E5 at $0 extra.
www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/business/siem-and-xdr/microsoft-defender-office-365Methodology and scoring weights live at /methodology. No vendor pays for placement — see about.