Microsoft Defender Suite is an add-on to Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Microsoft 365 E3, and Office 365 E3 + Enterprise Mobility and Security E3. It provides advanced security features without paying for the full Microsoft 365 E5.
What is Microsoft Defender Suite?
Microsoft Defender Suite (formerly E5 Security Add-On) delivers advanced security across identity, endpoints, email, and cloud apps without requiring a full Microsoft 365 E5 license.
Microsoft Defender Suite is a security add-on that enhances:
Microsoft 365 E3
Office 365 E3 + EMS E3
Microsoft 365 Business Premium
In October 2025, Microsoft renamed “Microsoft 365 E5 Security” to “Microsoft Defender Suite” to align all security capabilities under the Defender brand
Microsoft defines Defender Suite as layered security across the full attack surface:
Identity security and access control
Endpoint protection
Email and collaboration security
SaaS / cloud app security
Cross-domain threat detection (XDR)
Defender Suite is not just a collection of tools. It’s an integrated system powered by Microsoft Defender XDR.
Microsoft Defender XDR:
Correlates signals across identity, endpoints, email, and apps
Combines alerts into a single incident view
Automates response actions across systems
Identity Protection
Endpoint Security
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Plan 2
Endpoint detection and response (EDR)
Threat and vulnerability management
Email & Collaboration Security
Defender for Office 365 Plan 2
Protection against phishing, malware, and ransomware
Identity Threat Detection
Defender for Identity
SaaS & Cloud App Security
Defender for Cloud Apps
| Plan | List Price | Requirements |
| Defender Suite (Enterprise) | ~$12/user/month | Requires E3 or equivalent |
| Defender Suite for Business Premium | ~$10/user/month | For SMBs (≤300 users) |
They include the same core security capabilities, but are designed for different Microsoft licensing tiers—enterprise vs SMB environments.
| Capability | Defender Suite | Microsoft 365 E5 |
| Identity Security |
✅
|
✅
|
| Endpoint Protection |
✅
|
✅
|
| Email Security |
✅
|
✅
|
| SaaS Security |
✅
|
✅
|
| XDR (cross- domain protection) |
✅
|
✅
|
| Compliance (Purview) |
❌
|
✅
|
| Insider Risk |
❌
|
✅
|
| eDiscovery / Audit |
❌
|
✅
|
Defender Suite = security only
E5 = security + compliance + governance
Check out our breakdown comparing
Defender Suite solves:
Microsoft’s advantage:
Choosing the right Microsoft security licensing is just the beginning. You need a partner who can configure, optimize, and actively manage your environment.
Defender Suite only delivers value if:
That’s where ProArch comes in. As a top Microsoft Solutions Partner and proud member of the Microsoft Intelligent Security Association (MISA), we help you:
Contact us to talk Microsoft 365 E5 Security.