Tenable vs Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management

Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management appeals to Microsoft-centric organizations as it is included with Defender for Endpoint P2, requiring no additional licensing or deployment. However, it provides significantly narrower vulnerability coverage compared to Tenable, focusing primarily on endpoint operating systems and browsers rather than the full IT, cloud, and OT estate that Tenable covers. For organizations deeply invested in Microsoft 365 E5, Defender VM is a cost-effective starting point, but enterprises with diverse environments will need Tenable's breadth.

Choose Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management if you are a Microsoft 365 E5 organization wanting vulnerability visibility at no additional cost with native Intune remediation. Choose Tenable if you need comprehensive vulnerability management across heterogeneous environments, deeper vulnerability checks, and coverage beyond managed endpoints.

Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management pricing: Included with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint P2 / Standalone add-on $3/user/month. Tenable pricing: Nessus Professional from $3,990/year / Tenable.io from $2,275/year (65 assets) / Enterprise custom pricing. Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management's pricing model is per-user (monthly subscription, bundled with microsoft 365 e5), while Tenable uses per-asset (annual subscription) pricing.

Yes, you can migrate from Tenable to Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management. The migration process depends on your specific setup and the features you use. Both platforms offer APIs that can facilitate automated migration. Consider running both tools in parallel during the transition to ensure zero downtime.