Varonis vs Microsoft Purview -- Data Security & Governance Compared
Microsoft Purview provides a broad data governance and compliance platform deeply integrated with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, making it a natural choice for Microsoft-centric organizations. Varonis offers deeper data access governance, more sophisticated insider threat detection through behavioral analytics, and broader coverage across non-Microsoft data stores including NAS, file servers, and databases.
Choose Microsoft Purview if your data lives primarily in Microsoft 365 and Azure and you want integrated governance bundled with your existing licensing. Choose Varonis if you need deep data access governance with permission mapping, advanced insider threat detection, and broad coverage across non-Microsoft file systems and databases.
| Feature | Microsoft Purview | Varonis |
|---|---|---|
| Data Classification | Trainable classifiers with sensitivity labels | Data Classification Engine with 400+ built-in patterns |
| Data Access Governance | Basic access reviews in M365 | Full permission mapping and least privilege automation |
| Insider Threat Detection | Insider Risk Management module | UEBA with behavioral baselines and anomaly detection |
| DLP | Native DLP across M365 endpoints and cloud | Alert-based DLP with data access monitoring |
| Compliance Reporting | Compliance Manager with 300+ assessments | Pre-built reports for GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, SOX |
| Coverage Breadth | Microsoft 365, Azure, some multi-cloud | File servers, NAS, SharePoint, Exchange, databases, cloud |
| Deployment Model | Cloud-only SaaS | On-premises, cloud, and hybrid |
| Pricing Model | Per-user (bundled with M365 E5) | Per-user or per-TB subscription |
Common questions about choosing between Varonis and Microsoft Purview.
Microsoft Purview provides a broad data governance and compliance platform deeply integrated with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, making it a natural choice for Microsoft-centric organizations. Varonis offers deeper data access governance, more sophisticated insider threat detection through behavioral analytics, and broader coverage across non-Microsoft data stores including NAS, file servers, and databases.
Choose Microsoft Purview if your data lives primarily in Microsoft 365 and Azure and you want integrated governance bundled with your existing licensing. Choose Varonis if you need deep data access governance with permission mapping, advanced insider threat detection, and broad coverage across non-Microsoft file systems and databases.
Microsoft Purview pricing: Included in Microsoft 365 E5 / Standalone plans from $12/user/month. Varonis pricing: Custom enterprise pricing / Per-user or per-TB licensing. Microsoft Purview's pricing model is per-user subscription (bundled with m365 e5), while Varonis uses subscription (per-user or per-tb) pricing.
Yes, you can migrate from Varonis to Microsoft Purview. 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.
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