In short: CrowdStrike Falcon, SentinelOne Singularity and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint all provide prevention and EDR from a cloud console. Defender is often already licensed through Microsoft 365 and integrates natively with it. CrowdStrike offers a broad cloud platform and vendor-run MDR. SentinelOne emphasises autonomous on-device response and Windows rollback.
Side by side
A factual comparison of how each platform is built and bought. It deliberately leaves out detection scores and ratings, which vary by test and year.
| Microsoft Defender for Endpoint | CrowdStrike Falcon | SentinelOne Singularity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Sensor built into Windows, Microsoft agent on other platforms, Defender portal | Single lightweight sensor, analysis in CrowdStrike's cloud, web console | Agent with on-device AI that detects and responds autonomously, cloud console |
| Operating systems | Windows, Windows Server, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS | Windows, macOS, Linux, plus iOS and Android mobile protection | Windows, macOS, Linux, virtual desktops, containers and Kubernetes |
| EDR depth | Plan 2: EDR, automated investigation, advanced hunting, six months' data retention | EDR with threat intelligence and hunting, positioned in Falcon Enterprise | EDR from Complete upwards; 14 or 90 days' data depending on package |
| XDR scope | Defender XDR across email, identity, cloud apps and endpoint, automatic attack disruption | Platform modules for identity, cloud, SaaS, data and Next-Gen SIEM | Identity, cloud workloads and AI SIEM on the same platform |
| Identity | Defender for Identity (standalone, or in E5 and Microsoft Defender Suite) | Next-Gen Identity Security module | Identity detection and response included in Commercial and Enterprise |
| Ransomware recovery | Controlled folder access, attack disruption; restore from backup | Prevention and containment; restore from backup | Windows rollback using snapshots, plus backup |
| Managed service | Microsoft Defender Experts or any MDR provider | Falcon Complete Next-Gen MDR, or provider-run MDR | Wayfinder MDR, or provider-run MDR |
| Licensing model | Per user in Microsoft 365 E3 (Plan 1), E5 (Plan 2) or standalone; servers separate | Per device bundles and add-ons; Falcon Flex option | Per endpoint packages and add-ons |
| Microsoft 365 integration | Native: Intune, Entra Conditional Access, Defender portal | Integrations available; separate console | Integrations available; separate console |
Where Microsoft Defender for Endpoint stands out
The biggest practical advantage is that many organisations already own it. Microsoft 365 E3 includes Plan 1 and E5 includes Plan 2, and smaller organisations on Business Premium have Defender for Business, built on the same technology. Device risk flows straight into Conditional Access, policies deploy through Intune and incidents correlate with email and identity in Defender XDR.
The trade-offs: the richest capabilities need E5-level licences, Windows gets the most complete feature set, and getting value depends on configuration that is easy to leave half-finished. See Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for detail.
Where CrowdStrike Falcon stands out
Falcon is a single sensor and cloud platform with a wide range of modules you can add without new agents: identity, exposure management, data security, cloud and SaaS security and Next-Gen SIEM. Falcon Complete gives you CrowdStrike's own team running 24/7 detection and remediation, which appeals to organisations without a SOC that still want an enterprise platform.
Consider: it is a second console for Microsoft-centric teams, and bundle contents and names change, so confirm what is included. See CrowdStrike Falcon.
Where SentinelOne Singularity stands out
SentinelOne's agent makes response decisions on the device, so it can contain threats without waiting for cloud analysis or an analyst, and on Windows it can roll back changes made by ransomware. Packages scale from prevention-only to identity, longer retention and AI-assisted triage, and Purple AI helps smaller teams investigate.
Consider: autonomous response needs careful policy tuning to avoid disrupting business applications, and EDR depth depends on the package. See SentinelOne Singularity.
Which should you choose?
Neutral guidance, based on situations rather than scores:
- You are on Microsoft 365 E5, or Business Premium under 300 users: start with the Defender tools you already pay for, configure them properly and add MDR. Move only if a specific gap appears.
- You want the vendor to run 24/7 response for you: compare Falcon Complete with Wayfinder MDR and with provider-run MDR on Defender; the service matters more than the agent.
- You have a mixed estate with many Linux servers or containers: test CrowdStrike and SentinelOne cloud workload coverage against your distributions and orchestrators.
- Ransomware recovery on Windows is a priority: SentinelOne rollback is a distinctive feature; whichever you choose, keep immutable cloud backup.
- You want one platform for endpoint, identity, cloud and SIEM outside Microsoft: CrowdStrike and SentinelOne both offer this; compare the specific modules you need.
Always run a proof of value on a representative group of devices, including your most important line-of-business applications, before committing. Our endpoint security and XDR hub covers further options, including Bitdefender, ThreatDown, TrendAI Vision One and Sophos.
How we help
We are independent and vendor-aware: we can supply and support all three, and we will tell you if your existing Microsoft licences already cover what you need. We run side-by-side pilots, map licences to features, plan migration without protection gaps and set up the managed service. Pricing is always "ask us for a quote".
Contact us for an independent recommendation.
How Forever Systems helps with cloud security
We are an independent UK IT and cyber security provider. We supply and support a wide range of security platforms, so we recommend what fits your organisation rather than one vendor's answer to everything.
- Assess first: we review what you already own, especially your Microsoft 365 licences, before suggesting anything new
- Vendor-aware advice across secure access, email, identity, data protection, endpoint, MDR, cloud infrastructure, browser, AI and backup, including Cisco Secure, Check Point Harmony and Sophos
- Deployment and migration from a UK team, from tenant hardening to replacing a VPN or an endpoint product
- Ongoing support: policy tuning, alert handling, renewals and regular reviews
- People and certification too: security awareness training and Cyber Essentials
We work with businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations.
Want an independent view of your cloud security?
Tell Forever Systems what you need and we will come back to you by email with options, not a hard sell.
Contact usFrequently asked questions
Is CrowdStrike better than Microsoft Defender for Endpoint?
Neither is better in every situation. Defender for Endpoint is often already licensed and integrates natively with Microsoft 365, while CrowdStrike offers a broad independent platform and its own MDR service. The right choice depends on your licences, estate and who will operate it.
What is the main difference between CrowdStrike and SentinelOne?
CrowdStrike sends device telemetry to its cloud for analysis and offers a broad module range and Falcon Complete MDR. SentinelOne emphasises autonomous detection and response on the device itself, including Windows rollback after ransomware, with packages from Core to Enterprise.
Can I use CrowdStrike or SentinelOne with Microsoft 365?
Yes. Both run alongside Microsoft 365 and integrate with Microsoft identity and device management tools. On Windows, Microsoft Defender Antivirus steps back into passive or disabled mode when another product is the primary antivirus. You will manage endpoint security in a separate console from Microsoft's.
Which is best for a small business?
Small businesses on Microsoft 365 Business Premium usually get most value from Defender for Business with a managed detection and response service. CrowdStrike Falcon Go and SentinelOne's lower packages are alternatives if you want a non-Microsoft platform or a vendor-run MDR.