TrustRadius: an HG Insights company

Automox vs. Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management

Save this comparison

Save this comparison

Contact about Automox

Please fill out the form below to get in touch.

Automox

Connect with Automox

What are you interested in?

Already have an account?

You hereby consent to have TrustRadius share the information supplied on this form with Automox so that Automox and TrustRadius may contact you in regard to the information requested.

Add Product

Recommended Comparisons

    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Automox

    Score8.8 out of 10
    N/AAutomox is an endpoint management platform built for the era of autonomous operations. It provides a cloud-native foundation that unifies automation, speed, visibility, and trust.

    $1

    per month per endpoint

    Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management

    Score9.7 out of 10
    N/AMicrosoft Defender External Attack Surface Management is a service available on Microsoft's Azure, that provides insights into vulnerabilities, risks, and exposures for web-based resources. It defines an organization’s unique internet-exposed attack surface and discovers unknown resources to help users proactively manage security posture.

    $0.01

    per day per asset

    Pricing
    AutomoxMicrosoft Defender External Attack Surface Management
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    AutomoxMicrosoft Defender External Attack Surface Management
    Free Trial
    YesNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional DetailsAutomox can patch macOS, Windows, and Linux endpoints with PatchOS, an offering at $1 per endpoint/ month with an annual commitment. The Automate Essentials or Automate Enterprise packages are for scaling IT automation, endpoint configuration, and software updates. Modules are available with Automox Assist, a one-on-one remote endpoint control and assistance for helpdesk technicians.—
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    AutomoxMicrosoft Defender External Attack Surface Management
    Considered Both Products
    Automox
    No answer on this topic
    Microsoft
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    96%
    Would buy again
    171 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Delivers good value for the price
    97%
    Delivers good value for the price
    162 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Happy with the feature set
    94%
    Happy with the feature set
    168 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    93%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    128 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation went as expected
    94%
    Implementation went as expected
    155 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Features
    AutomoxMicrosoft Defender External Attack Surface Management
    Threat Intelligence
    Comparison of Threat Intelligence features of Automox and Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management
    Feature
    Automox
    -
    Ratings
    Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management
    9.7
    1 Ratings
    18% above category average
    Network Analytics00 Ratings9.01 Ratings
    Threat Recognition00 Ratings10.01 Ratings
    Vulnerability Classification00 Ratings10.01 Ratings
    Automated Alerts and Reporting00 Ratings10.01 Ratings
    Threat Analysis00 Ratings10.01 Ratings
    Threat Intelligence Reporting00 Ratings9.01 Ratings
    Automated Threat Identification00 Ratings10.01 Ratings
    Vulnerability Management Tools
    Comparison of Vulnerability Management Tools features of Automox and Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management
    Feature
    Automox
    -
    Ratings
    Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management
    9.4
    1 Ratings
    12% above category average
    IT Asset Realization00 Ratings8.01 Ratings
    Authentication00 Ratings9.01 Ratings
    Configuration Monitoring00 Ratings10.01 Ratings
    Web Scanning00 Ratings10.01 Ratings
    Vulnerability Intelligence00 Ratings10.01 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    AutomoxMicrosoft Defender External Attack Surface Management
    Small Businesses
    Avast CloudCare
    Score10 out of 10
    No answers on this topic
    Medium-sized Companies
    Action1
    Score9.4 out of 10
    Tenable Nessus
    Score8.8 out of 10
    Enterprises
    ManageEngine Endpoint Central
    Score9 out of 10
    Tenable Vulnerability Management
    Score8.9 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    AutomoxMicrosoft Defender External Attack Surface Management
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.0
    (178 ratings)
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    9.2
    (9 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Usability
    9.2
    (144 ratings)
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    Availability
    5.5
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Performance
    1.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Support Rating
    7.9
    (10 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    9.1
    (4 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    6.4
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    AutomoxMicrosoft Defender External Attack Surface Management
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Automox
    Automox is well suited in your are looking for patching management solution for your cloud native workload, if you are using Microsoft Azure for example you can use Azure patch management no doubt but what about application level vulnerabilities Microsoft will not give you that information but Automox will. Also you need to make sure apart from patching your 3rd party apps like Zoom, slack, Chrome or any other software you are using need to be updated on time to get latest features installed you need Automox and it work perfect
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management is particularly well-suited for discovering, inventorying, and continuously monitoring the external attack surface, especially in environments with heavy Microsoft adoption. It is less suitable as a standalone solution for internal scanning, real-time attack detection, automated remediation, or advanced application testing. Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management es especialmente adecuado para descubrir, inventariar y monitorear continuamente la superficie de ataque externa, sobre todo en entornos con fuerte adopción de Microsoft. Es menos adecuado como solución única para escaneo interno, detección de ataques en tiempo real, remediación automática o pruebas avanzadas de aplicaciones. Parts of this review were originally written in Spanish and have been translated into English using a third-party translation tool. While we strive for accuracy, some nuances or meanings may not be perfectly captured.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Automox
    • Shows applications installed on a specific asset
    • Able to push policies and updates remotely , creating policies is easy.
    • Keep track of compliant devices and when is the last time they have connected to the servers
    • All the great information provided within one single device
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    • Lack of visibility of external assets
    • Reduction of the risk of external attacks
    • Falta de visibilidad de activos externos
    • Reducción del riesgo de ataques externos
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Automox
    • There are some applications that updates to the wrong version causing Channel version issues, this then needs to be excluded from the policy and updated via a script.
    • Certain software like NET. is not updated
    • The worklet / remediation / evaluation system is not always effective, does not work all the time. Needs to be very detailed for it work.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    • Asset Attribution and Ownership Clarity
    • Risk Prioritization and Business Context
    • Noise and False Positives
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Automox
    We really like Automox and have had a very positive experience using the platform. It has made managing and supporting our environment significantly easier, while giving us the visibility and control we need to manage devices effectively. It has simplified a number of operational tasks for our team, and we are very happy with the value and capabilities it provides.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Usability
    Automox
    I would rate Automox's overall usability a 9 out of 10. The platform is easy to navigate and provides strong endpoint visibility through a centralized console. Creating policies and identifying vulnerable devices are straightforward tasks. Remediation can be deployed in a few clicks, compared to the significant work involved in manual patching. The interface drastically improves efficiency for our IT team.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    We rate Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management’s overall usability as 10 out of 10 because it delivers a strong balance between depth of capability and ease of use, particularly within organizations already operating in the Microsoft security ecosystem.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    Automox
    I did not need to reach out to support often but when I did the answers were relatively correct and they were answered quickly. The only thing I might "ding" their support on was their lack of understanding of OS's different from Windows and especially Linux. Other than that I was satisfied
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation Rating
    Automox
    Implementing Automox successfully starts with a clear strategy for organizing and grouping devices based on operating systems, environments, or business criticality. This ensures that patching and configuration policies can be applied with precision. A phased rollout approach is essential—beginning with a pilot group allows teams to test patching schedules, reboot behaviors, and custom Worklets before scaling across the organization. Leveraging Worklets from the start can significantly boost automation by enforcing security baselines and performing routine system tasks. Integration with existing SOC tools, such as SIEMs, enhances visibility and response time by correlating patch compliance with threat intelligence. Additionally, aligning patching schedules with operational downtimes minimizes disruptions, and consistent monitoring and reporting helps maintain compliance and prepare for audits. Overall, Automox offers a streamlined and effective solution, but its true value is unlocked through thoughtful planning, testing, and integration with existing IT and security workflows.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Alternatives Considered
    Automox
    We chose this tool over Automox because, before Automox, we used Intune, and at the time we were on Office 365, so Intune was almost free. Later, the board decided to move from the Microsoft 365 suite to Google Workspace, and Intune's endpoint management costs were high, so we moved to Automox.
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    Because Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management is part of the broader Microsoft Defender family (including Defender XDR, Entra ID, Azure Security, Sentinel, etc.), it:
    Shares identity, endpoint, and threat context across tools
    Reduces the need for custom integrations or connectors
    Works in a “single pane of glass” experience for SOC analysts
    Why it matters:
    Organizations already invested in Microsoft security tools gain greater contextual insight and lower operational overhead.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    Automox
    • Time savings are a huge one - like I mentioned earlier, 3rd party app updating used to be entirely manual.
    • Endpoint management with the dashboard's convenience and ease of readability is very nice.
    • The only negative - more recently, granular per-user options for software update notifications don't seem to be possible unless the user is isolated in their own group.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    • Reduced Business Risk from Unknown External Assets
    • Operational Efficiency and Cost Avoidance
    • Faster Risk Identification During Change Events
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots