The list of which licences contains which defender plans is found on this page https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/licensing/product-licensing/microsoft-365-enterprise?SilentAuth=1&wa=wsignin1.0&rtc=1&activetab=m365-enterprise%3aprimaryr5#primaryR3 with the PDF comparison sheet here
Answer from Alistair Ross on learn.microsoft.comMicrosoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › defender-xdr › prerequisites
Microsoft Defender XDR prerequisites - Microsoft Defender XDR | Microsoft Learn
You need to be assigned either the Billing admin or Global reader role in Microsoft Entra ID to be able to see license information. If you encounter access problems, contact a Global Administrator. You must at least be a security administrator in Microsoft Entra ID to turn on Microsoft Defender XDR.
Microsoft
microsoft.com › en-us › security › business › siem-and-xdr › microsoft-defender-xdr
Microsoft Defender XDR | Microsoft Security
Microsoft Defender XDR is the unified portal experience encompassing various security solutions. Access the Microsoft Defender XDR portal and XDR features with any of these licenses:
Videos
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › defender-xdr › m365d-enable-faq
Microsoft Defender XDR frequently asked questions - Microsoft Defender XDR | Microsoft Learn
For instructions on how to turn on the service, read Turn on Microsoft Defender XDR. Customers with the following non-E5 licenses can use Microsoft Defender XDR:
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › defender-xdr › m365d-enable
Turn on Microsoft Defender XDR - Microsoft Defender XDR | Microsoft Learn
Read this article to understand various prerequisites and how Microsoft Defender XDR is provisioned. A license to a Microsoft 365 security product generally entitles you to use Microsoft Defender XDR without additional licensing cost.
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › defender-xdr › before-you-begin-xdr
Before you begin using the Microsoft Defender Experts for XDR service - Microsoft Defender XDR | Microsoft Learn
Service coverage: At least one Microsoft Defender product (Microsoft Defender for Endpoint P2, Microsoft Defender for Office 365 P2, Microsoft Defender for Identity, or Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps) or Microsoft Entra ID P2 must be licensed and deployed in active mode. ... Customers who wish to have Defender Experts coverage for Microsoft Defender for Cloud servers must have the following: ... Defender Experts for XDR provides managed detection and response across any combination of the following Microsoft Defender products:
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The list of which licences contains which defender plans is found on this page https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/licensing/product-licensing/microsoft-365-enterprise?SilentAuth=1&wa=wsignin1.0&rtc=1&activetab=m365-enterprise%3aprimaryr5#primaryR3 with the PDF comparison sheet here
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The following page by far gives the best details regarding features, pricing etc. of Microsoft 365 Defender suite. There are details regarding the combined license for the suite as well as license for each individual product in the suite(viz. Defender for Endpoint, Defender for Office 365 etc.)
https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/security/business/threat-protection/microsoft-365-defender
IRONSCALES
ironscales.com › guides › microsoft-365-defender › microsoft-defender-licenses
Microsoft Defender Licenses
September 22, 2025 - Learn about Microsoft's advanced threat protection platform, Defender XDR, and its various components and licensing models to enhance your overall security
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › defender-xdr › usgov
Microsoft Defender XDR for US Government customers - Microsoft Defender XDR | Microsoft Learn
Microsoft Defender XDR for US Government customers requires one of the following Microsoft volume licensing offers:
Reddit
reddit.com › r/sysadmin › license(s) required for microsoft defender
r/sysadmin on Reddit: License(s) required for Microsoft Defender
August 20, 2024 -
We would like to examine what licenses are needed for Microsoft Defender. We currently use third-party solutions for anti-malware, web content filtering, and vulnerability management. Users with computers normally have O365 E3 and EMS E3 licenses, while users without a PC are given an Exchange P1 and EMS E3 license. What licenses and/or add-ons would be needed to move these services to the Microsoft equivalent? I am hoping the answer is not MS365 E5 because that is cost-prohibitive.
Thank you!
YouTube
youtube.com › watch
Demystifying Microsoft Defender XDR licensing - YouTube
Demystifying Microsoft Defender XDR licensing
Published February 27, 2024
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › defender-xdr › microsoft-365-defender
What is Microsoft Defender XDR? - Microsoft Defender XDR | Microsoft Learn
Microsoft Defender XDR licensing requirements must be met before you can enable the service in the Microsoft Defender portal at https://security.microsoft.com For more information, see:
Dev4Side
dev4side.com › en › blog › microsoft-defender-xdr
Microsoft Defender XDR: the suite to defend your digital assets
Yes, it is included in several Microsoft licenses, including Microsoft 365 E5, Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Office 365 E5, and other configurations that include Microsoft security components.
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › defender-xdr › pilot-deploy-overview
How do I pilot and deploy Microsoft Defender XDR? - Microsoft Defender XDR | Microsoft Learn
Your pilot using Microsoft 365 E5 trial licenses in your existing production tenant will let you keep any security settings and methods when the trial expires and you purchase equivalent licenses. See Pilot and deploy Microsoft Defender for Identity. ... Do you want to learn more? Engage with the Microsoft Security community in our Tech Community: Microsoft Defender XDR Tech Community.
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › defender-xdr › setup-m365deval
Set up your Microsoft Defender XDR trial lab or pilot environment - Microsoft Defender XDR | Microsoft Learn
Select your user account, select Manage product licenses, and then assign the Microsoft 365 E5 license. Then select Save. Select the Global Administrator account again then select Manage username.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/office365 › pricing guide for microsoft defender xdr and updated m365 comparison chart
r/Office365 on Reddit: Pricing Guide for Microsoft Defender XDR and Updated M365 Comparison Chart
January 4, 2021 -
With the recent supply chain attacks, many organizations have been asked to review their cybersecurity stack. To assist with budgeting and feature comparisons, I have put together a pricing guide for Microsoft Defender XDR and several ways to purchase just a portion of the suite.
I have also updated the complete Microsoft 365 Licensing comparison with new product names and several additional features.
Happy New Year!
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Hi Dan, first of all I would like to sincerely thank you for all the effort you've put into creating such an elaborate license comparison table. You have no idea how much this helps. However, it would be great if you could provide a legend. For example, on the Exchange Online portion, you've marked P1 & P2, but marked an X for Business Basic. What does the X mean? If I'm not mistaken, business basic provides an EXO Plan 1. Also, you've put Business Basic & Standard under Office 365, and only Business premium under Microsoft 365. I believe even business basic and standard are also Microsoft 365. Would be great if you can clarify
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Nice compilation. I believe AIP P2 is included in E5 Security though? (Source https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/information-protection/ )
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › defender-xdr › deploy-supported-services
Deploy services supported by Microsoft Defender XDR - Microsoft Defender XDR | Microsoft Learn
A Microsoft 365 E5, E5 Security, A5, or A5 Security license or a valid combination of licenses provides access to the following supported services and entitles you to use Microsoft Defender XDR.
TrustRadius
trustradius.com › home › extended detection and response (xdr) platforms › microsoft defender xdr › pricing
Microsoft Defender XDR Pricing 2025
included with our MS365 Business Pro licenses, so the value is good as its essentially at no extra cost on top of the Office software and Azure AD we are using ... Project Manager in Information TechnologyInformation Technology & Services Company, 501-1000 employees · companies of that situation, Microsoft Defender XDR cannot give its full value from the XDR box.
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › defender-xdr › before-you-begin-defender-experts
Before you begin using the Microsoft Defender Experts for Hunting service - Microsoft Defender XDR | Microsoft Learn
Defender Experts for Hunting - XDR relies on event signals from Defender for Endpoint, Defender for Office 365, Defender for Cloud Apps, Defender for Identity. It also relies on proprietary Microsoft Threat Intelligence sources. This service also covers servers that have Defender for Endpoint deployed on them with a Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for Servers license.
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › legal › microsoft-365 › api-terms
Microsoft Defender XDR APIs license and terms of use | Microsoft Learn
Microsoft Defender XDR APIs are governed by the Microsoft APIs license and terms of use.
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › defender-endpoint › minimum-requirements
Minimum requirements for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint - Microsoft Defender for Endpoint | Microsoft Learn
Defender for Endpoint Plan 1 and Plan 2 don't include server licenses. To onboard servers to those plans, you need another license, such as Microsoft Defender for Servers Plan 1 or Plan 2 (as part of the Defender for Cloud offering). To learn more.