Best managed EDR for Microsoft Defender users

If you already run Microsoft Defender and want a managed layer instead of another rip-and-replace project, Huntress is the best fit for most small businesses. It manages Defender Antivirus at no additional cost inside Managed EDR, integrates with Defender for Endpoint and Defender for Business, and is upfront about its pricing model and minimums (you request a current quote rather than reading a public rate).

That is the short answer. The longer answer depends on how mature your Defender deployment already is.

The important distinction first

This article is not asking:

"Which endpoint vendor should replace Microsoft Defender?"

It is asking:

"If I already chose Defender, who gives me the best managed outcome around it?"

That is a different buying motion, and it avoids overlapping with the live Huntress vs SentinelOne for SMBs: what actually changes operationally. That live piece is about two operating models. This draft is narrower: keep Defender, add the right managed layer.

Why this question matters

Microsoft Defender for Business is inexpensive and credible on paper. Microsoft currently lists it at $3 per user per month paid yearly, supporting up to five devices per user.

That makes Defender a very rational starting point for SMBs already living in Microsoft 365.

The catch is the same one that shows up across the endpoint market: who is actually watching it?

Source: Microsoft Defender for Business pricing page, verified June 2026.

My recommendation in one sentence

For most SMB Defender users, I would choose Huntress first.

For more mature teams already invested in Defender for Endpoint operations and willing to buy a quote-based MDR layer, I would also seriously consider Red Canary.

Why Huntress is the best default answer for SMB Defender users

Huntress earns the default spot because its Defender story is unusually direct.

On Huntress's own Managed Microsoft Defender page, the company says:

• Huntress Managed EDR can be used with any antivirus solution
• when paired with Microsoft Defender Antivirus, Huntress manages it at no additional cost
• Huntress Managed EDR integrates with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Defender for Business, and Defender for Endpoint for macOS

That is exactly what a Microsoft-centered small business usually wants to hear.

It means the buyer does not have to choose between "keep Defender" and "get a managed service." They can do both.

Source: Huntress Managed Microsoft Defender product page.

The pricing needs a current quote

Huntress' public Managed EDR page explains the product model and the standard minimum, but do not treat old public dollar figures as current unless the page still shows them. The safer buyer move is to request a current quote, then compare it against the Microsoft licensing you already have.

That matters because many SMB buyers are not comparing ten enterprise RFP responses. They are trying to answer a plain question:

"What will this actually cost me if I keep my current Microsoft stack?"

Source: Huntress Managed EDR pricing page.

The operational fit is the bigger reason

Even more than price, Huntress fits the SMB reality:

• keep the Microsoft baseline
• add managed endpoint coverage
• avoid building a SOC motion internally
• get a service boundary that is easy to explain

That is why the more general category explainer on this site, EDR vs MDR vs XDR: a 2026 buyer's guide for small businesses, keeps returning to ownership instead of feature count.

Where Red Canary becomes compelling

Red Canary is the stronger second choice when the buyer is already fairly mature on Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.

Red Canary's own Defender documentation says its integration ingests both Defender for Endpoint alerts and raw telemetry from the Defender sensor, then processes that data through the Red Canary platform and Cyber Incident Response Team to confirm and investigate threats.

Its Microsoft-specific MDR page also positions the service as 24/7 detection, investigation, and response across Microsoft environments.

Sources: Red Canary's Microsoft Defender for Endpoint integration documentation and its MDR-for-Microsoft page.

That is a serious operating model.

The tradeoff is that Red Canary is not really sold like an SMB self-serve upgrade. It is more quote-based, more customized, and usually a better fit when:

• MDE is already deployed correctly
• the team wants deeper Defender-centric operations
• the buyer is comfortable with a more consultative sales motion

For a 20-person business trying to stay sane, Huntress is usually simpler to buy correctly.

For a more mature environment already thinking in MDE workflows, Red Canary can make a lot of sense.

Comparison table

What I would not do

I would not add a managed layer without being clear which Microsoft layer you actually own.

There is a big difference between:

• using built-in Microsoft Defender Antivirus
• using Defender for Business
• using Defender for Endpoint with mature onboarding and policy

If the environment is vague on that point, the first step is cleanup, not another vendor decision.

That is also why the live Intune for small businesses: when it is enough and when it is not article matters here. A lot of Defender pain is really device-management pain in disguise.

The hidden gap: endpoint is not identity

This is where SMB Defender buyers still get tripped up.

Even a well-managed Defender endpoint stack does not by itself solve:

• suspicious mailbox rules
• token replay
• impossible-travel sign-ins
• malicious OAuth consent
• business email compromise staging

If the business runs on Microsoft 365, the smarter pairing is usually managed EDR plus Managed ITDR, not managed EDR alone.

That is one reason Obsidian Ridge's program structure moves from endpoint-only into Protected when identity becomes the real risk.

My practitioner ranking

For SMBs already on Microsoft Defender, my ranking is:

1. Huntress for the best overall operational fit.
2. Red Canary for mature Defender for Endpoint shops that want a deeper MDE-centric MDR layer.

I am intentionally not pretending this is a giant top-10 list, because that is not how real SMB buying works.

The honest shortlist is small.

Disclosure

Obsidian Ridge is a Huntress partner.

That obviously matters, so it should be stated plainly.

I am still comfortable making the recommendation because the reasoning is operational and source-backed:

• Huntress manages Defender AV at no additional cost
• Huntress integrates with Defender for Endpoint and Defender for Business
• Huntress is upfront about its pricing model and minimums
• Huntress fits the staffing reality of most SMBs

If any of those stop being true, the recommendation should change.

Final answer

If you are already standardized on Microsoft Defender and want the best managed EDR fit without ripping out your stack, Huntress is the best default answer for most SMBs.

Red Canary is the stronger alternative when your Defender for Endpoint deployment is already mature enough to justify a deeper, more customized MDR relationship.

The wrong move is assuming Defender's low software price means the monitoring problem is solved. It is not. You still need a human operating model around it.

FAQ

What is the best managed EDR for Microsoft Defender users?

For most SMBs, Huntress is the best fit because it lets you keep Defender in place, manages Defender Antivirus at no additional cost inside Managed EDR, integrates with Defender for Endpoint and Defender for Business, and publishes pricing clearly.

Can I keep Microsoft Defender and still add managed EDR?

Yes. That is the whole point of this buying pattern. You do not have to rip out Defender to add a managed layer.

Is Huntress replacing Defender?

No. Huntress can manage Microsoft Defender Antivirus and integrate with the paid Defender layers where you already have them deployed.

When does Red Canary make more sense?

When you already run a mature Defender for Endpoint environment and want a deeper MDE-centric MDR model, even though pricing is quote-based rather than self-serve.

Do Defender users still need identity monitoring?

Usually yes. Endpoint coverage alone does not see many Microsoft 365 identity and mailbox attack patterns that matter most to SMBs.

What should I read next if I already know I need a managed layer?

Start with managed detection and response, managed ITDR, and the live Huntress vs SentinelOne operational comparison.

Sources and references

Vendor capability and pricing claims in this article were verified directly against each vendor's official product and pricing pages (Microsoft, Huntress, Red Canary) in June 2026. Vendors are named in prose; we do not link out to competitor or vendor pages.