Windows defender free or paid version?

Anonymous
2025-08-04T02:51:44.9166667+00:00

I found out that there are free and paid Microsoft Defender. 

Customer is intending to install Windows Server 2022.  For confirmation purposes, would that fall under the Microsoft Defender for Individuals (Paid)? The objective is to install Common Antivirus Agent (CAVA) to scnning the files on Dell PowerScale.

Here’s a comparison of Microsoft Defender Free (built into Windows) vs. Microsoft Defender for Individuals (paid, part of Microsoft 365):

Feature Microsoft Defender (Free) Microsoft Defender for Individuals (Paid)
Price Free with Windows 10/11 Included with Microsoft
365 Personal or Family
Price Free with Windows 10/11 Included with Microsoft 365 Personal or Family
Real-time antivirus protection ✅ Yes ✅ Yes
Firewall & network protection ✅ Yes ✅ Yes
Cloud-delivered protection ✅ Yes ✅ Yes
Ransomware protection ✅ Yes ✅ Yes
Parental controls ✅ Basic (Windows only) ✅ Enhanced (cross-device)
Cross-platform support ❌ Windows only ✅ Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Identity theft monitoring ❌ No ✅ Yes (in supported regions)
Security dashboard for all devices ❌ No ✅ Yes
Alerts & recommendations for all family devices ❌ No ✅ Yes (Family plan)
Integration with Microsoft 365 apps ❌ No ✅ Yes

Summary:

  • Free Defender is great for basic protection on a single Windows device.
  • Paid Defender is ideal if you want multi-device protection, identity monitoring, and a centralized dashboard—especially useful for families.
Windows for business | Windows Server | Devices and deployment | Other
0 comments

2 answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Nancy Silverblatt 0 Reputation points
    2026-09-11T23:13:32.93+00:00

    I have windows 11, which I added to replace 10. I still don't know the cost of the antivirus

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Beatrix 2,290 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-08-06T03:47:25.8266667+00:00

    Hi Kelvin,

    Windows Server 2022 comes with Microsoft Defender Antivirus (free), which includes key features like real-time protection, firewall, ransomware defense, and cloud-based security. From what I know, it's fully compatible with Dell PowerScale CAVA setups when installed on the scan servers.

    The paid Defender (part of Microsoft 365) is designed for personal devices and isn’t meant for server environments, so I believe the built in version should be all you need.

    Hope this helps!

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.