# Microsoft Defender vs M

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: M at none against Microsoft Defender's 3. Microsoft Defender's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months) and chart position (#132 vs unranked). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Microsoft Defender sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. M asks for nothing beyond the download.

Microsoft Defender ships an update every 2 weeks, M every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Microsoft Defender | M |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-defender-security/id1526737990/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **22K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 33.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | — |
| Best chart rank | **#132** | — |
| Size | 162 MB | 198 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) | [M-Files Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/767340659) |

## What reviewers say

### Microsoft Defender

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-defender-security/id1526737990)

**Currently charting:** #132 Top Free · Business, #171 Top Grossing · Business (US App Store)

This app offers comprehensive online security for individuals and families, providing antivirus scanning, threat monitoring, and identity protection. It helps safeguard personal information by scanning the dark web and offers credit monitoring and identity theft restoration services.

**Highlights:** Antivirus scanning, Threat monitoring, Dark web scanning for identity threats, Credit monitoring, Identity theft restoration, Anti-phishing protection, Multidevice alerts

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | $6.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | $9.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Family | $12.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast
- 🔒 Security
- 👍 Ease of use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🔋 High battery drain
- 🔍 Excessive data usage
- 🤖 Compatibility problems
- ⚠️ Disruptive to other apps

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues
- Unexpected app crashes
- Inconsistent behavior after updates

**Requested features**

- Dark mode support
- Customizable VPN settings
- Better integration with other apps


### M

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/m-files-for-intune/id1551120145)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Microsoft Defender free?

Microsoft Defender is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is M free?

M is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Microsoft Defender or M have ads?

Neither Microsoft Defender nor M shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Microsoft Defender or M?

Microsoft Defender ships an update every 2 weeks, and M every 3 months. Most recently, Microsoft Defender was updated on October 29, 2026 and M on October 27, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*