Aqua vs Defender for Cloud: cloud security facts side by side
How do their category maps compare?
- Described on the vendor's pages we read
- Not in our sources (it may exist; we did not find it on the pages we read)
What are the facts, side by side?
| Fact | Aqua | Defender for Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Positioning | A cloud native security platform built around kernel-layer runtime enforcement, with agentless posture visibility, for public, private and disconnected environments. | Microsoft's cloud security product: a free posture tier, paid posture and server plans billed per resource, across Azure, AWS and Google Cloud. |
| Agent approach | Agentless parts, agent for depth Offers agentless posture visibility; the platform's depth comes from kernel-layer enforcement on the workload. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | Agentless parts, agent for depth Agentless VM, secrets and Kubernetes scanning exist, but only in the paid Defender CSPM plan and Defender for Servers Plan 2. Source: Microsoft Learn: Defender for Cloud CSPM plans, read . |
| Runtime sensor | Kernel-layer enforcement that blocks attacks without killing the container itself. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | Defender for Servers Plan 1 and Plan 2 bring Microsoft Defender for Endpoint EDR to servers. Source: Microsoft Learn: Defender for Servers overview, read . |
| Clouds namedDiffers | AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI, Alibaba Aqua names AWS, Azure, GCP, Oracle and Alibaba Cloud environments, plus Kubernetes; its platform page also describes private cloud and disconnected environments. Source: Aqua pricing, read . | Azure, AWS, GCP Azure, AWS and Google Cloud, plus on-premises machines through Azure Arc. Source: Microsoft Learn: Defender for Servers overview, read . |
| CNAPP | Described Positions one platform across posture, pipeline scanning and runtime enforcement. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | Described Posture (Defender CSPM) and workload protection (Defender for Servers) are separate plans in one product; the full set needs paid plans. Source: Microsoft Learn: Defender for Cloud CSPM plans, read . |
| CSPM | Described CSPM is listed among the capabilities on its pricing page, alongside CWPP, agentless and agent-based scanning and eBPF runtime detection. Source: Aqua pricing, read . | Described Foundational CSPM is free; Defender CSPM adds attack path analysis and the cloud security explorer. Source: Microsoft Learn: Defender for Cloud CSPM plans, read . |
| CWPP | Described Monitor, detect, enforce and contain inside running workloads, with kernel-layer enforcement. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | Described Defender for Servers Plan 1 and Plan 2, with file integrity monitoring and just-in-time access in Plan 2. Source: Microsoft Learn: Defender for Servers overview, read . |
| CIEMDiffers | Not in our sources Not named as an Aqua capability on the pricing or CSPM pages we read. Source: Aqua CSPM product page, read . | Described Defender for Cloud includes native CIEM, supporting Microsoft Entra ID, AWS IAM and Google Cloud IAM. Source: Microsoft Learn: CIEM in Defender for Cloud, read . |
| DSPMDiffers | Not in our sources Not described on the pages we read. | Described DSPM is part of the paid Defender CSPM plan. Source: Microsoft Learn: Defender for Cloud CSPM plans, read . |
| Vulnerability management | Described Ranks vulnerabilities by reachability, EPSS scores and evidence of active exploitation. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | Described Agentless VM vulnerability scanning is in the paid Defender CSPM plan and Defender for Servers Plan 2. Source: Microsoft Learn: Defender for Cloud CSPM plans, read . |
| Code securityDiffers | Scans images and repositories for vulnerabilities, secrets and misconfigurations and blocks noncompliant artifacts in the pipeline. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | Code-to-cloud mapping in the paid Defender CSPM plan. Source: Microsoft Learn: Defender for Cloud CSPM plans, read . |
| AI securityDiffers | GenAI application security from code to runtime, and detection of unsanctioned AI usage. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | AI-SPM in the paid Defender CSPM plan; Defender for AI Services is billed per 1,000 tokens. Source: Azure: Defender for Cloud pricing, read . |
| Kubernetes runtimeDiffers | Runtime enforcement for containers that blocks attacks without killing the container. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | Agentless Kubernetes discovery in the paid Defender CSPM plan. Source: Microsoft Learn: Defender for Cloud CSPM plans, read . |
| Private cloud or on-premises | Supports private cloud environments. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | On-premises machines through Azure Arc. Source: Microsoft Learn: Defender for Servers overview, read . |
| Disconnected environmentsDiffers | Supports disconnected environments. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | Not in our sources |
| Compliance reporting | Out-of-the-box compliance reporting, with built-in compliance and custom reports; the page does not list the frameworks. Source: Aqua pricing, read . | Compliance standards include CIS, PCI DSS v4.0.1, HIPAA, ISO/IEC 27001:2022, SOC 2023, NIST CSF v2.0 and NIST SP 800-53, assignable to Azure subscriptions, AWS accounts and GCP projects. Source: Microsoft Learn: regulatory compliance standards, read . |
| Public-sector authorization | States FedRAMP High Authorization. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | Microsoft lists Defender for Cloud in FedRAMP High audit scope for Azure and Azure Government. Source: Azure and other Microsoft cloud services compliance scope, read . |
| PriceDiffers | Not published No list prices. Cloud Security is priced by number of workloads (EC2 instances, Fargate containers, Lambda functions) and Dev Security by number of code repositories; request a trial or demo. Source: Aqua pricing, read . | Foundational CSPM is free. Defender CSPM is $5.11 per billable resource per month (8 functions or web apps count as 1 resource). Defender for Servers is $4.906 per server per month for Plan 1 and $14.60 for Plan 2. Defender for Containers is $6.8693 per vCore per month. USD list prices, East and Central US; free for the first 30 days. Source: Azure: Defender for Cloud pricing (re-read), read . |
| Open source | Trivy (maintained by Aqua Security, Apache-2.0) | None named |
| Ownership | Aqua Security. Named Mike Dube CEO and Nir Makovski CTO in February 2026. Source: Aqua press release: new leadership and runtime focus, read . | Microsoft. Source: Microsoft Learn: Defender for Cloud CSPM plans, read . |
Where do they differ?
- Clouds named: Aqua names AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI and Alibaba; Defender for Cloud names Azure, AWS and GCP.
- CIEM: Aqua is not in our sources; Defender for Cloud describes it.
- DSPM: Aqua is not in our sources; Defender for Cloud describes it.
- Code security: Aqua matches; Defender for Cloud partly matches.
- AI security: Aqua matches; Defender for Cloud partly matches.
- Kubernetes runtime: Aqua matches; Defender for Cloud partly matches.
- Disconnected environments: Aqua matches; Defender for Cloud is not in our sources.
- Price: Aqua partly matches; Defender for Cloud matches.
Choose Aqua if
- You run disconnected or private environments, or need FedRAMP High.
- You want enforcement inside containers and already use Trivy.
Choose Defender for Cloud if
- Most of your estate is on Azure and you already use Microsoft security products.
- You need to model cost from public prices before talking to anyone.
Which limits should you check?
Aqua
- CIEM and DSPM are not described on the pages we read.
- No list prices: Cloud Security is priced by number of workloads, by quote.
Defender for Cloud
- Agentless scanning, attack paths, DSPM and AI-SPM sit in the paid Defender CSPM plan ($5.11 per billable resource per month), not the free tier.
- Oracle Cloud and Alibaba Cloud are not named, and from 27 October 2026 the free tier becomes opt-in for new Azure subscriptions.
Frequently asked questions
How do Aqua and Defender for Cloud differ?
Neither is scored on this site. Aqua describes 4 of six categories and Defender for Cloud 6 on the pages we read, and they differ on 8 recorded facts. Which fits depends on your clouds, agent tolerance and existing tools; the finder checks those.
Which of the two needs an agent?
Aqua: Agentless parts, agent for depth. Defender for Cloud: Agentless parts, agent for depth.
Do Aqua or Defender for Cloud publish prices?
Aqua: No list prices. Cloud Security is priced by number of workloads (EC2 instances, Fargate containers, Lambda functions) and Dev Security by number of code repositories; request a trial or demo. Defender for Cloud: Foundational CSPM is free. Defender CSPM is $5.11 per billable resource per month (8 functions or web apps count as 1 resource). Defender for Servers is $4.906 per server per month for Plan 1 and $14.60 for Plan 2. Defender for Containers is $6.8693 per vCore per month. USD list prices, East and Central US; free for the first 30 days.