Cortex Cloud vs Defender for Cloud: cloud security facts side by side
How do their category maps compare?
Palo Alto Networks Cortex Cloud
- 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 | Cortex Cloud | Defender for Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Positioning | Palo Alto Networks' cloud security platform, formed by merging Prisma Cloud with Cortex CDR (announced 13 February 2025). | 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 Cortex Cloud documents agentless VM image scanning of cloud workloads; runtime protection uses its agent. Source: VM images assets, Cortex Cloud documentation, 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 | A performance-optimized agent that stops attacks as they execute, plus CDR from the Cortex CDR merger. Source: Cortex Cloud overview, 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 Cortex Cloud names AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, OCI and Alibaba Cloud for agentless, full-coverage visibility. Source: Cortex Cloud posture management, 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 Palo Alto Networks includes CNAPP at no additional cost for Cortex Cloud Runtime Security customers. Source: Palo Alto Networks press release: Cortex Cloud introduced, 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 Cloud posture security lists CSPM with attack path analysis. Source: Cortex Cloud posture security, 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 Runtime security with a performance-optimized agent. Source: Cortex Cloud overview, 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 . |
| CIEM | Described CIEM is listed under cloud posture security. Source: Cortex Cloud posture security, 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 . |
| DSPM | Described DSPM is listed under cloud posture security. Source: Cortex Cloud posture security, read . | Described DSPM is part of the paid Defender CSPM plan. Source: Microsoft Learn: Defender for Cloud CSPM plans, read . |
| Vulnerability management | Described Vulnerability management is listed under cloud posture security, with SmartScore ranking. Source: Cortex Cloud posture security, 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 | Application security is one of the platform's pillars, aimed at stopping risk before it reaches production. Source: Cortex Cloud overview, read . | Code-to-cloud mapping in the paid Defender CSPM plan. Source: Microsoft Learn: Defender for Cloud CSPM plans, read . |
| AI securityDiffers | AI-SPM maps models, datasets and agents, flags model poisoning and supply chain risk, and classifies data used for RAG. Source: Cortex Cloud AI-SPM, 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 runtime | Runtime agent and CDR are described; Kubernetes-specific controls are not detailed on the pages we read. Source: Cortex Cloud overview, read . | Agentless Kubernetes discovery in the paid Defender CSPM plan. Source: Microsoft Learn: Defender for Cloud CSPM plans, read . |
| Private cloud or on-premisesDiffers | Not in our sources | On-premises machines through Azure Arc. Source: Microsoft Learn: Defender for Servers overview, read . |
| Disconnected environments | Not in our sources | Not in our sources |
| Compliance reporting | Maps posture against 18+ frameworks, such as PCI, HIPAA and GDPR. Source: Cortex Cloud posture management, 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 authorizationDiffers | Not in our sources | 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 Not published. The Cortex Cloud page offers only a demo request. CNAPP is included at no additional cost for Cortex Cloud Runtime Security customers. Source: Cortex Cloud posture management, 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 | None named | None named |
| Ownership | Palo Alto Networks. Prisma Cloud merged with Cortex CDR to form Cortex Cloud, announced 13 February 2025. Source: Palo Alto Networks press release: Cortex Cloud introduced, read . | Microsoft. Source: Microsoft Learn: Defender for Cloud CSPM plans, read . |
Where do they differ?
- Clouds named: Cortex Cloud names AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI and Alibaba; Defender for Cloud names Azure, AWS and GCP.
- Code security: Cortex Cloud matches; Defender for Cloud partly matches.
- AI security: Cortex Cloud matches; Defender for Cloud partly matches.
- Private cloud or on-premises: Cortex Cloud is not in our sources; Defender for Cloud matches.
- Public-sector authorization: Cortex Cloud is not in our sources; Defender for Cloud matches.
- Price: Cortex Cloud is not in our sources; Defender for Cloud matches.
Choose Cortex Cloud if
- You already run Palo Alto Networks products or Prisma Cloud.
- You want agentless VM image scanning and are comfortable deploying an agent for runtime protection and CDR.
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?
Cortex Cloud
- No public price; the Cortex Cloud page offers only a demo request.
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 Cortex Cloud and Defender for Cloud differ?
Neither is scored on this site. Cortex Cloud describes 6 of six categories and Defender for Cloud 6 on the pages we read, and they differ on 6 recorded facts. Which fits depends on your clouds, agent tolerance and existing tools; the finder checks those.
Which of the two needs an agent?
Cortex Cloud: Agentless parts, agent for depth. Defender for Cloud: Agentless parts, agent for depth.
Do Cortex Cloud or Defender for Cloud publish prices?
Cortex Cloud: Not published. The Cortex Cloud page offers only a demo request. CNAPP is included at no additional cost for Cortex Cloud Runtime Security customers. 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.