Abnormal Security alternatives for small business
Abnormal Security, now branded Abnormal AI, is a strong product. It's also sold through demos and custom quotes, and it's aimed at larger organizations. If you have 8 or 40 mailboxes, you probably want something you can price yourself.
Here is an honest map of the options. Some of these do a lot more than InboxGuards. We say so where it's true.
Comparison
| Tool | Type | Filters inbound mail? | Account-takeover alerts? | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abnormal | API, behavioral AI | Yes | Yes | Quote only. No public price. |
| Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 | Built into Microsoft 365 | Yes | Limited | $2/user/mo add-on (annual), or included in Business Premium |
| Google Workspace built-in protection | Built into Gmail | Yes | Some alerts in the admin console | Included |
| IRONSCALES, Avanan, other API email security vendors | API, inbound filtering, some training | Yes | Varies | Varies. Check each vendor. |
| Guardz, Coro and similar SMB suites | Broader SMB security platforms, often sold through MSPs | Yes | Varies | Varies. Check each vendor. |
| InboxGuards | Read-only audit-log alarm | No | Yes. That's all it does. | $2/user/mo or $20/user/yr |
How to choose
- If phishing is getting through your filter, look at inbound filtering first. Turn on Defender for Office 365 or tune Gmail's settings, or look at one of the API vendors.
- If you want someone else to watch and respond, you want an MSP with a SOC, not a tool.
- If your filtering is fine but you'd have no idea if a staff mailbox were taken over, that's the gap InboxGuards covers. It alerts on new-location sign-ins, forwarding, inbox rules, permission changes, and admin-role, OAuth and MFA changes in supported audit records.
Many small businesses end up with built-in filtering plus a takeover alarm. That is a cheaper setup than a full platform, and it's also less coverage. Be clear-eyed about what you're buying.
What InboxGuards is not
It is not an email gateway, it does not filter or quarantine mail, and it is not a staffed SOC. It doesn't catch every incident. Coverage depends on the audit records Microsoft and Google expose.
About InboxGuards
- Price: $2 per active user per month, or $20 per user per year. No minimum, no setup fee.
- 30-day money-back guarantee. No free trial.
- Read-only access to supported Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace audit records. It does not read message content and cannot change tenant settings.
- It is an alarm. It is not a staffed SOC and not an email gateway.
- Owned and operated by Orion CMD LLC, Omaha, Nebraska. hello@inboxguards.com, 402-650-8407.