# Microsoft Purview Data Security vs PII Crawler PII Scanner: side-by-side comparison (2026)

[Microsoft Purview Data Security](https://cybersectools.com/tools/microsoft-purview-information-protection) is a commercial [data classification](https://cybersectools.com/categories/data-classification) solution by [Microsoft](https://cybersectools.com/companies/microsoft). [PII Crawler PII Scanner](https://cybersectools.com/tools/pii-crawler) is a commercial [data classification](https://cybersectools.com/categories/data-classification) solution by [PII Crawler](https://cybersectools.com/companies/pii-crawler). Features, integrations, deployment and the company behind each one, side by side.

## Our take

What our shortlists say about the one we picked.

### [Microsoft Purview Data Security](https://cybersectools.com/tools/microsoft-purview-information-protection)

Best for: Teams that run on Microsoft 365

It earns its place because the labels sit inside the apps your staff already use, and it is built into Microsoft 365, so you may already own part of it. That makes it a natural first layer for a Microsoft estate of any size. Weigh that labels only protect what gets labeled, so plan who sets the classification rules and how you will check them.

From [Best Data Protection Solutions for Business](https://cybersectools.com/shortlists/best-data-protection-solutions), Fall 2026.

Reviewed by [Nika (Nikoloz) Kokhreidze](https://cybersectools.com/about).

## Side-by-side comparison

| | Microsoft Purview Data Security | PII Crawler PII Scanner |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Commercial | Commercial |
| Category | Data Classification | Data Classification |
| Verified | No | No |
| Deployment type | Hybrid | On-Premises |
| Company size fit | SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise | Startup, SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise |
| Company | Microsoft | PII Crawler |
| Headquarters | – | – |

### Use cases and capabilities

| | Microsoft Purview Data Security | PII Crawler PII Scanner |
|---|---|---|
| Sensitive Data | Yes | Yes |
| Microsoft 365 | Yes | – |
| PII | – | Yes |
| GDPR | – | Yes |

### Core features

**Microsoft Purview Data Security**

10 features listed. Sign in on the page to see them.

**PII Crawler PII Scanner**

10 features listed. Sign in on the page to see them.

### Integrations

**Microsoft Purview Data Security**

20 integrations listed. Sign in on the page to see them.

**PII Crawler PII Scanner**

9 integrations listed. Sign in on the page to see them.

## Which one fits you

Based on what each listing shows: deployment, company size, price and open source.

- [Microsoft Purview Data Security](https://cybersectools.com/tools/microsoft-purview-information-protection) fits if you need both cloud and on-premises options.
- [PII Crawler PII Scanner](https://cybersectools.com/tools/pii-crawler) fits if you need to run it on your own servers and you are a startup.

## Microsoft Purview Data Security vs PII Crawler PII Scanner FAQ

Common questions when comparing Microsoft Purview Data Security vs PII Crawler PII Scanner for data classification.

### What is the difference between Microsoft Purview Data Security and PII Crawler PII Scanner?

**Microsoft Purview Data Security**: Data classification and protection solution for Microsoft environments. Built by Microsoft.

**PII Crawler PII Scanner**: Air-gapped PII Scanner finds SSNs and 30+ PII types in files with zero data out. Built by PII Crawler.

The table above shows where their features, integrations, deployment and company size fit differ.

### Who makes Microsoft Purview Data Security and PII Crawler PII Scanner?

**Microsoft Purview Data Security** is made by Microsoft. **PII Crawler PII Scanner** is made by PII Crawler. The vendor behind a product decides its roadmap, support, and longevity, so check each company's profile before you commit.

### Is Microsoft Purview Data Security a good alternative to PII Crawler PII Scanner?

Often, yes. Microsoft Purview Data Security and PII Crawler PII Scanner are both Data Classification products, and both cover Sensitive Data. Use the table above to see where features, deployment and company size fit differ.

## Related comparisons

- [Microsoft Purview Data Security vs eXate Data Discovery & Classification](https://cybersectools.com/compare/exate-data-discovery-and-classification-vs-microsoft-purview-information-protection)
- [Microsoft Purview Data Security vs SISA Radar](https://cybersectools.com/compare/microsoft-purview-information-protection-vs-sisa-radar)
- [Microsoft Purview Data Security vs SecurEnvoy Data Discovery Platform](https://cybersectools.com/compare/microsoft-purview-information-protection-vs-securenvoy-data-discovery-platform)
- [PII Crawler PII Scanner vs eXate Data Discovery & Classification](https://cybersectools.com/compare/exate-data-discovery-and-classification-vs-pii-crawler)
- [PII Crawler PII Scanner vs SISA Radar](https://cybersectools.com/compare/pii-crawler-vs-sisa-radar)
- [PII Crawler PII Scanner vs SecurEnvoy Data Discovery Platform](https://cybersectools.com/compare/pii-crawler-vs-securenvoy-data-discovery-platform)

## Alternatives to each

- [See all Microsoft Purview Data Security alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/microsoft-purview-information-protection)
- [See all PII Crawler PII Scanner alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/pii-crawler)

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Source: https://cybersectools.com/compare/microsoft-purview-information-protection-vs-pii-crawler

For AI agents: each product above has its own Markdown page (add .md to its URL, for example https://cybersectools.com/tools/microsoft-purview-information-protection.md). Every CybersecTools shortlist is listed at https://cybersectools.com/shortlists.md.

More on Microsoft Purview Data Security and PII Crawler PII Scanner: funding, momentum, hiring and news, plus the full product and company record, are available through the Mandos MCP Server (paid plans), which connects to AI assistants: https://mandos.io/mcp?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=compare-md
