The 5 Best Email Security Products for UAE Startups
Here are 5 email security products for UAE startups: Barracuda Email Protection, Check Point Email Security, FortiMail Workspace Security, Microsoft Defender for Office 365, and Mimecast. It reviews their pricing, threat coverage, deployment, regional availability, and support. It also explains why buying a tool is only the first step, since proper setup and ongoing monitoring still determine how well email protection works.
Trying to choose between the many email security products for UAE startups? Here are five options to consider: Microsoft Defender for Office 365, FortiMail Workspace Security, Barracuda Email Protection, Check Point Email Security, and Mimecast. We built this list using vendor information and focused on what matters for small teams: email platform support, ease of setup, threat coverage, clear pricing, and support.
Why is this important? Most cyber attacks still start with email. In April 2026, the UAE Cyber Security Council said that over 75% of breaches begin with phishing emails or fake messages. So, choosing email security isn’t about finding the “best” product. It’s about picking what fits your platform, budget, and team.
TL;DR: Which email security product fits your startup?
- Are you already on Microsoft 365 Business Premium? Then you already own Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1. Set it up properly before you spend on anything else.
- Is your team on Google Workspace? Then Microsoft Defender won’t work for you. Look at FortiMail Cloud SaaS, Check Point, or Mimecast’s Cloud Gateway instead.
- Do you need protection up and running fast? Go for an API-based tool. Check Point, FortiMail Cloud SaaS, Mimecast Cloud Integrated, and Barracuda’s Integrated Email Protection plans all connect without touching your MX records.
- Are you hoping to compare prices online? You’ll only find standalone list pricing for Microsoft. For the other four, you’ll need to ask for a quote (we checked on October 29, 2026).
- Does no one on your team have time to watch alerts? FortiMail Workspace Security comes with a managed 24×7 incident response service.
- Wondering what happens after you buy? Someone still has to own it. Policies, quarantine and alerts don’t manage themselves.
Email security products compared at a glance
How we selected these email security solutions
How did we choose these products? We thoroughly researched vendor documentation for six key factors:
- Platform fit: Does it work with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and the collaboration apps your team uses?
- Deployment: Is it a gateway, API-based or native, and how much setup will you need to do?
- Threat coverage: Does it handle phishing, malware, business email compromise (BEC), account takeover and malicious links or files?
- Extra capabilities: Do you get collaboration security, continuity, archiving, backup or incident response?
- Pricing transparency: Can you see pricing, the licensing model and trial options up front?
- Support: What does the vendor handle, and how much work falls on your team?
Note: This is an editorial selection, not based on hands-on testing, so we can’t speak to detection rates. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 comes first because it’s the natural starting point for most startups: if you’re on Microsoft 365 Business Premium, you already own Plan 1. FortiMail Workspace Security comes next because Lumora Security uses Fortinet-led email protection in its managed packages. The remaining three are listed alphabetically, so the order isn’t a ranking.
1. Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 builds on the protection that comes with every Microsoft 365 subscription. You can get it in two plans.
Who it may suit
It makes the most sense if your startup has standardized on Microsoft 365, especially if you’re already paying for Business Premium.
Platform compatibility and deployment
It’s built into Microsoft 365 and covers Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive. If your mailboxes are on Google Workspace, though, it won’t protect them.
- Plan 1 comes with Microsoft 365 Business Premium. From July 1, 2026, it’s also included in Office 365 E3 and Microsoft 365 E3.
- Plan 2 comes with enterprise subscriptions such as Microsoft 365 E5. Business Premium doesn’t include it.
Key capabilities
- Plan 1: Safe Attachments and Safe Links in email and Teams, protection for SharePoint and OneDrive, anti-phishing with user and domain impersonation protection, real-time detections, and preset security policies.
- Plan 2 adds: Threat Explorer, campaign views, automated investigation and response, attack simulation training, and Microsoft Defender XDR integration.
Consideration
Having the licence doesn’t mean you’re fully protected. You still need to set up the right policies. If you want investigation tools, automation, or phishing simulations, you’ll need Plan 2.
Pricing
If you have Business Premium, Plan 1 is already included. You can also buy either plan as a standalone add-on; check current UAE pricing with Microsoft or a licensing partner.
2. FortiMail Workspace Security
FortiMail Workspace Security is Fortinet’s AI-powered suite for protecting email, browsers, collaboration apps, and cloud storage. You may know it by its former name, Perception Point.
Who it may suit
It’s worth a look if your startup runs on Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, you want protection beyond the inbox, and you don’t have in-house analysts to triage alerts.
Platform compatibility and deployment
The email piece is FortiMail Cloud SaaS. Fortinet describes it as an integrated cloud email security (ICES) product that works with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and other cloud or on-premises email services. You can run the suite’s parts (FortiMail Cloud SaaS, Browser Security and Collaboration Security) together as one platform or pick them separately.
Key capabilities
- Email (FortiMail Cloud SaaS): scans all email traffic with dynamic and static analysis, unpacks files and URLs recursively, and detects BEC and account takeover with login event visibility.
- Collaboration Security: scans files and messages in apps such as Teams, Slack, OneDrive, Dropbox, Salesforce, and Zendesk.
- Browser Security: protects browsers and web apps against web-borne attacks and data loss.
- Managed incident response: Fortinet includes a 24×7 service with the suite. Its analysts triage flagged activity, tune policies and handle false positives.
Consideration
These capabilities live in separate components. When you get a quote, check which ones it covers, because collaboration and browser protection aren’t part of FortiMail Cloud SaaS on its own.
Pricing
Quote-based.
UAE availability
If you’re in the UAE, Lumora Security includes Fortinet-led email protection in its managed LumoraX package. Fortinet makes the product; Lumora deploys and manages it for you.
3. Barracuda Email Protection
Barracuda Email Protection is a set of cloud services that brings together inbox defense, an optional email gateway and, on higher plans, data protection.
Who it may suit
It suits you if you’re on Microsoft 365 and want email security now, with the option to add backup, archiving or training from the same vendor later.
Platform compatibility and deployment
Barracuda offers six plans. Three Integrated Email Protection plans use API-based inbox defense. The other three Email Protection plans add Email Gateway Defense, which filters your inbound and outbound mail. If you need backup, it covers your Microsoft 365 and Entra ID data.
Key capabilities
- Impersonation and account takeover protection that learns your organisation’s communication patterns.
- Automatic post-delivery removal of newly identified threats, plus incident response for reported emails.
- Domain Fraud Protection with DMARC reporting and analysis.
- Gateway filtering with virus scanning, link protection, encryption and outbound content policies.
- Premium tiers add Microsoft 365 backup and Data Inspector; Premium Plus adds cloud archiving and security awareness training.
Consideration
Since there are six overlapping plans, figuring out which one you need can take time. Also, Barracuda says security awareness training isn’t available to managed service providers, so check this if you plan to buy through one.
Pricing
Quote-based.
4. Check Point Email Security
Check Point Email Security, also called Harmony Email & Collaboration, connects to your cloud email and the collaboration apps around it through their APIs.
Who it may suit
It’s a good fit if your team works as much in Teams, Slack, and shared drives as it does in email.
Platform compatibility and deployment
According to Check Point’s administration guide, it supports Microsoft 365 and Gmail for email; file-sharing apps such as OneDrive, SharePoint, Google Drive, Dropbox and Box; and Teams and Slack for messaging. It checks your email before delivery and can remove or modify messages after they land.
Key capabilities
- Pre-delivery phishing and malware analysis using Check Point’s threat intelligence.
- Inspection of internal and outgoing email for data leakage, phishing and malware.
- File scanning on upload against malware and data loss prevention (DLP) policies.
- Message and file scanning in Teams and Slack.
- Account takeover detection based on login and correspondence patterns.
Consideration
Check Point explains its account takeover detection for Microsoft environments. If you use Google Workspace, ask if you’ll get the same coverage before buying.
Pricing
Quote-based.
5. Mimecast Email Security
Mimecast gives you two ways to deploy its email security, and you can add continuity and archiving alongside.
Who it may suit
It suits you if you want email continuity and archiving with your security, or if your mail routing is complex.
Platform compatibility and deployment
- Email Security, Cloud Integrated: an API-based option built for Microsoft 365. You don’t need to change your MX records.
- Email Security, Cloud Gateway: a secure email gateway that works with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, hybrid and on-premises setups.
Mimecast says both options offer the same level of detection.
Key capabilities
- AI-powered detection against phishing, ransomware, credential harvesting and impersonation.
- Complementary modules for email continuity, archiving and DMARC management.
- Security awareness training and protection for Microsoft Teams.
Consideration
If you use Google Workspace, you’ll need Cloud Gateway, which requires changing your MX records. Also, continuity and archiving are separate modules, so include them in your budget if you need those features.
Pricing
Quote-based. It has advertised a 30-day Cloud Integrated trial, but availability varies by country, so check whether you’re eligible in the UAE .
How to choose email security tools for a UAE startup
Not sure where to begin? Start by looking at your email platform, then consider other needs. These six questions can help you narrow down your options quickly.
- Which email platform do you use? If you’re on Microsoft 365, start with Defender. If you’re on Google Workspace, look at FortiMail Cloud SaaS, Check Point or Mimecast Cloud Gateway.
- Do you want a gateway or an API-based tool? API-based tools can be running in hours without DNS changes. Gateways filter your mail before it reaches your platform and support continuity.
- What do you need covered? Write down your must-haves, whether that’s BEC, account takeover, Teams or Slack, file sharing, continuity or archiving.
- What will it actually cost? Compare quotes for the same number of users, plan level, and add-ons. Also, check what your Microsoft licence already covers.
- Who will manage it? If no one can check alerts each week, consider a product with response services included, or use a managed provider.
- Do you need local hosting or support? If your customers ask where your email data is stored, get each vendor’s processing and storage regions in writing. For any regulatory requirement, talk to a legal adviser.
Getting help with deployment and ongoing management
Here’s the thing: buying an email security product is only the first step. Someone still has to set policies, manage quarantine and allow lists, tune detection, and respond when a suspicious login or forwarding rule shows up.
If your team doesn’t have time for this, Lumora’s managed email security service can help. Lumora reviews your Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace setup, deploys and configures your chosen protection, and keeps it maintained as your business grows.
For more guidance on BEC, account takeover, and SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, check out our email security guide for UAE startups.
FAQs
1. Is Microsoft 365 email protection enough for a startup?
It can be a solid starting point. Every Microsoft 365 plan includes built-in protection, and Business Premium adds Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 with Safe Links, Safe Attachments, and impersonation protection. You’ll want another layer if you need Slack or Google coverage, continuity, archiving, Plan 2 investigation tools, or outside help with alerts.
2. What is the difference between gateway and API-based email security?
A secure email gateway sits in your mail flow. You point your MX records at it, and it filters messages before they reach your mailbox platform. API-based security connects directly to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace instead. You don’t need to change your MX records; it can see your internal mail and pull messages after delivery. If you’d like the choice, Barracuda and Mimecast offer both.
3. What affects the price of email security for a UAE startup?
Your price will mostly depend on how many users you have, which plan tier you choose, add-ons such as backup, archiving, or training, and your contract length. Buying through a partner that includes management will change it too. Since four of these five products are quote-based, ask every vendor to quote on exactly the same scope.
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