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Microsoft Security Compliance Toolkit vs CIS-CAT Lite: catalog facts
Microsoft Security Compliance Toolkit	CIS-CAT Lite
Free Free download from Microsoft.	Freemium Lite is free; CIS-CAT Pro requires a paid CIS SecureSuite membership.
Windows	Windows, macOS, Linux
Official Microsoft-recommended security baselines Compares baselines against existing configurations	Checks configurations against official CIS Benchmarks Compliance score with remediation steps
Windows and Microsoft products only Aimed at enterprise administrators with Group Policy experience	Fewer benchmarks than the paid Pro edition Download requires filling in a registration form
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Closed source	Closed source
License not stated	License not stated
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.