Endpoint Detection and Response Tools 2026
Endpoint detection and response (EDR) is the layer that assumes prevention will eventually fail and gives you the telemetry to catch what gets through. It continuously records process, file, registry, and network activity on laptops, servers, and workstations, then correlates that into detections, investigation timelines, and response actions like isolating a host or killing a process. Security leaders reach for EDR when antivirus alone stops being enough: the goal shifts from blocking known-bad files to spotting the behavioral patterns of an active intrusion and scoping and containing it fast. It is the foundation most teams build their detection and response program on, and increasingly the data source feeding XDR and the SOC.
We cover 70 Endpoint Detection and Response tools, 8 free and 62 commercial.
Accuracy and depth improve over time. Last reviewed Jul 2026. Is something off? Reach out.
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USE CASES
Anti-ransomware platform protecting against attacks across the attack lifecycle
API for automating endpoint security actions and SIEM integrations
APIs for FireEye endpoint security management and monitoring operations
Endpoint detection and response solution within HYPERSECURE IT platform
AI-driven endpoint security platform with autonomous case management
EDR solution for workstations and servers with attack detection capabilities
Unified endpoint security platform with EDR, next-gen AV, and threat hunting
Automated CrowdStrike EDR deployment & mgmt platform for macOS & Windows devices
Endpoint security platform with managed AV, EDR, and 24/7 MDR capabilities
Unified endpoint mgmt, EDR, and vuln mgmt platform for cross-platform devices
EDR+EPP solution for endpoint protection, threat detection, and response
AI-driven endpoint security platform with EDR, NGAV, and autonomous response
Managed SaaS for osquery fleet management across endpoints
EDR platform with EPP capabilities for endpoint threat detection and response
Prevention-first EDR stopping zero-day attacks, ransomware, and fileless malware
EDR solution with in-memory detection and machine learning capabilities
EDR solution with automated threat detection, remediation, and integrated NGAV
AI-driven endpoint security with prevention, detection, and response capabilities
Integrated EPP/EDR solution for endpoint protection and threat response
EDR and NGAV solution for endpoint threat detection, prevention, and response
AI-powered endpoint protection platform with EDR and identity security
Enterprise endpoint protection platform with autonomous response capabilities
AI-based endpoint security with behavioral analysis and autonomous response
EDR platform detecting and remediating endpoint threats with ML-based analysis
How to choose Endpoint Detection and Response tools
- Match the tool to your operating model: heavy analyst tooling and raw telemetry suit teams with a SOC, while strong automated response and a managed option fit lean teams.
- Test detection against your real environment, including your specific Windows, macOS, and Linux mix plus any legacy or server workloads, not just the vendor's demo scenarios.
- Measure agent overhead and stability under load, since a heavy or crash-prone agent will get exceptions carved out and quietly erode your coverage.
- Judge signal-to-noise in a proof of concept by running actual adversary techniques and counting both the real catches and the false positives your team would have to triage.
- Confirm it fits your stack: clean integration with your SIEM, SOAR, and ticketing, plus retention and export of telemetry you can actually query during an investigation.
- Weigh consolidation against capability. A single EPP-plus-EDR platform reduces agents and gaps, but verify it does not force you off a detection or data feature you depend on.
Endpoint Detection and Response Tools FAQ
Common questions about Endpoint Detection and Response tools, selection guides, pricing, and comparisons.
EDR is endpoint security software that continuously records activity on hosts (processes, file changes, network connections, registry edits) and analyzes it to detect attacker behavior, reconstruct what happened, and respond. Unlike traditional antivirus, which blocks known malware signatures, EDR is built to catch fileless attacks, living-off-the-land techniques, and post-compromise activity, then let analysts isolate or remediate the affected machine.
Antivirus (or EPP) prevents known threats at the endpoint; EDR adds detection, investigation, and response for what slips past. XDR extends that correlation across endpoint, identity, email, cloud, and network into one detection layer. MDR is a service: a vendor or partner runs detection and response on your behalf, often using an EDR underneath. Many platforms now bundle EPP and EDR together and market themselves as XDR.
Match it to who operates it. If you have a SOC or skilled analysts, weight detection depth, raw telemetry access, and threat hunting. If you are lean, prioritize automated response, low false positives, and an option for managed coverage. Then test detection against your actual OS mix, check the agent's performance overhead, confirm it integrates with your SIEM and ticketing, and run a proof of concept with real adversary techniques rather than trusting a feature matrix.
Most buyers consolidate. Running EDR on top of a separate antivirus from another vendor means two agents, two consoles, and gaps where they hand off. The dominant pattern is a single platform that combines prevention (EPP) with detection and response (EDR), often expanding into XDR. Standalone EDR still makes sense when you have a specific telemetry, hunting, or open-data requirement the bundled options do not meet.
Open-source options like osquery, Wazuh, and Velociraptor give real endpoint visibility and hunting capability at no license cost, and they are excellent for teams with the engineering bandwidth to deploy and tune them. The trade-off is you own the detection content, scaling, and response automation that commercial vendors ship out of the box. For most organizations the staffing cost outweighs the license savings; for well-resourced security teams they can be a strong fit or complement.
