# Best MDR Solutions for Business (2026) Compare 7 MDR services, like CrowdStrike Falcon Complete, Unit 42 Managed XSIAM and Mandiant Threat Defense, on 24/7 monitoring, response and coverage. We pick every solution on this list [on merit](https://cybersectools.com/methodology#shortlist-order). Featured vendors that made the list are shown first. Source: https://cybersectools.com/shortlists/best-mdr-solutions Updated: 2026-11-01 Edition: Fall 2026. Reviewed by Nika (Nikoloz) Kokhreidze, CybersecTools. ## Executive summary As of November 2026, CybersecTools tracks 605 companies that sell security operations solutions as their main business. Managed Detection and Response is part of that family. The largest groups are based in the United States, the United Kingdom and France. In the last 12 months they raised $15B across 74 funding rounds, 25 companies were acquired and 59 new companies started in the last two years. From that field we chose seven services where a provider's analysts watch your systems around the clock, check each alert and respond to threats for you. CrowdStrike Falcon Complete suits teams that want to hand off detection and response, because analysts fix threats on your behalf. Arctic Wolf suits small and mid-sized teams with no security staff, since a named team learns your environment. Sophos MDR suits teams without their own SOC and works with the products you already run. The main choice is between a service that brings its own platform and one that works with the products you already own. Falcon Complete, Unit 42 Managed XSIAM and Mandiant Threat Defense run on their vendors' own platforms. Sophos and Zscaler Managed Detection & Response, formerly Red Canary, connect to the EDR, cloud and identity products you have. Ask each provider what it will do on its own during an attack, because response rights differ more than detection. ## How we evaluated We looked at 111 managed detection and response solutions from 90 companies, and the 7 on this page made the cut. We combined our judgment from years of leading enterprise security programs with market data from [Mandos](https://mandos.io/data/companies?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist), our market intelligence platform, and with the vendor and review pages listed under Sources at the end of this page. For customer feedback, we left out paid reviews, reviews by vendor staff or partners, review campaigns and anything older than two years, so you get an accurate view of what customers say. Four traits mattered most: 24/7 monitoring by human analysts; the right to contain threats, not just alert; coverage across endpoints, cloud and identity; and clear reports on what happened. We left out services that only cover one vendor's products or only Microsoft 365. The order follows how widely each product is used by teams like yours. Company momentum shows how the vendor itself is growing, so a market leader can rank first with a lower score. Read the full method: https://cybersectools.com/methodology#why ## What is Managed Detection and Response Managed detection and response (MDR) is a service, not just software. A provider's analysts watch alerts from your endpoints, cloud, identity and network around the clock. They investigate what looks wrong, contain real threats, for example by isolating a laptop, and tell you what happened and what to fix. This matters because most companies cannot staff a security team every hour of every day. Attacks often start at night or on weekends. MDR gives you trained people watching at all times without building your own operations center. It also turns a flood of alerts into a short list of real incidents. ### Compare Managed Detection and Response solutions This analysis focuses on seven MDR services. The table compares them on vendor, who each one is best for, deployment model and the NIST CSF functions they cover. | # | Solution | Best for | Starting price | Deployment | Company size | NIST CSF functions | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | [CrowdStrike Falcon Complete](https://cybersectools.com/tools/crowdstrike-falcon-complete-next-gen-mdr) | Teams that want to hand off detection and response | Contact sales | Cloud | SMB to Enterprise | Detect, Respond | | 2 | [Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 Managed XSIAM](https://cybersectools.com/tools/palo-alto-networks-unit-42-managed-xsiam) | Large companies standardizing on Cortex XSIAM | Contact sales | Cloud | Mid-Market to Enterprise | Detect, Respond | | 3 | [Mandiant Threat Defense](https://cybersectools.com/tools/mandiant-threat-defense) | Google Security Operations customers wanting expert hunting | From $1.25 per GB ingested | Cloud | Mid-Market to Enterprise | Detect, Respond | | 4 | [Sophos MDR](https://cybersectools.com/tools/sophos-mdr) | Teams without a SOC that run mixed security products | Contact sales | Cloud | SMB to Enterprise | Detect, Respond | | 5 | [Arctic Wolf Managed Detection and Response](https://cybersectools.com/tools/arctic-wolf-managed-detection-and-response) | Small and mid-sized teams with no security staff | Contact sales | Cloud | SMB to Enterprise | Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, Recover | | 6 | [Rapid7 Managed Detection and Response](https://cybersectools.com/tools/rapid7-mdr) | Mid-sized and larger teams that want a 24/7 SOC | Contact sales | Cloud | Mid-Market to Enterprise | Detect, Respond | | 7 | [Zscaler Managed Detection & Response](https://cybersectools.com/tools/red-canary-managed-detection-and-response) | Teams with a major EDR that want experts on top | Contact sales | Cloud | SMB to Enterprise | Detect, Respond | Vendors change prices, so check before you buy. **See every Managed Detection and Response solution we list** The full Managed Detection and Response market, filtered by company size, deployment and NIST coverage. [Browse Managed Detection and Response solutions →](https://cybersectools.com/categories/mdr) ### 1. CrowdStrike Falcon Complete **[CrowdStrike](https://mandos.io/data/companies/crowdstrike?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos)**. Managed detection and response with 24/7 analysts, AI agents and hands-on remediation. Austin, United States · Founded 2011 · Public company · Momentum 74/100 (Mandos) Certifications: SOC 2, ISO 27001, FedRAMP, PCI DSS, HIPAA **Best for:** Teams that want to hand off detection and response Product page: https://cybersectools.com/tools/crowdstrike-falcon-complete-next-gen-mdr #### At a glance - Vendor: CrowdStrike - Headquarters: Austin, United States - Founded: 2011 - Ownership: Public company (CRWD) - Deployment: Cloud - Company size: SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise - NIST CSF: Detect, Respond - Pricing: Contact sales #### Our take CrowdStrike Falcon Complete pairs automation and AI agents with analysts who work around the clock. The analysts investigate threats and fix them for you. They do full-cycle remediation on your behalf and check the decisions the AI agents make. The service runs on the CrowdStrike Falcon platform. It correlates data from endpoints, identities, cloud, SaaS and third-party sources, so analysts see the whole attack and not single alerts. Response playbooks run containment actions fast, and experts set guardrails for autonomous actions. Falcon Complete earns its place because the analysts carry out the fix, not just the alert, and that right to act is what this list weighs most. It fits teams of any size that want to hand off detection and response and are ready to run on the Falcon platform. Ask which actions the AI agents take on their own and where the guardrails stop them, so you know what happens before an analyst looks. #### CrowdStrike Falcon Complete main features - 24/7 managed detection and response - Adaptive AI agents for investigation and response - Analyst review of AI decisions - Telemetry correlated across endpoint, identity, cloud and SaaS - Response playbooks that run containment actions - SaaS application monitoring with Falcon Shield - AI agent behavior investigation with Falcon Guardian - Full-cycle remediation by analysts #### What customers say Customers use Falcon Complete so CrowdStrike's own analysts watch their systems around the clock and act on threats for them, which takes overnight monitoring off a small team. Day to day, configuration changes are made together with the Falcon Complete team, so agree up front how changes get approved and how quickly the team answers. #### Before you buy Where it is strong: - Analysts fix threats for you - Data from endpoint, identity, cloud and SaaS in one view - Experts check AI agent decisions Ask in the demo: - Ask which containment actions run without your approval - Confirm what the service needs from the Falcon platform - Ask how SaaS monitoring is included ### 2. Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 Managed XSIAM **[Palo Alto Networks](https://mandos.io/data/companies/palo-alto-networks?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos)**. 24/7 managed SOC service combining Cortex XSIAM platform with Unit 42 expertise Santa Clara, United States · Founded 2005 · Public company · Momentum 85/100 (Mandos) Certifications: SOC 2, ISO 27001, FedRAMP, PCI DSS, HIPAA **Best for:** Large companies standardizing on Cortex XSIAM Product page: https://cybersectools.com/tools/palo-alto-networks-unit-42-managed-xsiam #### At a glance - Vendor: Palo Alto Networks - Headquarters: Santa Clara, United States - Founded: 2005 - Ownership: Public company (PANW) - Deployment: Cloud - Company size: Mid-Market, Enterprise - NIST CSF: Detect, Respond - Pricing: Contact sales #### Our take Unit 42 Managed XSIAM combines the Cortex XSIAM platform with Unit 42 analysts who watch your environment around the clock. It covers endpoints, cloud, network, identity and email. The service handles data onboarding across more than 1,000 native and third-party integrations, and it adds threat hunting, custom detection engineering and automated response with playbooks. Analysts triage, investigate and contain threats for you. Unit 42 Managed XSIAM is on the list for scope, because one service covers endpoints, cloud, network, identity and email with threat hunting and custom detection engineering. It fits mid-market and enterprise companies that are standardizing on Cortex XSIAM, since the service runs on that platform. Weigh that commitment before you sign, because leaving the service also means leaving the platform. #### Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 Managed XSIAM main features - 24/7 security monitoring and threat detection - Zero-touch data onboarding and maintenance across 1000+ integrations - Proactive threat hunting using 500B+ daily events and 30M+ daily malware samples - Custom detection engineering for specific environments - Automated incident response with playbooks - Multi-surface protection across endpoint, cloud, network, identity, and email - Alert triage and investigation by Unit 42 analysts - Threat containment and remediation services #### Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 Managed XSIAM main integrations CrowdStrike Falcon, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, SentinelOne, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Cisco Duo, Cisco ASA, Cisco ISE, Check Point, Cloudflare, Akamai, Box, CyberArk, Atlassian, Citrix, Carbon Black, Corelight, Anomali #### Before you buy Where it is strong: - Covers endpoint, cloud, network, identity and email - Data onboarding handled for you - Custom detection engineering Ask in the demo: - Ask whether you must move to Cortex XSIAM - Price the platform and the service together - Check how your current data sources are onboarded ### 3. Google Mandiant Threat Defense **[Google](https://mandos.io/data/companies/google?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos)**. Managed threat detection, hunting, and response service by Mandiant experts Mountain View, United States · Founded 1998 · Public company · Momentum 50/100 (Mandos) Certifications: SOC 2, ISO 27001, FedRAMP, PCI DSS, HIPAA **Best for:** Google Security Operations customers wanting expert hunting Product page: https://cybersectools.com/tools/mandiant-threat-defense #### At a glance - Vendor: Google - Headquarters: Mountain View, United States - Founded: 1998 - Ownership: Public company (GOOGL) - Deployment: Cloud - Company size: Mid-Market, Enterprise - NIST CSF: Detect, Respond - Starting price: From $1.25 per GB ingested #### Our take Mandiant Threat Defense is a managed service delivered through Google Security Operations. Mandiant analysts detect and hunt for threats across your security stack, including alerts from third-party products, and lead investigations and response. It uses a case prioritization model to focus on high-severity cases, maps results to MITRE ATT&CK and can escalate to Mandiant Incident Response. Guided remediation and executive reporting dashboards are included. Mandiant Threat Defense earns a spot because its analysts lead the hunting and investigation, and a case can move straight to Mandiant Incident Response if it grows. It fits mid-market and enterprise teams that use, or plan to use, Google Security Operations, since the service runs there. Ask which containment steps the analysts take themselves and which come back to you as guided remediation. #### Mandiant Threat Defense main features - Active threat detection across the full security stack - Expert-led threat hunting - AI-assisted threat hunting - Case prioritization model - Expert-led investigations and rapid response - SOAR playbooks - Guided remediation recommendations - MITRE ATT&CK mapping of results #### Mandiant Threat Defense main integrations CrowdStrike Falcon Insight XDR, SentinelOne Singularity XDR, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall, Corelight Open NDR, Microsoft Defender for Identity, Trellix Endpoint Security (HX), Trellix Network Security (NX), Trellix Email Security (EX), Nozomi Networks, Forescout, Claroty Continuous Threat Detection, Armis Centrix #### Before you buy Where it is strong: - Expert-led threat hunting - Escalation to Mandiant Incident Response - Covers alerts from third-party products Ask in the demo: - Ask whether you need Google Security Operations first - Check how data ingestion is priced - Ask which response actions analysts take for you ### 4. Sophos MDR **[Sophos](https://mandos.io/data/companies/sophos?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos)**. 24/7 managed detection and response where AI investigates and analysts own the outcome. Abingdon, United Kingdom · Founded 1985 · $60M raised · Momentum 43/100 (Mandos) Certifications: SOC 2, ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, PCI DSS, HIPAA **Best for:** Teams without a SOC that run mixed security products Product page: https://cybersectools.com/tools/sophos-mdr #### At a glance - Vendor: Sophos - Headquarters: Abingdon, United Kingdom - Founded: 1985 - Deployment: Cloud - Company size: SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise - NIST CSF: Detect, Respond - Starting price: Contact sales #### Our take Sophos MDR is a fully managed detection and response service that runs 24/7. AI handles detection, investigation and response at scale, and human analysts supervise the AI and own the outcome. It also includes threat hunting and detection engineering. It works with the security products you already run, including Microsoft, CrowdStrike and SentinelOne. When a critical incident happens, incident response is included with no hourly caps or extra fees. You can pick the service tier, response mode and engagement model that fit your team. Sophos MDR makes the list because it works on top of the products you already own, and incident response comes with no hourly caps. That suits companies of any size without their own SOC, especially if you would rather not replace your endpoint product. Ask which response mode you are buying, because the option you pick decides how much the analysts do on their own. #### Sophos MDR main features - 24/7 managed detection and response - Agentic AI with human accountability - Automated response - Proactive threat hunting - Critical incident response with full threat removal - Detection of human-led and AI-driven attacks - Vendor-agnostic operation across existing security products - Microsoft security coverage #### Sophos MDR main integrations Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Microsoft Defender for Business, CrowdStrike, SentinelOne #### What customers say Sentiment: 65% positive · 16% mixed · 19% negative (from first-hand public reviews and comments, 2024 to 2026). Most praised: Support. Most criticized: Speed, Reports. Sophos MDR puts a team of analysts on your systems around the clock, so threats that show up at night or on weekends still get isolated and cleaned up, often before your own staff notice. Customers say it takes real weight off a small IT team, and they like the help they get from the MDR analysts. That said, machines doing heavy work, like developer builds or CAD, can slow down until scanning is tuned, and some former customers say the service did not act on detections as fast or as fully as they expected. #### Before you buy Where it is strong: - Works with the products you already run - Incident response with no hourly caps - Choice of service tiers and response modes Ask in the demo: - Ask how fast analysts act on a confirmed threat - Test the agent on your laptops and developer machines - Pick the response mode that fits your team **Alternatives to each solution on this list** The closest Managed Detection and Response alternatives for every pick, matched on features and integrations. [See Managed Detection and Response alternatives →](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives) ### 5. Arctic Wolf Managed Detection and Response **[Arctic Wolf Networks Inc.](https://mandos.io/data/companies/arctic-wolf-networks-inc?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos)**. Managed detection and response service with 24x7 SOC and IR capabilities Eden Prairie, United States · Founded 2012 · $899M raised · Momentum 54/100 (Mandos) Certifications: SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA **Best for:** Small and mid-sized teams with no security staff Product page: https://cybersectools.com/tools/arctic-wolf-managed-detection-and-response #### At a glance - Vendor: Arctic Wolf Networks Inc. - Headquarters: Eden Prairie, United States - Founded: 2012 - Deployment: Cloud - Company size: SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise - NIST CSF: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, Recover - Pricing: Contact sales #### Our take Arctic Wolf Managed Detection and Response is a managed service with a 24x7 SOC that detects threats and helps you contain them and recover. A Concierge Delivery Model gives you a dedicated security team, and the service runs on the Aurora Platform, which collects and analyzes your security data. It covers endpoint, network and cloud, and connects to products such as Amazon Web Services, Carbon Black Cloud, Check Point Quantum, Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance and VMware ESXi. Arctic Wolf earns its place because the same provider also runs incident response, managed risk and awareness training, so a company with no security staff can cover several gaps with one contract. Ask which containment actions the analysts can take without your approval, because that is where MDR services differ most. #### Arctic Wolf Managed Detection and Response main features - 24x7 SOC monitoring and threat detection - Concierge delivery model with dedicated security teams - Alpha AI-driven threat detection and analysis - Incident response and breach recovery services - Aurora Platform for security data collection and analysis - Managed security awareness training - Managed risk assessment and vulnerability management - Security Operations Warranty up to $3M #### Arctic Wolf Managed Detection and Response main integrations 1Password, Abnormal Cloud Email Security, Amazon Web Services, Barracuda CloudGen Firewall, Box, Broadcom Symantec Endpoint Security, Carbon Black Cloud, VMware ESXi, VMware vCenter, Cato SSE 360, Check Point Email Security, Check Point Quantum, Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance #### What customers say Arctic Wolf gives small IT teams a 24/7 security operations center with real analysts, who connect the alerts and can shut things down at night, so teams without security staff can stay hands-off. A named Concierge Security Team meets with customers regularly and knows their setup, and the scans and reports make audits and security questionnaires easier. The catch is reading the output, because some alerts and reports come as raw data that takes time to work through. #### Before you buy Where it is strong: - Named team that learns your environment - Hands-off 24/7 watch for small IT teams - Reports that help with audits and insurance Ask in the demo: - Ask how fast alerts reach you and in what form - Plan time for the first rollout - Check which response actions they take without asking ### 6. Rapid7 Managed Detection and Response **[Rapid7](https://mandos.io/data/companies/rapid7?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos)**. Managed service that detects and contains threats across endpoint, cloud and identity. Boston, United States · Founded 2000 · Public company · Momentum 60/100 (Mandos) Certifications: SOC 2, ISO 27001, FedRAMP, PCI DSS **Best for:** Mid-sized and larger teams that want a 24/7 SOC Product page: https://cybersectools.com/tools/rapid7-mdr #### At a glance - Vendor: Rapid7 - Headquarters: Boston, United States - Founded: 2000 - Ownership: Public company (RPD) - Deployment: Cloud - Company size: Mid-Market, Enterprise - NIST CSF: Detect, Respond - Starting price: Contact sales #### Our take Rapid7 Managed Detection and Response gives you analysts who watch your environment around the clock. They investigate threats, contain them and help you recover. An AI-enhanced SOC handles triage and investigation, and people handle validation, containment and recovery. It collects data from endpoint, cloud, identity, email, network and third-party sources. Each customer gets a dedicated cybersecurity advisor, and the service runs on Rapid7's own SIEM. Incident response has no cap on engagement, and a breach protection warranty is part of the offer. Rapid7 makes the list because vulnerability and asset risk context feeds into each investigation, so analysts know which systems were already weak. It fits mid-market and enterprise companies, and more so if you already use Rapid7 for vulnerability management. Read the warranty terms closely, because what it covers decides how much risk you really hand off. #### Rapid7 Managed Detection and Response main features - Telemetry from endpoint, cloud, identity, email, network and third parties - Vulnerability and asset risk context in investigations - AI-enhanced SOC triage and investigation - Analyst-led containment and recovery - Incident response with no engagement caps - Dedicated cybersecurity advisor - Agent-based ransomware protection - Velociraptor digital forensics #### Rapid7 Managed Detection and Response main integrations CrowdStrike Falcon, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, SentinelOne EDR, Palo Alto Cortex XDR, Sophos Central, Okta, Microsoft Entra ID Protection, Microsoft Defender for Identity, Microsoft Defender for Office 365, AWS GuardDuty, Google Security Command Center (SCC), Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps, Trend Vision One #### What customers say Sentiment: 82% positive · 8% mixed · 10% negative (from first-hand public reviews and comments, 2025 to 2026). Most praised: Support, Integrations, False positives. Most criticized: Price, Missing features. Teams bring Rapid7 in to get round-the-clock watch without staffing a SOC of their own, and its analysts check alerts, weed out false alarms and send clear next steps, so in-house staff spend far less time on first-pass triage. Views on how fast the SOC acts once an incident hits are mixed, so ask for response times in writing. The catch is fit, because the price is hard to justify for smaller companies and pulling in data from non-Rapid7 or custom products often takes extra work. #### Before you buy Where it is strong: - Vulnerability and asset risk context in investigations - Dedicated cybersecurity advisor - Incident response with no engagement cap Ask in the demo: - Get the asset-based price at your size - Ask for an onboarding plan with dates - Read the breach protection warranty terms ### 7. Zscaler Managed Detection & Response **[Zscaler](https://mandos.io/data/companies/zscaler?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos)**. 24/7 managed detection and response with AI agents and security experts San Jose, United States · Founded 2008 · Public company · Momentum 68/100 (Mandos) Certifications: SOC 2, ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, FedRAMP, PCI DSS **Best for:** Teams with a major EDR that want experts on top Product page: https://cybersectools.com/tools/red-canary-managed-detection-and-response #### At a glance - Vendor: Zscaler - Headquarters: San Jose, United States - Founded: 2008 - Ownership: Public company (ZS) - Deployment: Cloud - Company size: SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise - NIST CSF: Detect, Respond - Pricing: Contact sales #### Our take Zscaler Managed Detection & Response, formerly Red Canary MDR, is a 24/7 service that detects and responds to threats across endpoints, identities and cloud. Analysts investigate alerts, hunt for threats and give response recommendations, with AI agents helping to triage and tune alerts. It works with the security products you already run, such as CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, VMware Carbon Black and Palo Alto Networks, and it covers AWS, Google Cloud Platform and Kubernetes. No-code playbooks let you set which responses run on their own. Zscaler MDR is on the list because it adds experts on top of the EDR, cloud and identity products you already run, without asking you to switch. That suits teams of any size that have a major EDR in place but no one to watch it around the clock. Set up the no-code playbooks with care, because they decide which responses run on their own and which wait for your approval. #### Zscaler Managed Detection & Response main features - 24/7 human-led and AI-assisted monitoring - AI agents that triage alerts - Agentic tuning of hard-to-tune alerts - Expert threat hunting across cloud, endpoint, identity - Detection engineering and threat research - Alerts enriched with device, user and IP context - No-code response playbooks - Block URLs and indicators in ZIA #### Zscaler Managed Detection & Response main integrations CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, VMware Carbon Black, Palo Alto Networks, AWS, Google Cloud Platform, Linux, Kubernetes #### Before you buy Where it is strong: - Works with the EDR you already own - Covers endpoints, identities and cloud - No-code playbooks for response Ask in the demo: - Ask how the move to Zscaler changes contracts and support - Confirm support for your EDR and cloud - Set which responses run without your approval ## How they fit your cybersecurity program (NIST CSF) NIST CSF 2.0 has six functions: Govern, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond and Recover. The grid shows which functions each pick maps to in our record, so you can see where a solution sits in your program and what it leaves to other controls. All 7 solutions map to Detect and Respond. 1 of 7 maps to Identify. 1 of 7 maps to Protect. 1 of 7 maps to Recover. None map to Govern. | Solution | Govern | Identify | Protect | Detect | Respond | Recover | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | All solutions on this list | 0 of 7 | 1 of 7 | 1 of 7 | 7 of 7 | 7 of 7 | 1 of 7 | | CrowdStrike Falcon Complete | – | – | – | 2 of 2 (Continuous Monitoring, Adverse Event Analysis) | 3 of 4 (Incident Management, Incident Analysis, Incident Mitigation) | – | | Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 Managed XSIAM | – | – | – | 2 of 2 (Continuous Monitoring, Adverse Event Analysis) | 3 of 4 (Incident Management, Incident Analysis, Incident Mitigation) | – | | Mandiant Threat Defense | – | – | – | 2 of 2 (Continuous Monitoring, Adverse Event Analysis) | 3 of 4 (Incident Management, Incident Analysis, Incident Mitigation) | – | | Sophos MDR | – | – | – | 2 of 2 (Continuous Monitoring, Adverse Event Analysis) | 3 of 4 (Incident Management, Incident Analysis, Incident Mitigation) | – | | Arctic Wolf Managed Detection and Response | – | 1 of 3 (Risk Assessment) | 1 of 5 (Awareness and Training) | 2 of 2 (Continuous Monitoring, Adverse Event Analysis) | 3 of 4 (Incident Management, Incident Analysis, Incident Mitigation) | 1 of 2 (Incident Recovery Plan Execution) | | Rapid7 Managed Detection and Response | – | – | – | 2 of 2 (Continuous Monitoring, Adverse Event Analysis) | 3 of 4 (Incident Management, Incident Analysis, Incident Mitigation) | – | | Zscaler Managed Detection & Response | – | – | – | 2 of 2 (Continuous Monitoring, Adverse Event Analysis) | 3 of 4 (Incident Management, Incident Analysis, Incident Mitigation) | – | Each cell shows how many of the function's NIST CSF 2.0 categories the solution maps to, with the category names. A product helps you reach these outcomes, but it does not make you compliant on its own. Your people and processes do the rest. ## CISO checklist for selecting a Managed Detection and Response product Work through these steps in order to go from alert overload to a contract you can defend. 1. **List the data sources you want watched.** Coverage and price depend on endpoints, cloud, identity and email. 2. **Decide whether to keep your current EDR.** Some providers bring their own agent. 3. **Agree which actions the provider may take on its own.** Response rights decide how fast an attack is stopped. 4. **Ask how and how fast you will be told about incidents.** Late or unclear alerts are a common complaint. 5. **Review a sample incident report.** Reports show the quality of the analysis. 6. **Check whether incident response hours are included.** A serious breach needs more than monitoring. 7. **Run a trial or proof of value.** Real alerts show the service better than a demo. 8. **Ask who your named contacts are.** A team that knows you responds better. 9. **Price the full scope for three years.** Data volume and add-ons change the total. **Compare Managed Detection and Response solutions side by side** Features, integrations, NIST coverage and deployment for every Managed Detection and Response solution we list, in one table. [Compare Managed Detection and Response solutions →](https://cybersectools.com/compare) ## Other solutions we considered for this shortlist We looked at 90 products for this list. These did not make the 7 above but are worth a look for the right team. 1. [Daylight's MDR](https://cybersectools.com/tools/daylight-threat-detection-and-response) · Daylight Security AI-Native MDR 2. [UnderDefense AI SOC](https://cybersectools.com/tools/underdefense-maxi) · UnderDefense Agentic AI SOC platform with 250+ SIEM, EDR & cloud integrations, with 24/7 IR support 3. [SOC Perceptus](https://cybersectools.com/tools/soc-perceptus) · Perceptus Managed SOC service providing outsourced 24/7 security monitoring & incident response. 4. [Microsoft Defender Experts for XDR](https://cybersectools.com/tools/microsoft-defender-experts-for-xdr) · Microsoft Managed detection and response service from Microsoft experts for Microsoft Defender. 5. [OpenText Threat Detection](https://cybersectools.com/tools/opentext-threat-detection) · OpenText Cybersecurity Multi-layered threat detection platform with EDR, DNS filtering, and MDR 6. [Trend Micro Trend Service One™](https://cybersectools.com/tools/trend-micro-trend-service-onetm) · Trend Micro 24/7/365 managed XDR service with incident response and premium support 7. [Kaseya MDR services](https://cybersectools.com/tools/kaseya-mdr-services) · Kaseya MDR service providing 24/7 threat detection and response with security experts 8. [ESET PROTECT MDR Ultimate](https://cybersectools.com/tools/eset-protect-mdr-ultimate) · ESET MDR service with 24/7 support, XDR, threat hunting, and endpoint protection 9. [Kaspersky Next MXDR Optimum](https://cybersectools.com/tools/kaspersky-next-mxdr-optimum) · Kaspersky Managed XDR service with 24/7 SOC-led detection, response, and endpoint protection. 10. [WatchGuard MDR](https://cybersectools.com/tools/watchguard-mdr) · WatchGuard 24/7 MDR service with threat detection, hunting, and guided remediation Explore all Managed Detection and Response solutions: https://cybersectools.com/categories/mdr ## Conclusion Start with your team and your current products. If you want to hand off detection and response, CrowdStrike Falcon Complete, Arctic Wolf and Sophos MDR give smaller teams a watch around the clock. If you already run a major EDR, Sophos MDR and Zscaler Managed Detection & Response work on top of it. Unit 42 Managed XSIAM suits large companies moving to Cortex XSIAM, and Mandiant Threat Defense suits Google Security Operations customers who want expert hunting. Rapid7 MDR fits mid-sized and larger teams that want a 24/7 SOC with incident response included. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the difference between MDR and EDR? EDR is software that records and blocks activity on devices. MDR is a service where a provider's analysts watch that data, and often more, around the clock and respond for you. ### Do I need my own security team if I buy MDR? You still need someone who owns security decisions and works with the provider. MDR replaces the 24/7 watch, not the person who decides what to fix. ### Can an MDR provider stop an attack on its own? Most can take some actions, such as isolating a device or disabling an account, if you allow it. Agree on these rights before you sign, because they decide how fast an attack is stopped. ### Should I choose a service that uses my current EDR? If you are happy with your EDR, a provider that works with it saves a migration. If you are starting fresh, a provider with its own agent can be simpler. ### How long does it take to start MDR? Most services connect to your existing products in days or weeks. A provider that installs its own agent needs time to roll it out. Ask for a plan with dates before you sign. ## Sources These are the pages we reviewed for each pick: the vendor's own product page and website, its market data on Mandos, and every review page we read for customer feedback. 1. **CrowdStrike Falcon Complete** · CrowdStrike: [Product page](https://www.crowdstrike.com/en-us/services/falcon-complete-mdr/) · [CrowdStrike website](https://www.crowdstrike.com/) · [Market data on Mandos](https://mandos.io/data/companies/crowdstrike?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md-sources&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos) · [Gartner Peer Insights](https://www.gartner.com/reviews/product/falcon-complete) · [G2: crowdstrike falcon endpoint protection platform](https://www.g2.com/products/crowdstrike-falcon-endpoint-protection-platform/reviews) · [Reddit: falcon complete for service providers vs not](https://www.reddit.com/r/crowdstrike/comments/1t6xdv8/falcon_complete_for_service_providers_vs_not/) · [Reddit: crowdstrike falcon complete](https://www.reddit.com/r/crowdstrike/comments/1wsm9qf/crowdstrike_falcon_complete/) · [G2: crowdstrike falcon cloud security](https://www.g2.com/products/crowdstrike-falcon-cloud-security/reviews) · [PeerSpot](https://www.peerspot.com/products/crowdstrike-falcon-complete-mdr-reviews) · [TrustRadius](https://www.trustradius.com/products/crowdstrike-falcon/reviews) · [Reddit: cs complete what does my team do now](https://www.reddit.com/r/crowdstrike/comments/17kod5b/cs_complete_what_does_my_team_do_now/) · [Reddit: is falcon complete a suitable managed siemsoc](https://www.reddit.com/r/crowdstrike/comments/1doa4b0/is_falcon_complete_a_suitable_managed_siemsoc/) 2. **Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 Managed XSIAM** · Palo Alto Networks: [Product page](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/cortex/managed-xsiam/) · [Palo Alto Networks website](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/) · [Market data on Mandos](https://mandos.io/data/companies/palo-alto-networks?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md-sources&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos) · [PeerSpot](https://www.peerspot.com/products/unit-42-managed-detection-and-response-reviews) · [Reddit: unit 42 mdr](https://www.reddit.com/r/paloaltonetworks/comments/1f91c9y/unit_42_mdr/) · [Reddit: palo alto xsiam vs crowdstrike ng siem which one](https://www.reddit.com/r/cybersecurity/comments/1rq2rf2/palo_alto_xsiam_vs_crowdstrike_ng_siem_which_one/) 3. **Mandiant Threat Defense** · Google: [Product page](https://cloud.google.com/security/products/mandiant-managed-threat-hunting/) · [Google website](https://www.google.com/) · [Market data on Mandos](https://mandos.io/data/companies/google?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md-sources&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos) · [Gartner Peer Insights](https://www.gartner.com/reviews/product/mandiant-managed-detection-and-response-services) · [PeerSpot](https://www.peerspot.com/products/mandiant-advantage-reviews) · [TrustRadius](https://www.trustradius.com/products/mandiant-managed-detection-and-response/reviews) · [Reddit: hi we are looking for a siem im back and i have](https://www.reddit.com/r/cybersecurity/comments/1r73b1z/hi_we_are_looking_for_a_siem_im_back_and_i_have/) · [Reddit: mandiant vs palo alto](https://www.reddit.com/r/cybersecurity/comments/1r8m6sk/mandiant_vs_palo_alto/) 4. **Sophos MDR** · Sophos: [Product page](https://www.sophos.com/en-us/services/managed-detection-and-response) · [Sophos website](https://www.sophos.com/) · [Market data on Mandos](https://mandos.io/data/companies/sophos?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md-sources&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos) · [G2](https://www.g2.com/products/sophos-mdr/reviews) · [Gartner Peer Insights](https://www.gartner.com/reviews/product/sophos-managed-detection-and-response-services) · [PeerSpot](https://www.peerspot.com/products/sophos-mdr-reviews) · [Reddit: any recent feedback on sophos complete and](https://www.reddit.com/r/sophos/comments/1gv90tw/any_recent_feedback_on_sophos_complete_and/) · [Reddit: sophos mdr vs sentinelone singularity mdr](https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/1koxzhu/sophos_mdr_vs_sentinelone_singularity_mdr/) · [Reddit: sophos vs sentinel one](https://www.reddit.com/r/sophos/comments/1iv0dat/sophos_vs_sentinel_one/) · [Reddit: sophos quote for pricing for mdr user and server](https://www.reddit.com/r/msp/comments/1k5brhq/sophos_quote_for_pricing_for_mdr_user_and_server/) · [Reddit: debating between huntress and sophos mdr](https://www.reddit.com/r/msp/comments/1mxjoq4/debating_between_huntress_and_sophos_mdr/) 5. **Arctic Wolf Managed Detection and Response** · Arctic Wolf Networks Inc.: [Product page](https://arcticwolf.com/solutions/managed-detection-and-response/) · [Arctic Wolf Networks Inc. website](https://www.arcticwolf.com/) · [Market data on Mandos](https://mandos.io/data/companies/arctic-wolf-networks-inc?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md-sources&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos) · [PeerSpot](https://www.peerspot.com/products/arctic-wolf-managed-detection-and-response-reviews) · [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/msp/comments/ziyt7z/any_feedback_on_arctic_wolf_msp_how_are_they/) 6. **Rapid7 Managed Detection and Response** · Rapid7: [Product page](https://www.rapid7.com/services/managed-detection-and-response-mdr/) · [Rapid7 website](https://www.rapid7.com/) · [Market data on Mandos](https://mandos.io/data/companies/rapid7?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md-sources&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos) · [G2](https://www.g2.com/products/rapid7-managed-detection-and-response-services/reviews) · [PeerSpot](https://www.peerspot.com/products/rapid7-mdr-reviews) · [Reddit: good mdr which wont cost 6 figures](https://www.reddit.com/r/cybersecurity/comments/1oilve8/good_mdr_which_wont_cost_6_figures/) · [Reddit: crowdstrike complete mdr alternatives](https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/1tuxyb2/crowdstrike_complete_mdr_alternatives/) · [Gartner Peer Insights](https://www.gartner.com/reviews/product/rapid7-managed-detection-and-response-services) · [Reddit: rapid7 or arctic wolf mdr solutions](https://www.reddit.com/r/cybersecurity/comments/surf90/rapid7_or_arctic_wolf_mdr_solutions/) 7. **Zscaler Managed Detection & Response** · Zscaler: [Product page](https://www.zscaler.com/products-and-solutions/managed-detection-and-response) · [Zscaler website](https://www.zscaler.com/) · [Market data on Mandos](https://mandos.io/data/companies/zscaler?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md-sources&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos) · [Gartner Peer Insights](https://www.gartner.com/reviews/product/zscaler-managed-detection-and-response) --- For AI agents: every CybersecTools shortlist is listed at https://cybersectools.com/shortlists.md. More on the vendors on this list: 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=shortlist-md