Ackcent Cybersecurity vs Critical Start: MDR comparison 2026
Ackcent Cybersecurity and Critical Start are both Pure-play MDRs that work with your existing tools. Ackcent Cybersecurity targets SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise organizations, while Critical Start serves Mid-market and Enterprise.
Key differences at a glance
Full comparison
Which should you choose?
Choose Ackcent Cybersecurity if:
- •European or LATAM mid-market companies that want a boutique provider with native Spanish and English support
- •Organizations already running SentinelOne or Stellar Cyber that want a managed layer on top
- •Buyers who prefer a relationship-driven, smaller team over a large-scale SOC operation
Choose Critical Start if:
- •Mid-market to large enterprises wanting technology-agnostic MDR that works with their existing security stack
- •Organizations suffering from alert fatigue wanting TBR's deterministic auto-resolution to reduce noise
- •Companies needing OT/ICS monitoring alongside IT MDR through Claroty, Dragos, and Nozomi integrations
Bottom line: Both providers target similar markets. Compare their specific response actions, communication channels, and pricing structure to find the better fit for your environment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between Ackcent Cybersecurity and Critical Start?
Ackcent Cybersecurity is a Pure-play MDR that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). Critical Start is a Pure-play MDR that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). SLA commitments differ: Ackcent Cybersecurity offers Not disclosed, Critical Start offers ≤15 minutes.
How do Ackcent Cybersecurity and Critical Start differ in response capabilities?
Ackcent Cybersecurity supports 5 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine) and approval is configurable. Critical Start supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Incident response is included with Ackcent Cybersecurity and not included with Critical Start.
How does Ackcent Cybersecurity pricing compare to Critical Start?
Ackcent Cybersecurity pricing: Custom-quoted pricing. Critical Start pricing: Custom-quoted pricing. Watch for with Ackcent Cybersecurity: Advisory, Red Team, AppSec, and Training services are separate from base MDR; No public pricing makes cost comparison impossible without direct sales engagement. Watch for with Critical Start: No public pricing at all, requires sales call for any ballpark; OT/ICS monitoring and vulnerability management are separate purchases on top of base MDR.
Should I choose Ackcent Cybersecurity or Critical Start?
Choose Ackcent Cybersecurity if: european or LATAM mid-market companies that want a boutique provider with native Spanish and English support. Choose Critical Start if: mid-market to large enterprises wanting technology-agnostic MDR that works with their existing security stack. Ackcent Cybersecurity is not ideal for enterprises that need documented SLAs, published detection metrics, or transparent pricing before signing. Critical Start is not ideal for sMBs or budget-conscious organizations, enterprise-focused pricing not published.