AhnLab vs Darktrace
AhnLab and Darktrace are both Platform vendors that bring their own security platform. AhnLab targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations, while Darktrace serves Mid-market and Enterprise.
Buyer brief
AhnLab and Darktrace are both Platform vendors that bring their own security platform. AhnLab targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations, while Darktrace serves Mid-market and Enterprise.
Both providers target similar markets. Compare their specific response actions, communication channels, and pricing structure to find the better fit for your environment.
At a glance
| FIELD | ||
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | South Korean and APAC organizations that already run AhnLab V3, EPP and EDR | Critical infrastructure and industrial environments needing OT/ICS security with protocol-agnostic detection |
| Price | Custom quote | Custom quote |
| Response authority | 3/6 actions · Configurable | 3/6 actions · Configurable |
| Stack | Requires own platform | Requires own platform |
| Data access | Dashboards | Full query access |
| Warranty | None listed | None listed |
- Best fit
- South Korean and APAC organizations that already run AhnLab V3, EPP and EDR
- Price
- Custom quote
- Response authority
- 3/6 actions · Configurable
- Stack
- Requires own platform
- Data access
- Dashboards
- Warranty
- None listed
- Best fit
- Critical infrastructure and industrial environments needing OT/ICS security with protocol-agnostic detection
- Price
- Custom quote
- Response authority
- 3/6 actions · Configurable
- Stack
- Requires own platform
- Data access
- Full query access
- Warranty
- None listed
Detailed comparison
| FIELD | AhnLabPLATFORM | DarktracePLATFORM |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | ||
| Target size | Mid-market, Enterprise | Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Sentiment | Mixed | Mixed |
| Your stack | ||
| Approach | Requires their platform | Requires their platform |
| EDR integrations | AhnLab EDR | CrowdStrikeMicrosoft DefenderSentinelOne |
| SIEM integrations | None listed | SplunkMicrosoft Sentinel |
| Coverage | EPEndpoint: CoveredCloudCloud: Optional add-onIDIdentity: Not coveredSaaSSaaS: Not coveredNetNetwork: Optional add-onOTOT/IoT: Optional add-on | EPEndpoint: Optional add-onCloudCloud: Optional add-onIDIdentity: LimitedSaaSSaaS: Optional add-onNetNetwork: CoveredOTOT/IoT: Optional add-on |
| Response | ||
| Response type | Active Remediation | Active Remediation |
| Approval policy | Configurable | Configurable |
| Response actions | IsolateKill processContain | IsolateContainCustom playbooks |
| IR included | Separate | Separate |
| Cost | ||
| Price range | Not published | Not published. Reviewers report pricing in the upper market segment. |
| Minimum seats | None | None |
| Breach warranty | – | – |
| More details | ||
| Requires own agent | Yes | Yes |
| Endpoints | ✓ Included | + Optional |
| Cloud workloads | + Optional | + Optional |
| Identity | Not offered | ~ Limited |
| SaaS apps | Not offered | + Optional |
| Network | + Optional | ✓ Included |
| OT/ICS | + Optional | + Optional |
| Threat hunting | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| Response SLA | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| 24/7 coverage | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pricing model | Based on the number of AhnLab EDR agents installed. AhnLab says EDR Premium includes the EDR license fee and that service cost requires a separate inquiry. | Custom quote. Pricing based on number of devices monitored and service tier selected. |
| Hidden cost warnings | The service is tied to AhnLab's endpoint stack, so buyers with existing CrowdStrike, Microsoft Defender or SentinelOne deployments should price migration and overlap.. AhnLab separates basic MDR from paid EDR Premium. Buyers should confirm which response actions are included in each tier.. Public materials do not disclose minimum seats, regional availability, SLA terms or retained-forensics scope.. Fuller cross-domain detection may require AhnLab XDR, TIP, MDS, cloud or CPS products outside endpoint MDR. | Full coverage (endpoint, cloud, email, OT) requires multiple separate modules that increase total cost significantly. High false positive rates require internal analyst time for tuning despite the MDR service. No free trial available to test before purchase. Steep learning curve may require professional services or extended onboarding |
| Data portability | Limited | Limited |
| Contract terms | Per EDR agent, Custom quote, EDR Premium paid tier | Annual |
| Channels | PortalEmailPhone | EmailPortalTeamsSlackPhone |
| Data access | Dashboards | Full query access |
| Dedicated analyst | – | – |
| SOC regions | APAC | North AmericaEuropeAsia-Pacific |
| Onboarding | Requires AhnLab V3, EPP and EDR plus external transmission of AhnLab EDR detection logs. Public materials do not publish a standard onboarding timeline. | Not published |
| Industry focus | TechnologyFinancial ServicesManufacturingGovernmentHealthcare | Financial ServicesHealthcareManufacturingEnergyGovernmentCritical Infrastructure |
| MTTD | Not published | Not published |
| MTTR | Not published | Not published |
| Community view | AhnLab has stronger public proof around endpoint products than around MDR delivery. English-language MDR-specific buyer reviews are sparse, so buyers should validate analyst quality, escalation process and regional support through references. | Gartner Peer Insights Customers' Choice 2025 for NDR (4.8/5, 242 reviews). Practitioners praise Self-Learning AI for detecting novel threats and Antigena response speed. Consistent complaints about high false positive rates, expensive pricing, and steep learning curve. MDR service launched June 2024, so limited community feedback on the managed service specifically. |
| Compliance | MITRE ATT&CK evaluationsSE Labs Advanced Security Test | SOC 2 Type IIISO 27001GDPRCSA STAR Level 1 |
| Certifications | SE Labs AAA rating for AhnLab EPP/EDRMITRE ATT&CK Evaluations Round 7 participant | SOC 2 Type IIISO 27001CSA STAR Level 1Gartner Peer Insights Customers' Choice 2025 (NDR) |
| Founded | 1995 | 2013 |
| Data retention | Not published as a standard MDR retention period. AhnLab EDR collects endpoint behavior, file, registry, network, process, system and Windows event-log data for analysis in EDR Analyzer. | Not published. Varies by module. |
| API available | ✓ | ✓ |
| Website | Visit → | Visit → |
FAQ
What is the main difference between AhnLab and Darktrace?
AhnLab is a Platform vendor that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). Darktrace is a Platform vendor that is platform-native (requires their own security stack).
How do AhnLab and Darktrace differ in response capabilities?
AhnLab supports 3 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, network containment, process termination) and approval is configurable. Darktrace supports 3 autonomous actions (custom playbooks, endpoint isolation, network containment) and approval is configurable.
How does AhnLab pricing compare to Darktrace?
AhnLab pricing: Not published. Darktrace pricing: Not published. Reviewers report pricing in the upper market segment.. Watch for with AhnLab: The service is tied to AhnLab's endpoint stack, so buyers with existing CrowdStrike, Microsoft Defender or SentinelOne deployments should price migration and overlap.; AhnLab separates basic MDR from paid EDR Premium. Buyers should confirm which response actions are included in each tier.. Watch for with Darktrace: Full coverage (endpoint, cloud, email, OT) requires multiple separate modules that increase total cost significantly; High false positive rates require internal analyst time for tuning despite the MDR service.
Should I choose AhnLab or Darktrace?
Choose AhnLab if: south Korean and APAC organizations that already run AhnLab V3, EPP and EDR. Choose Darktrace if: mid-market and enterprise organizations wanting AI-powered threat detection with autonomous response across diverse attack surfaces. AhnLab is not ideal for buyers that want MDR layered on top of existing CrowdStrike, Microsoft Defender, SentinelOne or other endpoint tools. Darktrace is not ideal for sMBs or budget-conscious buyers. Premium pricing, no trial, and no published pricing transparency..
Daylight Security
AI-native MDR for buyers comparing active remediation across endpoint, cloud, identity, and SaaS. Daylight works with existing EDR/SIEM stacks and uses ChatOps-native collaboration, so it can be a useful third reference point in this comparison.