Alert Logic vs Arctic Wolf: MDR Comparison 2026
Alert Logic (Services firm) and Arctic Wolf (Pure-play MDR) take different approaches to managed detection and response. Alert Logic requires its own security platform, while Arctic Wolf works with your existing tools. Alert Logic targets SMB and Mid-market organizations; Arctic Wolf focuses on Mid-market and Enterprise.
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Alert Logic vs Arctic Wolf: Which Should You Choose?
Choose Alert Logic if:
- •Mid-market companies (50-5,000 employees) with cloud-heavy or hybrid environments
- •AWS-centric organizations (Alert Logic is a founding AWS APN member)
- •Organizations needing PCI DSS, HIPAA, or SOC 2 compliance coverage
- •You want direct Slack integration with your SOC
Choose Arctic Wolf if:
- •Mid-market organizations (50-1000 employees) without a dedicated SOC
- •IT generalists overwhelmed by managing multiple security point solutions
- •Organizations wanting a technology-agnostic MDR that works with existing tools
- •Breach warranty matters to you (Arctic Wolf offers one, Alert Logic does not)
Bottom line: Alert Logic is the choice if you want a single-vendor stack with deep integration. Arctic Wolf is better if you have existing tools and want flexibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Alert Logic and Arctic Wolf?
Alert Logic is a Services firm that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). Arctic Wolf is a Pure-play MDR that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). SLA commitments differ: Alert Logic offers ≤15 minutes, Arctic Wolf offers ≤1 hour.
How do Alert Logic and Arctic Wolf differ in response capabilities?
Alert Logic supports 4 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, network containment, account disable, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Arctic Wolf 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 Alert Logic and not included with Arctic Wolf.
How does Alert Logic pricing compare to Arctic Wolf?
Alert Logic pricing: Essentials $550/mo, Professional $2,400/mo, Enterprise $4,300-$4,500/mo (25-seat minimum). Arctic Wolf pricing: Starting ~$20/user/month; MDR Basic ~$44,000/year for up to 100 users. Enterprise pricing is custom.. Watch for with Alert Logic: Essentials tier is vulnerability/compliance scanning only — no 24/7 SOC monitoring; Large price jumps between tiers ($550 to $2,400 to $4,300+). Watch for with Arctic Wolf: Incident response and remediation is guided, not performed on your behalf — may need separate IR retainer; Normalized data and active threat feed not directly accessible to customers — security operates as a 'black box' for some.
Should I choose Alert Logic or Arctic Wolf?
Choose Alert Logic if: mid-market companies (50-5,000 employees) with cloud-heavy or hybrid environments. Choose Arctic Wolf if: mid-market organizations (50-1000 employees) without a dedicated SOC. Alert Logic is not ideal for organizations needing robust native EDR (may still need CrowdStrike/Defender alongside). Arctic Wolf is not ideal for large enterprises requiring deep data access and custom detection engineering.