Alert Logic vs Critical Start: MDR Comparison 2026
Alert Logic (Services firm) and Critical Start (MDR provider) take different approaches to managed detection and response. Alert Logic requires its own security platform, while Critical Start works with your existing tools. Alert Logic targets SMB and Mid-market organizations; Critical Start focuses on Mid-market and Enterprise.
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Alert Logic vs Critical Start: 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 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 (Claroty, Dragos, Nozomi integrations)
Bottom line: Alert Logic is the choice if you want a single-vendor stack with deep integration. Critical Start is better if you have existing tools and want flexibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Alert Logic and Critical Start?
Alert Logic is a Services firm that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). Critical Start is a MDR provider that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools).
How do Alert Logic and Critical Start differ in response capabilities?
Alert Logic supports 4 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, network containment, account disable, custom playbooks) 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 Alert Logic and not included with Critical Start.
How does Alert Logic pricing compare to Critical Start?
Alert Logic pricing: Essentials $550/mo, Professional $2,400/mo, Enterprise $4,300-$4,500/mo (25-seat minimum). Critical Start pricing: Custom-quoted pricing. 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 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 Alert Logic or Critical Start?
Choose Alert Logic if: mid-market companies (50-5,000 employees) with cloud-heavy or hybrid environments. Choose Critical Start if: mid-market to large enterprises wanting technology-agnostic MDR that works with their existing security stack. Alert Logic is not ideal for organizations needing robust native EDR (may still need CrowdStrike/Defender alongside). Critical Start is not ideal for sMBs or budget-conscious organizations — enterprise-focused pricing not publicly disclosed.