Alert Logic vs Palo Alto Networks: MDR Comparison 2026
Alert Logic (Services firm) and Palo Alto Networks (EDR vendor) take different approaches to managed detection and response. Alert Logic requires its own security platform, while Palo Alto Networks requires its own security platform. Alert Logic targets SMB and Mid-market organizations; Palo Alto Networks focuses on Mid-market and Enterprise. Alert Logic includes 5 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network), compared to 6 for Palo Alto Networks (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network, OT/ICS).
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Alert Logic vs Palo Alto Networks: 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 Palo Alto Networks if:
- •US government and defense organizations needing FedRAMP Moderate, DoD IL5, StateRAMP compliance
- •Large enterprises wanting co-managed SOC with full visibility into their Cortex XDR/XSIAM tenant
- •Organizations wanting breach response guarantee (MSIAM 2.0 — 250 hours IR included)
- •You need OT/ICS coverage included in base pricing
- •Breach warranty matters to you (Palo Alto Networks offers one, Alert Logic does not)
Bottom line: Alert Logic (Services firm) and Palo Alto Networks (EDR vendor) serve different buyer profiles. Your decision depends on whether you prioritize Alert Logic's strong pricing transparency for mdr with built-in siem, vulnerability scanning, and soar or Palo Alto Networks's enterprise mdr backed by palo alto networks' threat intelligence infrastructure (500b events/day,....
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Alert Logic and Palo Alto Networks?
Alert Logic is a Services firm that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). Palo Alto Networks is an EDR vendor that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). SLA commitments differ: Alert Logic offers ≤15 minutes, Palo Alto Networks offers Not disclosed. Alert Logic covers 5 attack surfaces in base pricing vs. 6 for Palo Alto Networks.
How do Alert Logic and Palo Alto Networks differ in response capabilities?
Alert Logic supports 4 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, network containment, account disable, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Palo Alto Networks 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 Palo Alto Networks.
How does Alert Logic pricing compare to Palo Alto Networks?
Alert Logic pricing: Essentials $550/mo, Professional $2,400/mo, Enterprise $4,300-$4,500/mo (25-seat minimum). Palo Alto Networks pricing: Cortex XDR Pro: ~$81/endpoint/year starting (platform only). Unit 42 MDR service is additional custom pricing. Total cost depends on endpoints, tier (Pro vs Premium), coverage scope, and contract terms.. 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 Palo Alto Networks: Cortex XDR/XSIAM platform license is a significant prerequisite cost on top of MDR service fee; Cortex Data Lake storage costs are separate and scale with data volume.
Should I choose Alert Logic or Palo Alto Networks?
Choose Alert Logic if: mid-market companies (50-5,000 employees) with cloud-heavy or hybrid environments. Choose Palo Alto Networks if: enterprise organizations already invested in the Palo Alto ecosystem (NGFW, Prisma, WildFire) wanting native MDR integration. Alert Logic is not ideal for organizations needing robust native EDR (may still need CrowdStrike/Defender alongside). Palo Alto Networks is not ideal for sMBs or budget-constrained organizations — significant prerequisite costs (Cortex XDR + Data Lake) plus MDR service fee.