Arctic Wolf vs N-able: MDR Comparison 2026
Arctic Wolf (Pure-play MDR) and N-able (MSP-channel) take different approaches to managed detection and response. Arctic Wolf works with your existing tools, while N-able works with your existing tools. Arctic Wolf targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; N-able focuses on SMB and Mid-market.
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Arctic Wolf vs N-able: Which Should You Choose?
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
Choose N-able if:
- •MSPs wanting a unified security platform with built-in SIEM/SOAR/UEBA
- •SMBs and mid-market needing breach warranty protection
- •Organizations wanting vendor-agnostic MDR that works with existing EDR
Bottom line: Arctic Wolf (Pure-play MDR) and N-able (MSP-channel) serve different buyer profiles. Your decision depends on whether you prioritize Arctic Wolf's strong concierge model for mid-market organizations needing a dedicated security partner or N-able's unified security operations platform combining xdr, siem, soar, and ueba with mdr in one solution.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Arctic Wolf and N-able?
Arctic Wolf is a Pure-play MDR that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). N-able is a MSP-channel that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). SLA commitments differ: Arctic Wolf offers ≤1 hour, N-able offers Not disclosed.
How do Arctic Wolf and N-able differ in response capabilities?
Arctic Wolf supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. N-able supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Incident response is not included with Arctic Wolf and included with N-able.
How does Arctic Wolf pricing compare to N-able?
Arctic Wolf pricing: Starting ~$20/user/month; MDR Basic ~$44,000/year for up to 100 users. Enterprise pricing is custom.. N-able pricing: MSPs typically bundle at $90-$275/user/month for full security programs including MDR. 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. Watch for with N-able: Pricing designed for MSP channel; direct pricing may differ; MDR Base is identity-focused only; Complete needed for full coverage.
Should I choose Arctic Wolf or N-able?
Choose Arctic Wolf if: mid-market organizations (50-1000 employees) without a dedicated SOC. Choose N-able if: mSPs wanting a unified security platform with built-in SIEM/SOAR/UEBA. Arctic Wolf is not ideal for large enterprises requiring deep data access and custom detection engineering. N-able is not ideal for large enterprises with existing SOC infrastructure.