Arctic Wolf vs ReliaQuest: MDR Comparison 2026
Arctic Wolf and ReliaQuest are both categorized as Pure-play MDRs, but differ in execution. Arctic Wolf works with your existing tools and targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations. ReliaQuest works with your existing tools and focuses on Mid-market and Enterprise. Arctic Wolf includes 5 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network), compared to 6 for ReliaQuest (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network, OT/ICS).
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Arctic Wolf vs ReliaQuest: 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
- •Breach warranty matters to you (Arctic Wolf offers one, ReliaQuest does not)
Choose ReliaQuest if:
- •Large enterprises with complex multi-vendor security stacks
- •Organizations wanting to keep existing SIEM/EDR investments
- •Security teams needing AI-driven automation at scale
- •You need OT/ICS coverage included in base pricing
- •You want direct Slack integration with your SOC
Bottom line: ReliaQuest offers broader coverage (6 surfaces vs. 5). Arctic Wolf may suit teams that need depth over breadth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Arctic Wolf and ReliaQuest?
Arctic Wolf is a Pure-play MDR that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). ReliaQuest is a Pure-play MDR that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). SLA commitments differ: Arctic Wolf offers ≤1 hour, ReliaQuest offers ≤15 minutes. Arctic Wolf covers 5 attack surfaces in base pricing vs. 6 for ReliaQuest.
How do Arctic Wolf and ReliaQuest 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. ReliaQuest 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 ReliaQuest.
How does Arctic Wolf pricing compare to ReliaQuest?
Arctic Wolf pricing: Starting ~$20/user/month; MDR Basic ~$44,000/year for up to 100 users. Enterprise pricing is custom.. ReliaQuest pricing: $172,500 average annual; up to $1,200,000 for large deployments. $5,000 per additional integrated technology.. 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 ReliaQuest: High minimum contract value (enterprise-focused); Additional technology integrations add cost quickly.
Should I choose Arctic Wolf or ReliaQuest?
Choose Arctic Wolf if: mid-market organizations (50-1000 employees) without a dedicated SOC. Choose ReliaQuest if: large enterprises with complex multi-vendor security stacks. Arctic Wolf is not ideal for large enterprises requiring deep data access and custom detection engineering. ReliaQuest is not ideal for sMBs with limited security budgets.