Binary Defense vs Field Effect: MDR Comparison 2026
Binary Defense (Pure-play MDR) and Field Effect (MDR provider) take different approaches to managed detection and response. Binary Defense works with your existing tools, while Field Effect requires its own security platform. Binary Defense targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; Field Effect focuses on SMB and Mid-market.
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Binary Defense vs Field Effect: Which Should You Choose?
Choose Binary Defense if:
- •Mid-market and enterprise organizations wanting technology-agnostic MDR
- •Companies with existing security investments (EDR, SIEM) they want to keep
- •Manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, and energy sectors
- •You want direct Slack integration with your SOC
Choose Field Effect if:
- •SMBs and MSPs wanting affordable, easy-to-deploy MDR with published per-user pricing
- •Canadian organizations needing domestic data hosting and PIPEDA compliance
- •Healthcare, government, and defense contractors needing HIPAA/CMMC/NIST compliance support
Bottom line: Field Effect is the choice if you want a single-vendor stack with deep integration. Binary Defense is better if you have existing tools and want flexibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Binary Defense and Field Effect?
Binary Defense is a Pure-play MDR that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). Field Effect is a MDR provider that is platform-native (requires their own security stack).
How do Binary Defense and Field Effect differ in response capabilities?
Binary Defense supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Field Effect supports 5 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine) and approval is configurable.
How does Binary Defense pricing compare to Field Effect?
Binary Defense pricing: Custom-quoted pricing. Field Effect pricing: MDR Core: $99/user/month (ideal for <=25 users). MDR Complete: custom pricing (larger organizations, compliance requirements).. Watch for with Binary Defense: MDR Plus features (deception, malware disruption) are add-ons beyond base MDR; Co-Managed SIEM is a separate service. Watch for with Field Effect: MDR Core excludes network monitoring, DNS firewall, and dark web monitoring — significant feature gap vs Complete; $99/user adds up quickly — 50 users = $4,950/month.
Should I choose Binary Defense or Field Effect?
Choose Binary Defense if: mid-market and enterprise organizations wanting technology-agnostic MDR. Choose Field Effect if: sMBs and MSPs wanting affordable, easy-to-deploy MDR with published per-user pricing. Binary Defense is not ideal for organizations needing included IR in the base MDR package. Field Effect is not ideal for organizations with existing CrowdStrike/SentinelOne/Defender deployments — requires proprietary Field Effect agent.