Blumira vs Palo Alto Networks: MDR Comparison 2026
Blumira (MDR provider) and Palo Alto Networks (EDR vendor) take different approaches to managed detection and response. Blumira requires its own security platform, while Palo Alto Networks requires its own security platform. Blumira targets SMB and Mid-market organizations; Palo Alto Networks focuses on Mid-market and Enterprise. Blumira 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
Blumira vs Palo Alto Networks: Which Should You Choose?
Choose Blumira if:
- •SMBs (50-1,000 employees) without dedicated security teams who need SIEM without a SOC
- •IT admins who want actionable security without being security specialists
- •MSPs looking for an affordable, multi-tenant SIEM/XDR to resell with month-to-month billing
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, Blumira does not)
Bottom line: Blumira (MDR provider) and Palo Alto Networks (EDR vendor) serve different buyer profiles. Your decision depends on whether you prioritize Blumira's siem+xdr designed for small it teams: free tier, per-employee pricing with unlimited ingestion, 7... 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 Blumira and Palo Alto Networks?
Blumira is a MDR provider 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). Blumira covers 5 attack surfaces in base pricing vs. 6 for Palo Alto Networks.
How do Blumira and Palo Alto Networks differ in response capabilities?
Blumira 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.
How does Blumira pricing compare to Palo Alto Networks?
Blumira pricing: Free: $0 (3 cloud integrations, 14-day retention). Detect: $12/employee/month. Respond: $16/employee/month. Automate: $21/employee/month. All paid editions: 1-year retention, unlimited ingestion. Additional agents: $3/agent/month.. 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 Blumira: Free tier limited to 3 cloud integrations and 14-day retention; 24/7 SecOps only on Respond and Automate editions (Detect has business-hours support only). 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 Blumira or Palo Alto Networks?
Choose Blumira if: sMBs (50-1,000 employees) without dedicated security teams who need SIEM without a SOC. Choose Palo Alto Networks if: enterprise organizations already invested in the Palo Alto ecosystem (NGFW, Prisma, WildFire) wanting native MDR integration. Blumira is not ideal for large enterprises needing a fully managed SOC with human-led 24/7 response. Palo Alto Networks is not ideal for sMBs or budget-constrained organizations — significant prerequisite costs (Cortex XDR + Data Lake) plus MDR service fee.