Bridewell vs Cipher
Bridewell is a Microsoft-ecosystem that works with your existing tools. Cipher is a Services firm that works with your existing tools. Bridewell targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; Cipher serves Mid-market and Enterprise. Bridewell includes 5 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network), compared to 0 for Cipher ().
Buyer brief
Bridewell is a Microsoft-ecosystem that works with your existing tools. Cipher is a Services firm that works with your existing tools. Bridewell targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; Cipher serves Mid-market and Enterprise. Bridewell includes 5 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network), compared to 0 for Cipher ().
Bridewell (Microsoft-ecosystem) and Cipher (Services firm) serve different buyer profiles. Your decision depends on whether you prioritize Bridewell's strong choice for uk/eu critical national infrastructure needing microsoft-native mdr with ncsc/c... or Cipher's cipher xmdr fits buyers that want a vendor-neutral mdr service backed by prosegur and delivered t....
At a glance
| FIELD |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | Organizations with Microsoft 365 and Azure footprints wanting native Sentinel/Defender XDR managed services | Mid-market and enterprise buyers that want a managed service layered over existing security tools |
| Price | Not published | Custom quote |
| Response authority | 4/6 actions · Configurable | 0/6 actions · Approval required |
| Stack | Works with existing stack | Works with existing stack |
| Data access | Full query access | Dashboards |
| Warranty | None listed | None listed |
- Best fit
- Organizations with Microsoft 365 and Azure footprints wanting native Sentinel/Defender XDR managed services
- Price
- Not published
- Response authority
- 4/6 actions · Configurable
- Stack
- Works with existing stack
- Data access
- Full query access
- Warranty
- None listed
- Best fit
- Mid-market and enterprise buyers that want a managed service layered over existing security tools
- Price
- Custom quote
- Response authority
- 0/6 actions · Approval required
- Stack
- Works with existing stack
- Data access
- Dashboards
- Warranty
- None listed
Detailed comparison
| FIELD | BridewellTECH-AGNOSTIC | CipherTECH-AGNOSTIC |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | ||
| Target size | Mid-market, Enterprise | Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Sentiment | Positive | Mixed |
| Your stack | ||
| Approach | Works with your tools | Works with your tools |
| EDR integrations | Microsoft Defender for EndpointCustomer choice of EDR (integrated via Sentinel) | Customer EDR |
| SIEM integrations | Microsoft Sentinel | None listed |
| Coverage | EPEndpoint: CoveredCloudCloud: CoveredIDIdentity: CoveredSaaSSaaS: CoveredNetNetwork: CoveredOTOT/IoT: Optional add-on | EPEndpoint: LimitedCloudCloud: LimitedIDIdentity: Not coveredSaaSSaaS: Not coveredNetNetwork: LimitedOTOT/IoT: Not covered |
| Response | ||
| Response type | Active Remediation | Guided Response |
| Approval policy | Configurable | Approval Required |
| Response actions | IsolateContainDisable accountsCustom playbooks | Alert and notify only |
| IR included | Separate | Separate |
| Cost | ||
| Price range | Not published | Not published |
| Minimum seats | None | None |
| Breach warranty | – | – |
| More details | ||
| Requires own agent | No | No |
| Endpoints | ✓ Included | ~ Limited |
| Cloud workloads | ✓ Included | ~ Limited |
| Identity | ✓ Included | Not offered |
| SaaS apps | ✓ Included | Not offered |
| Network | ✓ Included | ~ Limited |
| OT/ICS | + Optional | Not offered |
| Threat hunting | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| Response SLA | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| 24/7 coverage | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pricing model | Custom pricing based on environment size, coverage areas, and Microsoft licensing footprint. Offered via Azure Marketplace as managed service. Pricing model not publicly disclosed. | Custom quote. Cipher does not publish xMDR package pricing. |
| Hidden cost warnings | Incident response is NOT included in base MDR, it is a separate 24/7 service. Requires Microsoft Sentinel and Defender XDR licensing (customer cost). OT/ICS coverage requires specialist engagement beyond standard MDR. UK/Europe focus, US expansion underway but limited North American SOC presence historically. I-Tracing merger (May 2025) introduces integration risks during transition period | Cipher says xMDR works with the existing technology stack, so buyers should confirm which tools are included in the quote and what integration work is extra.. Public pages do not publish response SLAs, contract minimums or service-credit language.. The site names EDR and IPS/IDS integration but does not publish named vendor integrations.. Response wording is broad, so buyers should document pre-approved actions before go-live. |
| Data portability | Full | Partial |
| Contract terms | Annual, Multi-year | Custom, xMDR Services, xMDR Platform |
| Channels | EmailPortalPhone | Portal |
| Data access | Full query access | Dashboards |
| Dedicated analyst | – | – |
| SOC regions | EuropeNorth America | North AmericaEuropeLATAM |
| Onboarding | Less than a week for MDR capabilities deployment | Cipher advertises 20 days for full service activation, but buyers should confirm scope and contract timing. |
| Industry focus | EnergyUtilitiesTransportAviationGovernmentFinancial ServicesCritical National Infrastructure (CNI) | HealthcareProfessional ServicesPayments |
| MTTD | Not published | Not published |
| MTTR | Not published | Not published |
| Community view | Limited public reviews due to CNI/government client base where testimonials are restricted. Published case studies from Northern Gas Networks and Manchester Airport Group praise technical depth and organized delivery. No G2/Gartner Peer Insights presence and zero Reddit mentions suggest limited visibility outside UK CNI and public sector markets. Hard to assess independently. | No meaningful MDR-specific buyer-review signal was found in major English-language review communities during this pass. The public buyer case rests on Cipher's Prosegur ownership, xMDR Platform, 24/7 SOC claim, six-SOC footprint, portal access and existing-stack positioning. Buyers should validate pricing, response authority, named integrations and SOC delivery details directly. |
| Compliance | ISO 27001ISO 27701ISO 9001ISO 22301Cyber Essentials PlusCREST SOCCREST CSIRNCSC AssuredISA/IEC 62443GDPRPCI DSS | ISO 27001ISO 22301ISO 20000ISO 9001SOC 1SOC 2PCI DSSCREST |
| Certifications | ISO 27001ISO 27701ISO 9001ISO 22301Cyber Essentials PlusCREST SOC (SOC accreditation)CREST CSIR (Cyber Security Incident Response)CREST Intelligence-led Penetration TestingCREST Penetration TestingCREST Vulnerability AssessmentCREST Incident ExercisingNCSC CHECK (penetration testing)NCSC CIR (Cyber Incident Response, Standard Level)NCSC CIE (Cyber Incident Exercising)NCSC Cyber Resilience AuditNCSC Risk Management ConsultancyNCSC Audit and ReviewNCSC Security Architecture ConsultancyMicrosoft Solutions Partner for Security (Cloud Security and Threat Protection specialisms)Microsoft Verified Managed XDR Solution | ISO 27001ISO 22301ISO 20000ISO 9001SOC ISOC IIPCI QSAPCI ASVCRESTTF-CSIRTCIPHER-CSIRT RFC2350 |
| Founded | 2013 | – |
| Data retention | Not publicly disclosed. Determined by customer's own Microsoft Sentinel workspace retention settings and contract terms. | Cipher says all platform information is online 24/7 and available from any device. No public standard MDR data-retention period was found. |
| API available | ✓ | – |
| Website | Visit → | Visit → |
FAQ
What is the main difference between Bridewell and Cipher?
Bridewell is a Microsoft-ecosystem that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). Cipher is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). Bridewell covers 5 attack surfaces in base pricing vs. 0 for Cipher.
How do Bridewell and Cipher differ in response capabilities?
Bridewell supports 4 autonomous actions (account disable, custom playbooks, endpoint isolation, network containment) and approval is configurable. Cipher supports 0 autonomous actions (none) and requires approval before acting.
How does Bridewell pricing compare to Cipher?
Bridewell pricing: Custom-quoted pricing. Cipher pricing: Not published. Watch for with Bridewell: Incident response is NOT included in base MDR, it is a separate 24/7 service; Requires Microsoft Sentinel and Defender XDR licensing (customer cost). Watch for with Cipher: Cipher says xMDR works with the existing technology stack, so buyers should confirm which tools are included in the quote and what integration work is extra.; Public pages do not publish response SLAs, contract minimums or service-credit language..
Should I choose Bridewell or Cipher?
Choose Bridewell if: uK and European Critical National Infrastructure organizations (energy, transport, utilities, government) needing NCSC/CREST-assured MDR. Choose Cipher if: mid-market and enterprise buyers that want a managed service layered over existing security tools. Bridewell is not ideal for organizations requiring multi-vendor, platform-agnostic MDR beyond the Microsoft ecosystem. Cipher is not ideal for buyers that need public MDR pricing before sales.
Daylight Security
AI-native MDR for buyers comparing active remediation across endpoint, cloud, identity, and SaaS. Daylight works with existing EDR/SIEM stacks and uses ChatOps-native collaboration, so it can be a useful third reference point in this comparison.