Capgemini vs DirectDefense
Capgemini is a Services firm that works with your existing tools. DirectDefense is a Pure-play MDR that works with your existing tools. Capgemini targets Enterprise organizations; DirectDefense serves SMB and Mid-market. Capgemini includes 3 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint, Cloud, Network), compared to 2 for DirectDefense (Endpoint, Network).
Buyer brief
Capgemini is a Services firm that works with your existing tools. DirectDefense is a Pure-play MDR that works with your existing tools. Capgemini targets Enterprise organizations; DirectDefense serves SMB and Mid-market. Capgemini includes 3 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint, Cloud, Network), compared to 2 for DirectDefense (Endpoint, Network).
Capgemini (Services firm) and DirectDefense (Pure-play MDR) serve different buyer profiles. Your decision depends on whether you prioritize Capgemini's capgemini is strongest when mdr is part of a larger enterprise security-operations agenda: manage... or DirectDefense's technology-agnostic mdr with soar-driven triage, offensive security dna, and ot/ics partnerships ....
At a glance
| FIELD | ||
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | Large enterprises that want a global services partner for MDR plus SOC transformation | Mid-market organizations with an existing SIEM (Rapid7, Tenable, Sentinel) wanting managed SOC operations on top |
| Price | Custom quote | Not published |
| Response authority | 2/6 actions · Configurable | 1/6 actions · Approval required |
| Stack | Works with existing stack | Works with existing stack |
| Data access | Reports only | Dashboards |
| Warranty | None listed | None listed |
- Best fit
- Large enterprises that want a global services partner for MDR plus SOC transformation
- Price
- Custom quote
- Response authority
- 2/6 actions · Configurable
- Stack
- Works with existing stack
- Data access
- Reports only
- Warranty
- None listed
- Best fit
- Mid-market organizations with an existing SIEM (Rapid7, Tenable, Sentinel) wanting managed SOC operations on top
- Price
- Not published
- Response authority
- 1/6 actions · Approval required
- Stack
- Works with existing stack
- Data access
- Dashboards
- Warranty
- None listed
Detailed comparison
| FIELD | CapgeminiTECH-AGNOSTIC | DirectDefenseTECH-AGNOSTIC |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | ||
| Target size | Enterprise | SMB, Mid-market |
| Sentiment | Mixed | Mixed |
| Your stack | ||
| Approach | Works with your tools | Works with your tools |
| EDR integrations | Customer endpoint security tools | CrowdStrikeSentinelOneHalcyonCylance BlackBerry |
| SIEM integrations | Customer SIEM platforms Microsoft Sentinel | Rapid7Tenable Microsoft Sentinel |
| Coverage | EPEndpoint: CoveredCloudCloud: CoveredIDIdentity: LimitedSaaSSaaS: LimitedNetNetwork: CoveredOTOT/IoT: Limited | EPEndpoint: CoveredCloudCloud: Optional add-onIDIdentity: Not coveredSaaSSaaS: Not coveredNetNetwork: CoveredOTOT/IoT: Optional add-on |
| Response | ||
| Response type | Active Remediation | Guided Response |
| Approval policy | Configurable | Approval Required |
| Response actions | ContainCustom playbooks | Custom playbooks |
| IR included | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| Cost | ||
| Price range | Not published | Not published |
| Minimum seats | None | None |
| Breach warranty | – | – |
| More details | ||
| Requires own agent | No | No |
| Endpoints | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| Cloud workloads | ✓ Included | + Optional |
| Identity | ~ Limited | Not offered |
| SaaS apps | ~ Limited | Not offered |
| Network | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| OT/ICS | ~ Limited | + Optional |
| Threat hunting | ✓ Included | Extra cost |
| Response SLA | Not disclosed | ≤30 minutes |
| 24/7 coverage | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pricing model | Custom enterprise quote by service scope, technology stack, Cyber Defense Center model and transformation requirements. Public prices are not published. | Custom pricing based on endpoints, coverage scope, and service tier. Three tiers: Security Essentials (SMB vCISO + identity protection bundle), MDR + MSSP CORE (detection + IR retainer), MDR + MSSP MAX (full managed SOC + vulnerability management + email security). |
| Hidden cost warnings | Capgemini is a global services firm, so scope, tooling, response authority and transformation work should be specified precisely in the statement of work.. Public pages do not publish pricing, minimum terms, service credits, MTTD, MTTR or a contractual response SLA.. Microsoft Sentinel-powered Cyber Defense Centers may require separate Microsoft licensing and data-ingestion planning.. Threat hunting, DFIR, vulnerability management and offensive security are all public offers, but buyers should confirm which are included in the base MDR scope versus separate workstreams.. Public materials do not disclose log retention, raw data export rights or detection-content portability. | Requires existing SIEM or purchase of SIEM platform (Rapid7, Tenable, Microsoft Sentinel). Technology-agnostic model means you need to own the underlying security tools. OT/ICS coverage requires separate Claroty, Dragos, or SCADAfence licensing. Third-party estimates (Getlatka) suggest ~$55K average deal size, which is mid-market territory, not SMB-friendly except for the Security Essentials tier. No published pricing on the website makes cost comparison difficult before engaging sales. Identity threat protection and vCISO are only in the Security Essentials tier (separate from MDR), not in CORE or MAX |
| Data portability | Partial | Partial |
| Contract terms | Continuous Vigilance, Managed Detection and Response, Managed SOC, SOC Transformation, Cyber Defense Centers powered by Microsoft Sentinel, Custom cybersecurity services engagement | Annual |
| Channels | EmailPortalPhoneTeams | EmailPortalPhone |
| Data access | Reports only | Dashboards |
| Dedicated analyst | – | – |
| SOC regions | North AmericaEuropeAPACLATAMMEA | North America |
| Onboarding | Not published. Capgemini positions the service as a custom enterprise engagement delivered through global Cyber Defense Centers. | Customized based on environment complexity. SIEM integration required for CORE and MAX tiers. |
| Industry focus | Financial ServicesEnergyUtilitiesManufacturingAutomotiveHealthcarePublic SectorTelecommunicationsTechnology | Financial ServicesInsuranceHealthcareManufacturingEnergy & UtilitiesAerospaceAutomotiveGaming & EntertainmentRetail & HospitalityEducationGovernment |
| MTTD | Not published | Not published |
| MTTR | Not published | Not published |
| Community view | Capgemini has strong official evidence for enterprise-scale cybersecurity, Continuous Vigilance, MDR, Managed SOC, global Cyber Defense Centers, DFIR and threat hunting, but limited public buyer-review signal for the MDR service as a distinct product. Diligence should focus on service scope, response authority, tooling, staffing model, retention and pricing. | Almost no public practitioner reviews. No presence on G2, PeerSpot, Gartner Peer Insights, or Reddit as of March 2026. Industry recognition includes MSSP Alert Top 250 (#128, 2024), CRN MSP 500 Security 100 (4th consecutive year), Inc. 5000 (#3924, 2024), and Globee Silver for Best Cybersecurity Service Provider (2025). Awards show vendor credibility but tell you nothing about day-to-day service quality from a buyer's perspective. |
| Compliance | DORA | SOC 2 Type IINIST CSF 2.0HIPAAPCI-DSS |
| Certifications | – | SOC 2 Type II |
| Founded | 1967 | 2012 |
| Data retention | Not published. Public Continuous Vigilance pages do not disclose default log retention, archive tiers or export rights. | Per-contract basis, varies by SIEM platform and tier |
| API available | – | ✓ |
| Website | Visit → | Visit → |
FAQ
What is the main difference between Capgemini and DirectDefense?
Capgemini is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). DirectDefense is a Pure-play MDR that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). SLA commitments differ: Capgemini offers Not disclosed, DirectDefense offers ≤30 minutes. Capgemini covers 3 attack surfaces in base pricing vs. 2 for DirectDefense.
How do Capgemini and DirectDefense differ in response capabilities?
Capgemini supports 2 autonomous actions (custom playbooks, network containment) and approval is configurable. DirectDefense supports 1 autonomous actions (custom playbooks) and requires approval before acting.
How does Capgemini pricing compare to DirectDefense?
Capgemini pricing: Not published. DirectDefense pricing: Custom-quoted pricing. Watch for with Capgemini: Capgemini is a global services firm, so scope, tooling, response authority and transformation work should be specified precisely in the statement of work.; Public pages do not publish pricing, minimum terms, service credits, MTTD, MTTR or a contractual response SLA.. Watch for with DirectDefense: Requires existing SIEM or purchase of SIEM platform (Rapid7, Tenable, Microsoft Sentinel); Technology-agnostic model means you need to own the underlying security tools.
Should I choose Capgemini or DirectDefense?
Choose Capgemini if: large enterprises that want a global services partner for MDR plus SOC transformation. Choose DirectDefense if: mid-market organizations with an existing SIEM (Rapid7, Tenable, Sentinel) wanting managed SOC operations on top. Capgemini is not ideal for sMBs seeking transparent per-endpoint MDR pricing. DirectDefense is not ideal for organizations wanting turnkey MDR without existing SIEM or security tool investment.
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.