Cipher vs Rapid7
Cipher is a Services firm that works with your existing tools. Rapid7 is a Platform vendor that requires its own security platform. Cipher targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; Rapid7 serves Mid-market and Enterprise. Cipher includes 0 attack surfaces in base pricing (), compared to 5 for Rapid7 (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network).
Buyer brief
Cipher is a Services firm that works with your existing tools. Rapid7 is a Platform vendor that requires its own security platform. Cipher targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; Rapid7 serves Mid-market and Enterprise. Cipher includes 0 attack surfaces in base pricing (), compared to 5 for Rapid7 (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network).
Rapid7 is the choice if you want a single-vendor stack with deep integration. Cipher is better if you have existing tools and want flexibility.
At a glance
| FIELD |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | Mid-market and enterprise buyers that want a managed service layered over existing security tools | Mid-market to enterprise organizations (500+ assets) wanting full SIEM data transparency alongside MDR |
| Price | Custom quote | Est from ~$17/asset/mo, 500-asset min |
| Response authority | 0/6 actions · Approval required | 6/6 actions · Configurable |
| Stack | Works with existing stack | Requires own platform |
| Data access | Dashboards | Full query access |
| Warranty | None listed | $1,000,000 |
- 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
- Best fit
- Mid-market to enterprise organizations (500+ assets) wanting full SIEM data transparency alongside MDR
- Price
- Est from ~$17/asset/mo, 500-asset min
- Response authority
- 6/6 actions · Configurable
- Stack
- Requires own platform
- Data access
- Full query access
- Warranty
- $1,000,000
Detailed comparison
| FIELD | CipherTECH-AGNOSTIC | Rapid7PLATFORM |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | ||
| Target size | Mid-market, Enterprise | Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Sentiment | Mixed | Positive |
| Your stack | ||
| Approach | Works with your tools | Requires their platform |
| EDR integrations | Customer EDR | Rapid7 Insight AgentCarbon BlackCisco Secure EndpointCrowdStrikeMicrosoft DefenderSentinelOnePalo Alto CortexCybereasonTrend Micro |
| SIEM integrations | None listed | InsightIDR |
| Coverage | EPEndpoint: LimitedCloudCloud: LimitedIDIdentity: Not coveredSaaSSaaS: Not coveredNetNetwork: LimitedOTOT/IoT: Not covered | EPEndpoint: CoveredCloudCloud: CoveredIDIdentity: CoveredSaaSSaaS: CoveredNetNetwork: CoveredOTOT/IoT: Not covered |
| Response | ||
| Response type | Guided Response | Active Remediation |
| Approval policy | Approval Required | Configurable |
| Response actions | Alert and notify only | IsolateKill processContainDisable accountsQuarantineCustom playbooks |
| IR included | Separate | ✓ Included |
| Cost | ||
| Price range | Not published | Third-party estimate: starting ~$17/asset/month. Mid-market deployments typically $60K-$80K/year. Enterprise $150K+/year. |
| Minimum seats | None | 500 |
| Breach warranty | – | $1,000,000 |
| More details | ||
| Requires own agent | No | Yes |
| Endpoints | ~ Limited | ✓ Included |
| Cloud workloads | ~ Limited | ✓ Included |
| Identity | Not offered | ✓ Included |
| SaaS apps | Not offered | ✓ Included |
| Network | ~ Limited | ✓ Included |
| OT/ICS | Not offered | Not offered |
| Threat hunting | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| Response SLA | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| 24/7 coverage | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pricing model | Custom quote. Cipher does not publish xMDR package pricing. | Per-asset monthly pricing. Three tiers: Essential, Advanced, Ultimate. Managed Threat Complete (MTC) bundles MDR + SIEM + VM + SOAR. MDR Elite available as standalone MDR service. |
| Hidden cost warnings | 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. | Requires Rapid7 Insight Agent on 80%+ of supported assets, minimum 500 assets. Breach warranty and unlimited DFIR only available on Ultimate tier. Essential tier has no dedicated cybersecurity advisors (Support Center only). Custom event sources and custom detections only on Advanced/Ultimate tiers |
| Data portability | Partial | Partial |
| Contract terms | Custom, xMDR Services, xMDR Platform | Annual, Multi-year |
| Channels | Portal | SlackEmailPortalPhone |
| Data access | Dashboards | Full query access |
| Dedicated analyst | – | ✓ |
| SOC regions | North AmericaEuropeLATAM | North AmericaEuropeAsia-Pacific |
| Onboarding | Cipher advertises 20 days for full service activation, but buyers should confirm scope and contract timing. | Weeks, varies by environment size and Insight Agent deployment scope |
| Industry focus | HealthcareProfessional ServicesPayments | ManufacturingHealthcareFinancial ServicesTechnologyRetail |
| MTTD | Not published | No absolute MTTD published. Comparative claim: 63% faster than in-house SOC teams. |
| MTTR | Not published | Not published |
| Community view | 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. | PeerSpot 8.6/10 (MDR). Gartner SIEM MQ recognized 7th year (2025). MITRE 2023: all 19 Turla attack phases detected. Praised for data transparency and analyst pod familiarity. Company underwent 18% layoffs in Aug 2023, explored PE sale in Q4 2024 (no deal), Jana Partners activist investor added 3 board seats in 2025. Revenue $860M (FY2025), guidance for 2026 slightly lower ($835-843M). |
| Compliance | ISO 27001ISO 22301ISO 20000ISO 9001SOC 1SOC 2PCI DSSCREST | SOC 2 Type IIISO 27001GDPRCyber Essentials PlusFedRAMP Moderate (InsightGovCloud) |
| Certifications | ISO 27001ISO 22301ISO 20000ISO 9001SOC ISOC IIPCI QSAPCI ASVCRESTTF-CSIRTCIPHER-CSIRT RFC2350 | SOC 2 Type IIISO 27001Cyber Essentials PlusFedRAMP Moderate (InsightGovCloud Platform) |
| Founded | – | 2000 |
| Data retention | Cipher says all platform information is online 24/7 and available from any device. No public standard MDR data-retention period was found. | 13 months |
| API available | – | ✓ |
| Website | Visit → | Visit → |
FAQ
What is the main difference between Cipher and Rapid7?
Cipher is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). Rapid7 is a Platform vendor that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). Cipher covers 0 attack surfaces in base pricing vs. 5 for Rapid7.
How do Cipher and Rapid7 differ in response capabilities?
Cipher supports 0 autonomous actions (none) and requires approval before acting. Rapid7 supports 6 autonomous actions (account disable, custom playbooks, endpoint isolation, file quarantine, network containment, process termination) and approval is configurable. Incident response is not included with Cipher and included with Rapid7.
How does Cipher pricing compare to Rapid7?
Cipher pricing: Not published. Rapid7 pricing: Third-party estimate: starting ~$17/asset/month. Mid-market deployments typically $60K-$80K/year. Enterprise $150K+/year. (500-seat minimum). 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.. Watch for with Rapid7: Requires Rapid7 Insight Agent on 80%+ of supported assets, minimum 500 assets; Breach warranty and unlimited DFIR only available on Ultimate tier.
Should I choose Cipher or Rapid7?
Choose Cipher if: mid-market and enterprise buyers that want a managed service layered over existing security tools. Choose Rapid7 if: mid-market to enterprise organizations (500+ assets) wanting full SIEM data transparency alongside MDR. Cipher is not ideal for buyers that need public MDR pricing before sales. Rapid7 is not ideal for organizations with fewer than 500 assets (minimum requirement).
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.