Critical Start vs eSentire: MDR Comparison 2026
Critical Start (MDR provider) and eSentire (Pure-play MDR) take different approaches to managed detection and response. Critical Start works with your existing tools, while eSentire works with your existing tools. Critical Start targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; eSentire focuses on SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise.
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Critical Start vs eSentire: Which Should You Choose?
Choose Critical Start if:
- •Mid-market to large enterprises wanting technology-agnostic MDR that works with their existing security stack
- •Organizations suffering from alert fatigue wanting TBR's deterministic auto-resolution to reduce noise
- •Companies needing OT/ICS monitoring alongside IT MDR (Claroty, Dragos, Nozomi integrations)
Choose eSentire if:
- •Mid-market and enterprise organizations needing active remediation, not just alerts
- •Critical infrastructure sectors
- •Organizations with complex multi-vendor security stacks requiring 300+ integrations
Bottom line: Critical Start (MDR provider) and eSentire (Pure-play MDR) serve different buyer profiles. Your decision depends on whether you prioritize Critical Start's technology-agnostic mdr with tbr deterministic alert auto-resolution, 100+ integrations, ot/ics s... or eSentire's esentire excels at active, hands-on response with contractual 15-minute containment guarantees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Critical Start and eSentire?
Critical Start is a MDR provider that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). eSentire is a Pure-play MDR that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools).
How do Critical Start and eSentire differ in response capabilities?
Critical Start supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. eSentire supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Incident response is not included with Critical Start and included with eSentire.
How does Critical Start pricing compare to eSentire?
Critical Start pricing: Custom-quoted pricing. eSentire pricing: Custom-quoted pricing. Watch for with Critical Start: No public pricing at all — requires sales call for any ballpark; OT/ICS monitoring and vulnerability management are separate purchases on top of base MDR. Watch for with eSentire: Tier differences significant — Essentials may lack key response capabilities; BYOL pricing differs from bundled Atlas Agent pricing.
Should I choose Critical Start or eSentire?
Choose Critical Start if: mid-market to large enterprises wanting technology-agnostic MDR that works with their existing security stack. Choose eSentire if: mid-market and enterprise organizations needing active remediation, not just alerts. Critical Start is not ideal for sMBs or budget-conscious organizations — enterprise-focused pricing not publicly disclosed. eSentire is not ideal for budget-constrained SMBs seeking the lowest-cost MDR option.