Critical Start vs Kroll: MDR Comparison 2026
Critical Start and Kroll are both categorized as MDR providers, but differ in execution. Critical Start works with your existing tools and targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations. Kroll works with your existing tools and focuses on SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise.
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Critical Start vs Kroll: 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 Kroll if:
- •Organizations wanting IR expertise built into MDR -- 3,000+ annual cases feeding detection, not just monitoring
- •Enterprises needing full threat eradication including forensics and root cause analysis, not just containment
- •Regulated industries needing compliance reporting, IR pedigree, and included $1M breach warranty
- •Breach warranty matters to you (Kroll offers one, Critical Start does not)
Bottom line: Both providers target similar markets. Compare their specific response actions, communication channels, and pricing structure to find the better fit for your environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Critical Start and Kroll?
Critical Start is a MDR provider that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). Kroll is a MDR provider that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). SLA commitments differ: Critical Start offers ≤15 minutes, Kroll offers Not disclosed.
How do Critical Start and Kroll 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. Kroll 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 Kroll.
How does Critical Start pricing compare to Kroll?
Critical Start pricing: Custom-quoted pricing. Kroll pricing: Not publicly disclosed. Unverified field estimates suggest $30K-$200K+/year depending on scope.. 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 Kroll: CrowdStrike Falcon Complete migration (Dec 2025) increases platform dependency -- customers wanting vendor-agnostic EDR lose that flexibility; Named TAM support (vs. Shared TAM) likely incurs additional cost; cost delta not disclosed.
Should I choose Critical Start or Kroll?
Choose Critical Start if: mid-market to large enterprises wanting technology-agnostic MDR that works with their existing security stack. Choose Kroll if: organizations wanting IR expertise built into MDR -- 3,000+ annual cases feeding detection, not just monitoring. Critical Start is not ideal for sMBs or budget-conscious organizations — enterprise-focused pricing not publicly disclosed. Kroll is not ideal for organizations that need vendor-agnostic EDR choice (CrowdStrike migration reduces flexibility).