Critical Start vs Mandiant: MDR Comparison 2026
Critical Start (MDR provider) and Mandiant (Services firm) take different approaches to managed detection and response. Critical Start works with your existing tools, while Mandiant works with your existing tools. Critical Start targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; Mandiant focuses on Mid-market and Enterprise.
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Critical Start vs Mandiant: 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 Mandiant if:
- •Enterprise organizations wanting elite threat intelligence integrated directly into MDR operations
- •Google Cloud Platform customers wanting native SecOps integration
- •Organizations facing nation-state or advanced persistent threats where Mandiant's frontline IR experience is critical
Bottom line: Critical Start (MDR provider) and Mandiant (Services firm) 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 Mandiant's threat intelligence-driven mdr backed by 500+ intel analysts, frontline ir experience, and google....
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Critical Start and Mandiant?
Critical Start is a MDR provider that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). Mandiant is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). SLA commitments differ: Critical Start offers ≤15 minutes, Mandiant offers Not disclosed.
How do Critical Start and Mandiant 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. Mandiant supports 2 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable.
How does Critical Start pricing compare to Mandiant?
Critical Start pricing: Custom-quoted pricing. Mandiant pricing: Estimated ~$83,000/year (third-party estimate from Vendr, not officially published).. 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 Mandiant: ~$83K+/year estimated — premium enterprise pricing; IR retainer is separate — must be purchased independently for full incident response.
Should I choose Critical Start or Mandiant?
Choose Critical Start if: mid-market to large enterprises wanting technology-agnostic MDR that works with their existing security stack. Choose Mandiant if: enterprise organizations wanting elite threat intelligence integrated directly into MDR operations. Critical Start is not ideal for sMBs or budget-conscious organizations — enterprise-focused pricing not publicly disclosed. Mandiant is not ideal for sMBs or budget-constrained organizations — ~$83K+/year estimated pricing.