Critical Start vs Ontinue: MDR Comparison 2026
Critical Start (MDR provider) and Ontinue (Microsoft-ecosystem) take different approaches to managed detection and response. Critical Start works with your existing tools, while Ontinue requires its own security platform. Critical Start targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; Ontinue focuses on Mid-market and Enterprise.
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Critical Start vs Ontinue: 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 Ontinue if:
- •Organizations heavily invested in Microsoft E5/Defender ecosystem
- •Teams wanting Microsoft Teams as primary SOC communication channel
- •Mid-market and enterprise needing fast onboarding on Microsoft stack
Bottom line: Ontinue is the choice if you want a single-vendor stack with deep integration. Critical Start is better if you have existing tools and want flexibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Critical Start and Ontinue?
Critical Start is a MDR provider that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). Ontinue is a Microsoft-ecosystem that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). SLA commitments differ: Critical Start offers ≤15 minutes, Ontinue offers Not disclosed.
How do Critical Start and Ontinue 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. Ontinue 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 Ontinue.
How does Critical Start pricing compare to Ontinue?
Critical Start pricing: Custom-quoted pricing. Ontinue 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 Ontinue: Requires Microsoft E5 or Defender licenses as prerequisite; Microsoft Sentinel consumption costs are separate.
Should I choose Critical Start or Ontinue?
Choose Critical Start if: mid-market to large enterprises wanting technology-agnostic MDR that works with their existing security stack. Choose Ontinue if: organizations heavily invested in Microsoft E5/Defender ecosystem. Critical Start is not ideal for sMBs or budget-conscious organizations — enterprise-focused pricing not publicly disclosed. Ontinue is not ideal for organizations using non-Microsoft EDR (CrowdStrike, SentinelOne).