Critical Start vs ReliaQuest: MDR Comparison 2026
Critical Start (MDR provider) and ReliaQuest (Pure-play MDR) take different approaches to managed detection and response. Critical Start works with your existing tools, while ReliaQuest works with your existing tools. Critical Start targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; ReliaQuest focuses on Mid-market and Enterprise. Critical Start includes 5 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network), compared to 6 for ReliaQuest (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network, OT/ICS).
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Critical Start vs ReliaQuest: 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 ReliaQuest if:
- •Large enterprises with complex multi-vendor security stacks
- •Organizations wanting to keep existing SIEM/EDR investments
- •Security teams needing AI-driven automation at scale
- •You need OT/ICS coverage included in base pricing
- •You want direct Slack integration with your SOC
Bottom line: Critical Start (MDR provider) and ReliaQuest (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 ReliaQuest's strong fit for enterprises wanting to unify and automate across their existing multi-vendor secur....
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Critical Start and ReliaQuest?
Critical Start is a MDR provider that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). ReliaQuest is a Pure-play MDR that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). Critical Start covers 5 attack surfaces in base pricing vs. 6 for ReliaQuest.
How do Critical Start and ReliaQuest 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. ReliaQuest 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 ReliaQuest.
How does Critical Start pricing compare to ReliaQuest?
Critical Start pricing: Custom-quoted pricing. ReliaQuest pricing: $172,500 average annual; up to $1,200,000 for large deployments. $5,000 per additional integrated technology.. 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 ReliaQuest: High minimum contract value (enterprise-focused); Additional technology integrations add cost quickly.
Should I choose Critical Start or ReliaQuest?
Choose Critical Start if: mid-market to large enterprises wanting technology-agnostic MDR that works with their existing security stack. Choose ReliaQuest if: large enterprises with complex multi-vendor security stacks. Critical Start is not ideal for sMBs or budget-conscious organizations — enterprise-focused pricing not publicly disclosed. ReliaQuest is not ideal for sMBs with limited security budgets.