Critical Start vs Secureworks: MDR Comparison 2026
Critical Start (MDR provider) and Secureworks (Services firm) take different approaches to managed detection and response. Critical Start works with your existing tools, while Secureworks works with your existing tools. Critical Start targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; Secureworks focuses on Mid-market and Enterprise. Critical Start includes 5 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network), compared to 4 for Secureworks (Endpoint, Cloud, Identity, Network).
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Critical Start vs Secureworks: 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)
- •You need SaaS coverage included in base pricing
Choose Secureworks if:
- •Organizations valuing deep threat intelligence (CTU now part of Sophos X-Ops, still actively publishing)
- •Companies needing OT/ICS MDR coverage (Dragos, Claroty, Nozomi, SCADAfence integrations)
- •Financial services organizations needing FFIEC-examined technology service provider
Bottom line: Critical Start (MDR provider) and Secureworks (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 Secureworks's enterprise-grade open xdr mdr with broad integration, ctu threat intelligence (now sophos x-ops),....
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Critical Start and Secureworks?
Critical Start is a MDR provider that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). Secureworks is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). SLA commitments differ: Critical Start offers ≤15 minutes, Secureworks offers ≤1 hour. Critical Start covers 5 attack surfaces in base pricing vs. 4 for Secureworks.
How do Critical Start and Secureworks 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. Secureworks supports 4 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, network containment, account disable, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Incident response is not included with Critical Start and included with Secureworks.
How does Critical Start pricing compare to Secureworks?
Critical Start pricing: Custom-quoted pricing. Secureworks pricing: PeerSpot community reports: ~$60K-$320K+/year depending on environment. One user: initial $160-170/endpoint negotiated to $110/endpoint. Another: ~$70 USD/agent/year with volume discounts. Available on AWS and Azure Marketplaces.. 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 Secureworks: Sophos acquisition completed Feb 2025 — Taegis integration into Sophos Central underway, long-term platform consolidation likely; ~6% workforce reduction (~380 roles) in Feb 2025 post-acquisition — analyst continuity should be verified.
Should I choose Critical Start or Secureworks?
Choose Critical Start if: mid-market to large enterprises wanting technology-agnostic MDR that works with their existing security stack. Choose Secureworks if: enterprise organizations wanting open XDR with existing CrowdStrike, Microsoft Defender, SentinelOne, or Carbon Black EDR investments. Critical Start is not ideal for sMBs or budget-conscious organizations — enterprise-focused pricing not publicly disclosed. Secureworks is not ideal for enterprise organizations concerned about Sophos's SMB/mid-market heritage and whether Taegis enterprise investment continues.