Critical Start vs SentinelOne: MDR Comparison 2026
Critical Start (MDR provider) and SentinelOne (EDR vendor) take different approaches to managed detection and response. Critical Start works with your existing tools, while SentinelOne requires its own security platform. Critical Start targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; SentinelOne focuses on Mid-market and Enterprise. Critical Start includes 5 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network), compared to 3 for SentinelOne (Endpoint, Cloud, Identity).
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Critical Start vs SentinelOne: 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 and Network coverage included in base pricing
Choose SentinelOne if:
- •Organizations already running SentinelOne Singularity wanting platform-native MDR without adding another vendor
- •Mid-market and enterprise organizations wanting $1M breach response warranty as financial backstop
- •Organizations valuing AI-first detection with Purple AI and Google Threat Intelligence integration
- •Breach warranty matters to you (SentinelOne offers one, Critical Start does not)
Bottom line: SentinelOne 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 SentinelOne?
Critical Start is a MDR provider that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). SentinelOne is an EDR vendor that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). SLA commitments differ: Critical Start offers ≤15 minutes, SentinelOne offers ≤1 hour. Critical Start covers 5 attack surfaces in base pricing vs. 3 for SentinelOne.
How do Critical Start and SentinelOne 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. SentinelOne supports 5 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable.
How does Critical Start pricing compare to SentinelOne?
Critical Start pricing: Custom-quoted pricing. SentinelOne pricing: MDR add-on: ~$17-35/endpoint/year (standard) or ~$35-50/endpoint/year (Pro/Elite). Total: ~$197-280/endpoint/year for platform + MDR. Example: 1,000 endpoints x $35 MDR x 5 years = ~$175K MDR add-on cost.. 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 SentinelOne: Platform license ($69.99-$229.99/endpoint/year) is required BEFORE MDR — significant prerequisite cost; MDR pricing is a bolt-on fee separate from platform licensing — not shown on public pricing page.
Should I choose Critical Start or SentinelOne?
Choose Critical Start if: mid-market to large enterprises wanting technology-agnostic MDR that works with their existing security stack. Choose SentinelOne if: organizations already running SentinelOne Singularity wanting platform-native MDR without adding another vendor. Critical Start is not ideal for sMBs or budget-conscious organizations — enterprise-focused pricing not publicly disclosed. SentinelOne is not ideal for organizations running CrowdStrike, Microsoft Defender, or any non-SentinelOne EDR — platform-native lock-in.