Critical Start vs Trustwave: MDR Comparison 2026
Critical Start (MDR provider) and Trustwave (Services firm) take different approaches to managed detection and response. Critical Start works with your existing tools, while Trustwave works with your existing tools. Critical Start targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; Trustwave focuses on Mid-market and Enterprise.
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Critical Start vs Trustwave: 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 Trustwave if:
- •US government organizations needing the first FedRAMP-authorized pure-play MDR provider
- •Companies needing both MDR and PCI DSS compliance/assessment from a single provider
- •Mid-market and enterprise organizations wanting a co-managed SOC model alongside internal teams
Bottom line: Critical Start (MDR provider) and Trustwave (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 Trustwave's the most compliance-credentialed mdr provider in the market — fedramp authorized, pci dss qsa, na....
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Critical Start and Trustwave?
Critical Start is a MDR provider that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). Trustwave is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). SLA commitments differ: Critical Start offers ≤15 minutes, Trustwave offers ≤30 minutes.
How do Critical Start and Trustwave 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. Trustwave supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable.
How does Critical Start pricing compare to Trustwave?
Critical Start pricing: Custom-quoted pricing. Trustwave pricing: Starting at ~$43,775/year (SelectHub estimate). Enterprise pricing is custom/quote-based.. 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 Trustwave: Ownership instability — 4 ownership events in 10 years (Singtel → Chertoff/MC2 → failed Cybereason merger → LevelBlue); IR not included in base MDR — separate DFIR retainer required.
Should I choose Critical Start or Trustwave?
Choose Critical Start if: mid-market to large enterprises wanting technology-agnostic MDR that works with their existing security stack. Choose Trustwave if: uS government organizations needing the first FedRAMP-authorized pure-play MDR provider. Critical Start is not ideal for sMBs or budget-conscious organizations — enterprise-focused pricing not publicly disclosed. Trustwave is not ideal for organizations concerned about vendor stability — 4 ownership events in 10 years including a failed Cybereason merger.