CrowdStrike vs Sophos: MDR Comparison 2026
CrowdStrike (EDR vendor) and Sophos (Services firm) take different approaches to managed detection and response. CrowdStrike requires its own security platform, while Sophos works with your existing tools. CrowdStrike targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; Sophos focuses on SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise. CrowdStrike includes 4 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Network), compared to 5 for Sophos (Endpoint, SaaS, Identity, Network, OT/ICS).
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
CrowdStrike vs Sophos: Which Should You Choose?
Choose CrowdStrike if:
- •Enterprise organizations (200+ endpoints) wanting MITRE-validated detection speed
- •Teams comfortable with a single-vendor platform approach
- •Organizations that want fully autonomous remediation without approval workflows
Choose Sophos if:
- •SMBs and mid-market organizations seeking an all-in-one MDR with inclusive IR
- •Organizations with diverse, multi-vendor security stacks needing broad integration support
- •Companies wanting straightforward pricing with predictable costs
- •You need Identity and OT/ICS coverage included in base pricing
Bottom line: CrowdStrike is the choice if you want a single-vendor stack with deep integration. Sophos is better if you have existing tools and want flexibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between CrowdStrike and Sophos?
CrowdStrike is an EDR vendor that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). Sophos is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). SLA commitments differ: CrowdStrike offers Not disclosed, Sophos offers ≤15 minutes. CrowdStrike covers 4 attack surfaces in base pricing vs. 5 for Sophos.
How do CrowdStrike and Sophos differ in response capabilities?
CrowdStrike supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and acts without approval. Sophos supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable.
How does CrowdStrike pricing compare to Sophos?
CrowdStrike pricing: $15-25/endpoint/month (estimates vary by deployment size) (200-seat minimum). Sophos pricing: Custom quote required; tiered pricing bands (10-24, 25-49, 50-99, etc.) (10-seat minimum). Watch for with CrowdStrike: Minimum 200-500 endpoints required — eliminates most SMBs; Requires CrowdStrike Falcon platform — cannot use with competing EDR. Watch for with Sophos: MDR Essentials does NOT include breach warranty or full incident response — those require MDR Complete; Linux server protection requires separate Sophos Workload Protection subscription.
Should I choose CrowdStrike or Sophos?
Choose CrowdStrike if: enterprise organizations (200+ endpoints) wanting MITRE-validated detection speed. Choose Sophos if: sMBs and mid-market organizations seeking an all-in-one MDR with inclusive IR. CrowdStrike is not ideal for sMBs with fewer than 200 endpoints (minimum requirement). Sophos is not ideal for large enterprises needing deep, custom detection engineering.