Deepwatch vs Fortra: MDR Comparison 2026
Deepwatch (Pure-play MDR) and Fortra (Services firm) take different approaches to managed detection and response. Deepwatch works with your existing tools, while Fortra works with your existing tools. Deepwatch targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; Fortra focuses on SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise.
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Deepwatch vs Fortra: Which Should You Choose?
Choose Deepwatch if:
- •Mid-market to enterprise organizations with existing Splunk, Google SecOps, or Microsoft Sentinel SIEM investments
- •Companies wanting a dedicated named team (Squad model) rather than rotating anonymous analysts
- •AWS-heavy environments leveraging Deepwatch's Level 1 MSSP Competency partnership
- •You want direct Slack integration with your SOC
Choose Fortra if:
- •Mid-market organizations needing strong compliance support
- •Healthcare organizations requiring HIPAA compliance MDR
- •Cloud-first companies on AWS, Azure, or hybrid environments
Bottom line: Deepwatch (Pure-play MDR) and Fortra (Services firm) serve different buyer profiles. Your decision depends on whether you prioritize Deepwatch's siem-centric, vendor-agnostic mdr with a patented drs engine (98% fp reduction), dedicated squad ... or Fortra's established mdr with strong cloud/compliance positioning and formalized slas.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Deepwatch and Fortra?
Deepwatch is a Pure-play MDR that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). Fortra is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). SLA commitments differ: Deepwatch offers Not disclosed, Fortra offers ≤15 minutes.
How do Deepwatch and Fortra differ in response capabilities?
Deepwatch supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Fortra supports 5 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Incident response is not included with Deepwatch and included with Fortra.
How does Deepwatch pricing compare to Fortra?
Deepwatch pricing: Average ~$220K/year; maximum ~$315K for large deployments (per Vendr data). Fortra pricing: Custom-quoted pricing. Watch for with Deepwatch: Volume-based pricing means unexpected data growth can cause cost spikes; Three platform tiers (Core, Advanced, Enterprise) — critical response capabilities may be gated behind higher tiers. Watch for with Fortra: Managed services being acquired by LevelBlue (announced Jan 2026, deal pending close — no timeline disclosed); Post-transition contract terms, SLAs, and pricing under LevelBlue are unconfirmed.
Should I choose Deepwatch or Fortra?
Choose Deepwatch if: mid-market to enterprise organizations with existing Splunk, Google SecOps, or Microsoft Sentinel SIEM investments. Choose Fortra if: mid-market organizations needing strong compliance support. Deepwatch is not ideal for sMBs or budget-constrained organizations — average $220K/year pricing is enterprise-oriented. Fortra is not ideal for organizations wanting long-term vendor stability — managed services transferring to LevelBlue (deal pending, no timeline disclosed).