eSentire vs Palo Alto Networks: MDR Comparison 2026
eSentire (Pure-play MDR) and Palo Alto Networks (EDR vendor) take different approaches to managed detection and response. eSentire works with your existing tools, while Palo Alto Networks requires its own security platform. eSentire targets SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise organizations; Palo Alto Networks focuses on Mid-market and Enterprise. eSentire includes 5 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network), compared to 6 for Palo Alto Networks (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network, OT/ICS).
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
eSentire vs Palo Alto Networks: Which Should You Choose?
Choose eSentire if:
- •Mid-market and enterprise organizations needing active remediation, not just alerts
- •Critical infrastructure sectors
- •Organizations with complex multi-vendor security stacks requiring 300+ integrations
Choose Palo Alto Networks if:
- •US government and defense organizations needing FedRAMP Moderate, DoD IL5, StateRAMP compliance
- •Large enterprises wanting co-managed SOC with full visibility into their Cortex XDR/XSIAM tenant
- •Organizations wanting breach response guarantee (MSIAM 2.0 — 250 hours IR included)
- •You need OT/ICS coverage included in base pricing
- •Breach warranty matters to you (Palo Alto Networks offers one, eSentire does not)
Bottom line: Palo Alto Networks is the choice if you want a single-vendor stack with deep integration. eSentire is better if you have existing tools and want flexibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between eSentire and Palo Alto Networks?
eSentire is a Pure-play MDR that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). Palo Alto Networks is an EDR vendor that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). SLA commitments differ: eSentire offers ≤15 minutes, Palo Alto Networks offers Not disclosed. eSentire covers 5 attack surfaces in base pricing vs. 6 for Palo Alto Networks.
How do eSentire and Palo Alto Networks differ in response capabilities?
eSentire supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Palo Alto Networks supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Incident response is included with eSentire and not included with Palo Alto Networks.
How does eSentire pricing compare to Palo Alto Networks?
eSentire pricing: Custom-quoted pricing. Palo Alto Networks pricing: Cortex XDR Pro: ~$81/endpoint/year starting (platform only). Unit 42 MDR service is additional custom pricing. Total cost depends on endpoints, tier (Pro vs Premium), coverage scope, and contract terms.. Watch for with eSentire: Tier differences significant — Essentials may lack key response capabilities; BYOL pricing differs from bundled Atlas Agent pricing. Watch for with Palo Alto Networks: Cortex XDR/XSIAM platform license is a significant prerequisite cost on top of MDR service fee; Cortex Data Lake storage costs are separate and scale with data volume.
Should I choose eSentire or Palo Alto Networks?
Choose eSentire if: mid-market and enterprise organizations needing active remediation, not just alerts. Choose Palo Alto Networks if: enterprise organizations already invested in the Palo Alto ecosystem (NGFW, Prisma, WildFire) wanting native MDR integration. eSentire is not ideal for budget-constrained SMBs seeking the lowest-cost MDR option. Palo Alto Networks is not ideal for sMBs or budget-constrained organizations — significant prerequisite costs (Cortex XDR + Data Lake) plus MDR service fee.