ESET vs Fortra: MDR Comparison 2026
Detailed comparison of ESET and Fortra managed detection and response services. Compare response capabilities, SLA, coverage, integrations, and compliance.
Winner by Category
Response Level
Tie
Same level
SLA Speed
Fortra
Faster response time
Coverage Breadth
Tie
Same coverage
Integrations
ESET
More integration options
Criteria
Strong SMB-focused MDR built on 30+ years of threat research, with fast 20-minute response times and accessible 25-device minimum. Best for organizations already in or willing to adopt the ESET ecosystem.
Established MDR leader for cloud and compliance-heavy environments with formalized SLAs. Strong for healthcare and financial services needing regulatory coverage. However, managed services transition to LevelBlue creates uncertainty.
Response Type
Active Remediation
Active Remediation
Approval Policy
Configurable
Configurable
Auto-Isolate
✓
✓
Kill Process
✓
✓
IR Included
✓ Included
✓ Included
Response SLA
20m
≤15 minutes
24/7 Coverage
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
Channels
EmailPortalPhone
EmailPortalPhone
Data Access
Dashboards
Dashboards
Model
Per-seat/device, custom-quoted; available as add-on to ESET PROTECT Enterprise or Elite tiers. MSP pricing with daily billing or monthly invoicing.
Subscription-based tiered (Essentials, Professional, Enterprise)
Price Range
Custom-quoted based on environment and device count; volume discounts available
Not published
Minimum Seats
25
None
Threat Hunting
✓ Included
✓ Included
Overall
Positive
Positive
Summary
Recognized as Market Leader and Product Leader in MDR by KuppingerCole 2024. Praised for fast 20-minute response times, strong threat intelligence from 30+ years of research, and good SMB accessibility. Criticized for UI/UX issues and the ESET console interface being unintuitive for US users.
8.0/10 on PeerSpot with 92% willingness to recommend. G2 Grid Leader. Praised for cloud security and compliance coverage. Concerns about UI intuitiveness and limited geographic SOC coverage. LevelBlue acquisition creates uncertainty.
ESET vs Fortra: Which Should You Choose?
Choose ESET if:
- You need active remediation
- 20m response time meets your needs
- You prefer platform native solutions
- Your org size: SMB / Mid-market / Enterprise
Choose Fortra if:
- You need active remediation
- ≤15 minutes response time meets your needs
- You prefer technology agnostic solutions
- Your org size: SMB / Mid-market / Enterprise
FAQ
What's the main difference between ESET and Fortra?
Key differences: response model (Active Remediation vs Active Remediation), SLA (20m vs ≤15 minutes), and approach (Platform Native vs Technology Agnostic).