ESET vs Red Canary: MDR Comparison 2026
ESET (EDR vendor) and Red Canary (Pure-play MDR) take different approaches to managed detection and response. ESET requires its own security platform, while Red Canary works with your existing tools. ESET targets SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise organizations; Red Canary focuses on SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise.
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
ESET vs Red Canary: Which Should You Choose?
Choose ESET if:
- •SMBs with 25-500 devices needing enterprise-grade MDR
- •Organizations already using ESET endpoint protection
- •Companies needing multi-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux, Android)
Choose Red Canary if:
- •Organizations wanting detection-as-code with all detections mapped to MITRE ATT&CK for transparency
- •Linux-heavy environments needing purpose-built Linux EDR (eBPF/Audit) for containers and Kubernetes
- •Security teams wanting Slack-native SOC communication with configurable automated response playbooks
- •You want direct Slack integration with your SOC
Bottom line: ESET is the choice if you want a single-vendor stack with deep integration. Red Canary is better if you have existing tools and want flexibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between ESET and Red Canary?
ESET is an EDR vendor that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). Red Canary is a Pure-play MDR that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). SLA commitments differ: ESET offers ≤15 minutes, Red Canary offers Not disclosed.
How do ESET and Red Canary differ in response capabilities?
ESET supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Red Canary 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 ESET and not included with Red Canary.
How does ESET pricing compare to Red Canary?
ESET pricing: Custom-quoted based on environment and device count; volume discounts available (25-seat minimum). Red Canary pricing: Not publicly disclosed. User-reported: ~$100/endpoint/year (2023 PeerSpot data point, may have changed). Available through AWS Marketplace.. Watch for with ESET: Requires ESET PROTECT Enterprise or Elite subscription as base; MDR Ultimate is a significant step up in price from standard MDR. Watch for with Red Canary: Pricing not publicly disclosed — requires sales engagement for any quote; Resource-based pricing (per-endpoint + per-user + per-cloud) can scale unexpectedly.
Should I choose ESET or Red Canary?
Choose ESET if: sMBs with 25-500 devices needing enterprise-grade MDR. Choose Red Canary if: mid-market organizations wanting vendor-agnostic MDR that works with their existing EDR (CrowdStrike, Microsoft, SentinelOne, Carbon Black, Cortex XDR, Trend Micro, Jamf). ESET is not ideal for enterprises requiring vendor-agnostic SIEM/EDR integration. Red Canary is not ideal for global organizations needing follow-the-sun SOC coverage — only Denver SOC confirmed.