ESET vs ThreatDown
ESET and ThreatDown are both Platform vendors that bring their own security platform. ESET targets SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise organizations, while ThreatDown serves SMB and Mid-market. ESET includes 3 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS), compared to 1 for ThreatDown (Endpoint).
Buyer brief
ESET and ThreatDown are both Platform vendors that bring their own security platform. ESET targets SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise organizations, while ThreatDown serves SMB and Mid-market. ESET includes 3 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS), compared to 1 for ThreatDown (Endpoint).
ESET offers broader coverage (3 surfaces vs. 1). ThreatDown may suit teams that need depth over breadth.
At a glance
| FIELD |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | SMBs with 25-500 devices that want managed detection without meeting 200+ endpoint minimums | SMBs and IT-constrained organizations wanting affordable MDR with published pricing |
| Price | Custom quote | $99/endpoint/yr |
| Response authority | 6/6 actions · Configurable | 3/6 actions · Configurable |
| Stack | Requires own platform | Requires own platform |
| Data access | Dashboards | Dashboards |
| Warranty | None listed | None listed |
- Best fit
- SMBs with 25-500 devices that want managed detection without meeting 200+ endpoint minimums
- Price
- Custom quote
- Response authority
- 6/6 actions · Configurable
- Stack
- Requires own platform
- Data access
- Dashboards
- Warranty
- None listed
- Best fit
- SMBs and IT-constrained organizations wanting affordable MDR with published pricing
- Price
- $99/endpoint/yr
- Response authority
- 3/6 actions · Configurable
- Stack
- Requires own platform
- Data access
- Dashboards
- Warranty
- None listed
›› Detailed comparison
| FIELD | ESETPLATFORM | ThreatDownPLATFORM |
|---|---|---|
| ›› Fit | ||
| Target size | SMB, Mid-market, Enterprise | SMB, Mid-market |
| Sentiment | Positive | Positive |
| ›› Your stack | ||
| Approach | Requires their platform | Requires their platform |
| EDR integrations | ESET | ThreatDown EDR (native, required) |
| SIEM integrations | Microsoft SentinelElasticSplunk | Splunk Enterprise (log export)Microsoft Sentinel (log export)Google Chronicle (log export) |
| Coverage | EPEndpoint: CoveredCloudCloud: CoveredIDIdentity: LimitedSaaSSaaS: CoveredNetNetwork: LimitedOTOT/IoT: Not covered | EPEndpoint: CoveredCloudCloud: Not coveredIDIdentity: Not coveredSaaSSaaS: Not coveredNetNetwork: Not coveredOTOT/IoT: Not covered |
| ›› Response | ||
| Response type | Active Remediation | Active Remediation |
| Approval policy | Configurable | Configurable |
| Response actions | IsolateKill processContainDisable accountsQuarantineCustom playbooks | IsolateKill processQuarantine |
| IR included | ✓ Included | Separate |
| ›› Cost | ||
| Price range | Not published, custom-quoted based on environment and device count with volume discounts | MDR at $99/endpoint/year (Elite) or $119/endpoint/year (Ultimate). Server: $129-179/year. Mobile: $10/device. |
| Minimum seats | 25 | 5 |
| Breach warranty | – | – |
| ›› More details | ||
| Requires own agent | Yes | Yes |
| Endpoints | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| Cloud workloads | ✓ Included | Not offered |
| Identity | ~ Limited | Not offered |
| SaaS apps | ✓ Included | Not offered |
| Network | ~ Limited | Not offered |
| OT/ICS | Not offered | Not offered |
| Threat hunting | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| Response SLA | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| 24/7 coverage | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pricing model | Per-device pricing, custom-quoted. Requires ESET PROTECT Enterprise or Elite as the base. MSP partners can get daily billing or monthly invoicing. | Per-endpoint, published pricing. Four bundles: Core ($69), Advanced ($79), Elite ($99, includes MDR), Ultimate ($119, MDR+DNS+Premium). Server: $129-179/year. Mobile: $10/device. 5-endpoint minimum. 10% discount for 2-year commitment. |
| Hidden cost warnings | Requires ESET PROTECT Enterprise or Elite subscription as the base, which is a separate cost from MDR itself. MDR Ultimate pricing is significantly higher than standard MDR, but the exact gap is not published. Custom-quoted pricing with no published benchmarks means you have no leverage for comparison shopping. If you're not already an ESET customer, factor in the cost and time to migrate your entire endpoint stack | Endpoint-only coverage, no cloud workload, SaaS, identity, or network monitoring. Platform-native lock-in, cannot BYO CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, or Defender. No dedicated analyst or account manager, pooled SOC model |
| Data portability | Limited | Limited |
| Contract terms | Annual, Multi-year | Annual, 2-year (10% discount) |
| Channels | EmailPortalPhone | SlackTeamsPortalEmailPhone |
| Data access | Dashboards | Dashboards |
| Dedicated analyst | ✓ | – |
| SOC regions | North AmericaEuropeAsia-Pacific | North America |
| Onboarding | Fast deployment via ESET PROTECT platform if you're already an ESET customer. Net-new deployments require platform setup first. | Minutes after agent deployment |
| Industry focus | SMB (all industries)EducationHealthcareFinancial ServicesGovernmentRetail | EducationGovernmentHealthcareManufacturingMSP/Channel |
| MTTD | 20 minutes (vendor-published) | Not published |
| MTTR | Approximately 5 minutes (vendor-published time to resolve) | Not published |
| Community view | KuppingerCole named ESET Product and Market Leader for MDR (December 2024). Praised for the low 25-device entry point and fast vendor-published detection times. Criticized for console UI complexity and full platform lock-in. Limited MDR-specific community discussion compared to larger competitors. | G2 4.6/5 (1,074 reviews) with multiple Leader awards (Best ROI, Easiest to Use). Gartner Peer Insights 4.6/5 (904 reviews) for EDR, though MDR-specific reviews are fewer. MRG Effitas EPP Product of the Year 2025. IDC MarketScape 2024: Leader for endpoint security (Small Business). Praised for simplicity and price transparency. Main knock: endpoint-only with platform lock-in. |
| Compliance | ISO 27001 | SOC 2 Type IIISO 27001 |
| Certifications | ISO 27001 | SOC 2 Type IIISO 27001 |
| Founded | 1992 | 2008 |
| Data retention | Not published | Not publicly disclosed |
| API available | ✓ | ✓ |
| Website | Visit → | Visit → |
›› FAQ
What is the main difference between ESET and ThreatDown?
ESET is a Platform vendor that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). ThreatDown is a Platform vendor that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). ESET covers 3 attack surfaces in base pricing vs. 1 for ThreatDown.
How do ESET and ThreatDown differ in response capabilities?
ESET supports 6 autonomous actions (account disable, custom playbooks, endpoint isolation, file quarantine, network containment, process termination) and approval is configurable. ThreatDown supports 3 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, file quarantine, process termination) and approval is configurable. Incident response is included with ESET and not included with ThreatDown.
How does ESET pricing compare to ThreatDown?
ESET pricing: Not published, custom-quoted based on environment and device count with volume discounts (25-seat minimum). ThreatDown pricing: MDR at $99/endpoint/year (Elite) or $119/endpoint/year (Ultimate). Server: $129-179/year. Mobile: $10/device. (5-seat minimum). Watch for with ESET: Requires ESET PROTECT Enterprise or Elite subscription as the base, which is a separate cost from MDR itself; MDR Ultimate pricing is significantly higher than standard MDR, but the exact gap is not published. Watch for with ThreatDown: Endpoint-only coverage, no cloud workload, SaaS, identity, or network monitoring; Platform-native lock-in, cannot BYO CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, or Defender.
Should I choose ESET or ThreatDown?
Choose ESET if: sMBs with 25-500 devices that want managed detection without meeting 200+ endpoint minimums. Choose ThreatDown if: sMBs and IT-constrained organizations wanting affordable MDR with published pricing. ESET is not ideal for organizations with non-ESET EDR that want to keep their existing platform and layer MDR on top. ThreatDown is not ideal for enterprise organizations needing multi-surface coverage (cloud, SaaS, identity, network).
Daylight Security
AI-native MDR for buyers comparing active remediation across endpoint, cloud, identity, and SaaS. Daylight works with existing EDR/SIEM stacks and uses ChatOps-native collaboration, so it can be a useful third reference point in this comparison.