Expel vs Mandiant: MDR Comparison 2026
Expel (Pure-play MDR) and Mandiant (Services firm) take different approaches to managed detection and response. Expel works with your existing tools, while Mandiant works with your existing tools. Expel targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; Mandiant focuses on Mid-market and Enterprise.
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Expel vs Mandiant: Which Should You Choose?
Choose Expel if:
- •Mid-market and enterprise organizations with existing security tool investments wanting to maximize ROI
- •Tech-forward security teams that value transparency and want to see every SOC action
- •Multi-cloud and hybrid environments needing broad integration coverage
- •You want direct Slack integration with your SOC
Choose Mandiant if:
- •Enterprise organizations wanting elite threat intelligence integrated directly into MDR operations
- •Google Cloud Platform customers wanting native SecOps integration
- •Organizations facing nation-state or advanced persistent threats where Mandiant's frontline IR experience is critical
- •Threat hunting included in base pricing (it's an add-on with Expel)
Bottom line: Expel (Pure-play MDR) and Mandiant (Services firm) serve different buyer profiles. Your decision depends on whether you prioritize Expel's strong transparency and integration breadth or Mandiant's threat intelligence-driven mdr backed by 500+ intel analysts, frontline ir experience, and google....
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Expel and Mandiant?
Expel is a Pure-play MDR that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). Mandiant is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools).
How do Expel and Mandiant differ in response capabilities?
Expel supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Mandiant supports 2 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable.
How does Expel pricing compare to Mandiant?
Expel pricing: Starting at $11,640/year; custom quotes based on environment. Mandiant pricing: Estimated ~$83,000/year (third-party estimate from Vendr, not officially published).. Watch for with Expel: Threat hunting is NOT included in base MDR -- it is an add-on service; Price increases announced for 2025. Watch for with Mandiant: ~$83K+/year estimated — premium enterprise pricing; IR retainer is separate — must be purchased independently for full incident response.
Should I choose Expel or Mandiant?
Choose Expel if: mid-market and enterprise organizations with existing security tool investments wanting to maximize ROI. Choose Mandiant if: enterprise organizations wanting elite threat intelligence integrated directly into MDR operations. Expel is not ideal for organizations wanting a single-vendor platform-native MDR (Expel requires existing security tools). Mandiant is not ideal for sMBs or budget-constrained organizations — ~$83K+/year estimated pricing.