Expel vs Red Canary: MDR Comparison 2026
Expel and Red Canary are both categorized as Pure-play MDRs, but differ in execution. Expel works with your existing tools and targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations. Red Canary works with your existing tools and focuses on SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise.
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Expel vs Red Canary: 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
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
- •Threat hunting included in base pricing (it's an add-on with Expel)
Bottom line: Both providers target similar markets. Compare their specific response actions, communication channels, and pricing structure to find the better fit for your environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Expel and Red Canary?
Expel is a Pure-play MDR that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). Red Canary is a Pure-play MDR that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools).
How do Expel and Red Canary 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. Red Canary supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable.
How does Expel pricing compare to Red Canary?
Expel pricing: Starting at $11,640/year; custom quotes based on environment. 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 Expel: Threat hunting is NOT included in base MDR -- it is an add-on service; Price increases announced for 2025. 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 Expel or Red Canary?
Choose Expel if: mid-market and enterprise organizations with existing security tool investments wanting to maximize ROI. 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). Expel is not ideal for organizations wanting a single-vendor platform-native MDR (Expel requires existing security tools). Red Canary is not ideal for global organizations needing follow-the-sun SOC coverage — only Denver SOC confirmed.