Expel vs Sophos: MDR Comparison 2026
Expel (Pure-play MDR) and Sophos (Services firm) take different approaches to managed detection and response. Expel works with your existing tools, while Sophos works with your existing tools. Expel targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; Sophos focuses on SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise.
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Expel vs Sophos: 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 Sophos if:
- •SMBs and mid-market organizations seeking an all-in-one MDR with inclusive IR
- •Organizations with diverse, multi-vendor security stacks needing broad integration support
- •Companies wanting straightforward pricing with predictable costs
- •Breach warranty matters to you (Sophos offers one, Expel does not)
- •Threat hunting included in base pricing (it's an add-on with Expel)
Bottom line: Expel (Pure-play MDR) and Sophos (Services firm) serve different buyer profiles. Your decision depends on whether you prioritize Expel's strong transparency and integration breadth or Sophos's 350+ vendor integrations, inclusive full-scale incident response with no caps, $1m breach warrant....
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Expel and Sophos?
Expel is a Pure-play MDR that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). Sophos is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). SLA commitments differ: Expel offers Not disclosed, Sophos offers ≤15 minutes.
How do Expel and Sophos 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. Sophos supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Incident response is not included with Expel and included with Sophos.
How does Expel pricing compare to Sophos?
Expel pricing: Starting at $11,640/year; custom quotes based on environment. Sophos pricing: Custom quote required; tiered pricing bands (10-24, 25-49, 50-99, etc.) (10-seat minimum). 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 Sophos: MDR Essentials does NOT include breach warranty or full incident response — those require MDR Complete; Linux server protection requires separate Sophos Workload Protection subscription.
Should I choose Expel or Sophos?
Choose Expel if: mid-market and enterprise organizations with existing security tool investments wanting to maximize ROI. Choose Sophos if: sMBs and mid-market organizations seeking an all-in-one MDR with inclusive IR. Expel is not ideal for organizations wanting a single-vendor platform-native MDR (Expel requires existing security tools). Sophos is not ideal for large enterprises needing deep, custom detection engineering.