Field Effect vs N-able: MDR Comparison 2026

Q: What is the main difference between Field Effect and N-able?

Field Effect is a MDR provider that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). N-able is a MSP-channel that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools).

Q: How do Field Effect and N-able differ in response capabilities?

Field Effect supports 5 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine) and approval is configurable. N-able 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 Field Effect and included with N-able.

Q: How does Field Effect pricing compare to N-able?

Field Effect pricing: MDR Core: $99/user/month (ideal for <=25 users). MDR Complete: custom pricing (larger organizations, compliance requirements).. N-able pricing: MSPs typically bundle at $90-$275/user/month for full security programs including MDR. Watch for with Field Effect: MDR Core excludes network monitoring, DNS firewall, and dark web monitoring — significant feature gap vs Complete; $99/user adds up quickly — 50 users = $4,950/month. Watch for with N-able: Pricing designed for MSP channel; direct pricing may differ; MDR Base is identity-focused only; Complete needed for full coverage.

Q: Should I choose Field Effect or N-able?

Choose Field Effect if: sMBs and MSPs wanting affordable, easy-to-deploy MDR with published per-user pricing. Choose N-able if: mSPs wanting a unified security platform with built-in SIEM/SOAR/UEBA. Field Effect is not ideal for organizations with existing CrowdStrike/SentinelOne/Defender deployments — requires proprietary Field Effect agent. N-able is not ideal for large enterprises with existing SOC infrastructure.

Field Effect (MDR provider) and N-able (MSP-channel) take different approaches to managed detection and response. Field Effect requires its own security platform, while N-able works with your existing tools. Field Effect targets SMB and Mid-market organizations; N-able focuses on SMB and Mid-market.

Key Differences at a Glance

Business Model

Field Effect: MDR provider

N-able: MSP-channel

Approach

Field Effect: Requires their platform

N-able: Works with your tools

Autonomous Actions

Field Effect: 5/6 (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment...)

N-able: 6/6 (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment...)

Attack Surfaces Included

Field Effect: 5/6 (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network)

N-able: 5/6 (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network)

Pricing

Field Effect: MDR Core: $99/user/month (ideal for <=25 users). MDR Complete: custom pricing (larger organizations, compliance requirements).

N-able: MSPs typically bundle at $90-$275/user/month for full security programs including MDR

Vendor Lock-in

Field Effect: Requires own agent

N-able: No proprietary agent

Winner by Category

Response Level

Tie

Same level

SLA Speed

Tie

Same speed

Coverage Breadth

Tie

Same coverage

Integrations

Field Effect

More integration options

Criteria

Field Effect

MITRE-validated detection (11-min MTTD, detected every measured step) with vendor-claimed 99.9% noise reduction, transparent per-user pricing from $99/month, and fast onboarding. Ex-CSE intelligence founders. Strong fit for SMBs and MSPs wanting affordable MDR with published pricing and independently validated detection quality.

N-able

Unified security operations platform combining XDR, SIEM, SOAR, and UEBA with MDR in one solution. AI automates 70% of threat response. Breach warranty and vendor-agnostic approach make it compelling for MSPs serving SMB/mid-market clients.

Provider Model

Requires their platform

Works with your tools

Requires Own Agent

Yes — platform-native

No — works with your EDR

Response Type

Active Remediation

Approval Policy

Configurable

Auto-Isolate

✓

Kill Process

✓

IR Included

Separate

✓ Included

Response SLA

Not disclosed

24/7 Coverage

✓ Yes

Channels

EmailPortalPhone

Data Access

Dashboards

Model

Per-user, per-month

Per-user per-month (tiered packages: MDR Base, MDR Complete, MDR Plus)

Price Range

MDR Core: $99/user/month (ideal for <=25 users). MDR Complete: custom pricing (larger organizations, compliance requirements).

MSPs typically bundle at $90-$275/user/month for full security programs including MDR

Minimum Seats

None

Threat Hunting

✓ Included

Overall

Positive

Summary

PeerSpot 9.2/10 (#3 in MDR, Jan 2026). SoftwareReviews 9.5/10 composite (423 verified reviews, +98 Net Emotional Footprint, Data Quadrant Leader four consecutive years 2022-2025). G2 'Highest ROI in MDR' Winter 2026. Praised for easy setup, noise reduction, and MSP value. Main criticisms: limited third-party integrations, no patch management, and limited backend log visibility.

Positive reception in MSP community following N-able acquisition. Users praise comprehensive features, compliance reporting, and AI automation. Some concerns about pricing relative to competitors and platform complexity for smaller MSPs.

Field Effect vs N-able: Which Should You Choose?

Choose Field Effect if:

•SMBs and MSPs wanting affordable, easy-to-deploy MDR with published per-user pricing
•Canadian organizations needing domestic data hosting and PIPEDA compliance
•Healthcare, government, and defense contractors needing HIPAA/CMMC/NIST compliance support

Choose N-able if:

•MSPs wanting a unified security platform with built-in SIEM/SOAR/UEBA
•SMBs and mid-market needing breach warranty protection
•Organizations wanting vendor-agnostic MDR that works with existing EDR
•Breach warranty matters to you (N-able offers one, Field Effect does not)

Bottom line: Field Effect is the choice if you want a single-vendor stack with deep integration. N-able is better if you have existing tools and want flexibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between Field Effect and N-able?

Field Effect is a MDR provider that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). N-able is a MSP-channel that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools).

How do Field Effect and N-able differ in response capabilities?

Field Effect supports 5 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine) and approval is configurable. N-able 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 Field Effect and included with N-able.

How does Field Effect pricing compare to N-able?

Field Effect pricing: MDR Core: $99/user/month (ideal for <=25 users). MDR Complete: custom pricing (larger organizations, compliance requirements).. N-able pricing: MSPs typically bundle at $90-$275/user/month for full security programs including MDR. Watch for with Field Effect: MDR Core excludes network monitoring, DNS firewall, and dark web monitoring — significant feature gap vs Complete; $99/user adds up quickly — 50 users = $4,950/month. Watch for with N-able: Pricing designed for MSP channel; direct pricing may differ; MDR Base is identity-focused only; Complete needed for full coverage.

Should I choose Field Effect or N-able?

Choose Field Effect if: sMBs and MSPs wanting affordable, easy-to-deploy MDR with published per-user pricing. Choose N-able if: mSPs wanting a unified security platform with built-in SIEM/SOAR/UEBA. Field Effect is not ideal for organizations with existing CrowdStrike/SentinelOne/Defender deployments — requires proprietary Field Effect agent. N-able is not ideal for large enterprises with existing SOC infrastructure.

View Field Effect full profile →View N-able full profile →

Field Effect vs N-able: MDR Comparison 2026

Key Differences at a Glance

Business Model

Field Effect: MDR provider

N-able: MSP-channel

Approach

Field Effect: Requires their platform

N-able: Works with your tools

Autonomous Actions

Field Effect: 5/6 (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment...)

N-able: 6/6 (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment...)

Attack Surfaces Included

Field Effect: 5/6 (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network)

N-able: 5/6 (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network)

Pricing

Field Effect: MDR Core: $99/user/month (ideal for <=25 users). MDR Complete: custom pricing (larger organizations, compliance requirements).

N-able: MSPs typically bundle at $90-$275/user/month for full security programs including MDR

Vendor Lock-in

Field Effect: Requires own agent

N-able: No proprietary agent

Field Effect vs N-able: Which Should You Choose?

Choose Field Effect if:

•SMBs and MSPs wanting affordable, easy-to-deploy MDR with published per-user pricing
•Canadian organizations needing domestic data hosting and PIPEDA compliance
•Healthcare, government, and defense contractors needing HIPAA/CMMC/NIST compliance support

Choose N-able if:

•MSPs wanting a unified security platform with built-in SIEM/SOAR/UEBA
•SMBs and mid-market needing breach warranty protection
•Organizations wanting vendor-agnostic MDR that works with existing EDR
•Breach warranty matters to you (N-able offers one, Field Effect does not)

Bottom line: Field Effect is the choice if you want a single-vendor stack with deep integration. N-able is better if you have existing tools and want flexibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between Field Effect and N-able?

Field Effect is a MDR provider that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). N-able is a MSP-channel that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools).