LevelBlue vs r-tec IT Security
LevelBlue and r-tec IT Security are both Services firms that work with your existing tools. LevelBlue targets SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise organizations, while r-tec IT Security serves Mid-market and Enterprise. LevelBlue includes 3 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint, Cloud, Network), compared to 0 for r-tec IT Security ().
Buyer brief
LevelBlue and r-tec IT Security are both Services firms that work with your existing tools. LevelBlue targets SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise organizations, while r-tec IT Security serves Mid-market and Enterprise. LevelBlue includes 3 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint, Cloud, Network), compared to 0 for r-tec IT Security ().
LevelBlue offers broader coverage (3 surfaces vs. 0). r-tec IT Security may suit teams that need depth over breadth.
At a glance
| FIELD |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | US federal and state agencies that need FedRAMP/StateRAMP-authorized MDR with deep compliance credentials | German mid-market and enterprise buyers that want MDR from a services firm with incident-response depth |
| Price | Third-party starting estimate: ~$43,775/yr | Custom quote |
| Response authority | 6/6 actions · Configurable | 1/6 actions · Configurable |
| Stack | Works with existing stack | Works with existing stack |
| Data access | Full query access | Dashboards |
| Warranty | None listed | None listed |
- Best fit
- US federal and state agencies that need FedRAMP/StateRAMP-authorized MDR with deep compliance credentials
- Price
- Third-party starting estimate: ~$43,775/yr
- Response authority
- 6/6 actions · Configurable
- Stack
- Works with existing stack
- Data access
- Full query access
- Warranty
- None listed
- Best fit
- German mid-market and enterprise buyers that want MDR from a services firm with incident-response depth
- Price
- Custom quote
- Response authority
- 1/6 actions · Configurable
- Stack
- Works with existing stack
- Data access
- Dashboards
- Warranty
- None listed
Detailed comparison
| FIELD | LevelBlueTECH-AGNOSTIC | r-tec IT SecurityTECH-AGNOSTIC |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | ||
| Target size | SMB, Mid-market, Enterprise | Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Sentiment | Mixed | Mixed |
| Your stack | ||
| Approach | Works with your tools | Works with your tools |
| EDR integrations | Microsoft DefenderSentinelOnePalo Alto CortexCarbon Black CrowdStrike | Microsoft Defender XDR CrowdStrike |
| SIEM integrations | SplunkDevo Microsoft Sentinel | Exabeam Microsoft Sentinel |
| Coverage | EPEndpoint: CoveredCloudCloud: CoveredIDIdentity: Optional add-onSaaSSaaS: Optional add-onNetNetwork: CoveredOTOT/IoT: Optional add-on | EPEndpoint: LimitedCloudCloud: Not coveredIDIdentity: LimitedSaaSSaaS: Not coveredNetNetwork: LimitedOTOT/IoT: Optional add-on |
| Response | ||
| Response type | Active Remediation | Active Remediation |
| Approval policy | Configurable | Configurable |
| Response actions | IsolateKill processContainDisable accountsQuarantineCustom playbooks | Custom playbooks |
| IR included | Separate | ✓ Included |
| Cost | ||
| Price range | Starting at ~$43,775/year (SelectHub estimate). Enterprise pricing is custom/quote-based. | Not published |
| Minimum seats | None | None |
| Breach warranty | – | – |
| More details | ||
| Requires own agent | No | No |
| Endpoints | ✓ Included | ~ Limited |
| Cloud workloads | ✓ Included | Not offered |
| Identity | + Optional | ~ Limited |
| SaaS apps | + Optional | Not offered |
| Network | ✓ Included | ~ Limited |
| OT/ICS | + Optional | + Optional |
| Threat hunting | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| Response SLA | ≤15 minutes | ≤1 hour |
| 24/7 coverage | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pricing model | Custom quote-based pricing in two tiers (Trustwave MDR and MDR Elite). Non-EDR sources priced by MEPD (millions of events per day). EDR telemetry is unlimited for contracted endpoints. | Tiered custom quote. r-tec publishes Basic and Premium MDR tiers but does not publish prices. |
| Hidden cost warnings | Non-EDR telemetry priced by MEPD (millions of events per day), which is hard to estimate upfront and can spike. Service-level scope varies by product and tier. Confirm whether the Trustwave service-level document applies to the quoted MDR service.. MDR, MXDR, Co-Managed SOC, MTDR, and Cybereason XDR are still separate products at different price points. Ask exactly which product you are being quoted.. Five acquisitions and a 15% launch-day layoff. Ask about contract continuity and staff retention. | Premium is required for 24x7 service times and the 1-hour qualification and First Response target.. Basic still has 24x7 automated detection and alerting, but human service hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00-18:00.. Public pages do not publish prices or contract minimums.. Optional direct response should be converted into a written pre-approval matrix.. Endpoint telemetry may depend on contracted CrowdStrike, Microsoft Defender XDR or Managed EDR scope.. OT MDR and Managed EDR are separate named services, so buyers should confirm whether they are included or quoted separately. |
| Data portability | Partial | Partial |
| Contract terms | Annual, Multi-year | Basic, Premium, Custom |
| Channels | PortalEmailPhone | EmailPhone |
| Data access | Full query access | Dashboards |
| Dedicated analyst | ✓ | – |
| SOC regions | North AmericaEuropeAsia-Pacific | Europe |
| Onboarding | 10 days or less (Trustwave MDR) | r-tec says site collectors support simple and fast implementation, but no standard public onboarding duration was found. |
| Industry focus | Financial ServicesHealthcareGovernmentRetailManufacturingEnergy | Critical InfrastructureEnergyManufacturingOperational TechnologyHealthcareFinancial ServicesPublic SectorLogisticsAutomotiveChemicalsPharmaceuticals |
| MTTD | Not published | Not published |
| MTTR | 15-minute Security Incident notification SLA. Sub-30-minute MTTR objective and 15-minute MTTA objective apply under narrower Trustwave service-level scope for MDR Elite and MDR U.S. Government. | Not published |
| Community view | G2 4.4/5 (120 reviews, primarily USM Anywhere). Gartner Peer Insights 4.3/5 (Trustwave MDR). Frost & Sullivan MDR Growth Index Leader 2025. Cybereason achieved 100% detection in MITRE ATT&CK 2024. SpiderLabs and FedRAMP authorization are genuine differentiators. Main concern is integration risk from five acquisitions in two years. | r-tec has limited MDR-specific public review volume. The public buyer case rests on German delivery, a published IT MDR service, a separate OT MDR service, BSI APT-response status and clear Basic versus Premium service-level targets. Buyers should validate exact response authority, pricing, OT scope and the operating model behind Premium 24x7 service. |
| Compliance | FedRAMPStateRAMPSOC 2ISO 27001PCI DSS QSAPCI Forensic InvestigatorHIPAA | ISO 27001ISO 9001KRITISGDPR |
| Certifications | FedRAMP Authorized (first pure-play MDR, Feb 2025, FERC-sponsored)StateRAMP Authorized (Aug 2024)SOC 2ISO 27001PCI DSS QSAPCI Forensic Investigator (PCIF)Microsoft Verified MXDR PartnerFrost & Sullivan MDR Frost Radar Growth Index Leader 2025Gartner Market Guide for MDR Representative Vendor 2024Gartner Market Guide for Outsourced MSS Representative Vendor 2026Gartner Market Guide for DFIR Retainer Services Representative Vendor 2025 | ISO 27001ISO 9001BSI-certified APT Response service providerEcoVadis Bronze group certification |
| Founded | 2024 | 1996 |
| Data retention | 1 year (MDR Elite tier). Base MDR tier retention not publicly disclosed. | Not published as a standard MDR retention period. r-tec says Exabeam is operated as a cloud service from a German GDPR-compliant data center. |
| API available | ✓ | – |
| Website | Visit → | Visit → |
FAQ
What is the main difference between LevelBlue and r-tec IT Security?
LevelBlue is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). r-tec IT Security is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). SLA commitments differ: LevelBlue offers ≤15 minutes, r-tec IT Security offers ≤1 hour. LevelBlue covers 3 attack surfaces in base pricing vs. 0 for r-tec IT Security.
How do LevelBlue and r-tec IT Security differ in response capabilities?
LevelBlue supports 6 autonomous actions (account disable, custom playbooks, endpoint isolation, file quarantine, network containment, process termination) and approval is configurable. r-tec IT Security supports 1 autonomous actions (custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Incident response is not included with LevelBlue and included with r-tec IT Security.
How does LevelBlue pricing compare to r-tec IT Security?
LevelBlue pricing: Starting at ~$43,775/year (SelectHub estimate). Enterprise pricing is custom/quote-based.. r-tec IT Security pricing: Not published. Watch for with LevelBlue: Non-EDR telemetry priced by MEPD (millions of events per day), which is hard to estimate upfront and can spike; Service-level scope varies by product and tier. Confirm whether the Trustwave service-level document applies to the quoted MDR service.. Watch for with r-tec IT Security: Premium is required for 24x7 service times and the 1-hour qualification and First Response target.; Basic still has 24x7 automated detection and alerting, but human service hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00-18:00..
Should I choose LevelBlue or r-tec IT Security?
Choose LevelBlue if: uS federal and state agencies that need FedRAMP/StateRAMP-authorized MDR with deep compliance credentials. Choose r-tec IT Security if: german mid-market and enterprise buyers that want MDR from a services firm with incident-response depth. LevelBlue is not ideal for organizations that prioritize vendor stability. Five ownership changes and a 15% launch-day layoff are red flags.. r-tec IT Security is not ideal for buyers that need public price cards or contract minimums before sales engagement.
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.