MAD Security vs Performanta
MAD Security and Performanta are both Services firms that work with your existing tools. MAD Security targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations, while Performanta serves Mid-market and Enterprise. MAD Security includes 1 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint), compared to 2 for Performanta (Endpoint, Identity).
Buyer brief
MAD Security and Performanta are both Services firms that work with your existing tools. MAD Security targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations, while Performanta serves Mid-market and Enterprise. MAD Security includes 1 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint), compared to 2 for Performanta (Endpoint, Identity).
Performanta offers broader coverage (2 surfaces vs. 1). MAD Security may suit teams that need depth over breadth.
At a glance
| FIELD |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | Defense contractors and government contractors that need MDR evidence aligned to DFARS, CMMC and NIST requirements | Buyers already committed to Microsoft Defender and Sentinel that want a services firm to manage detection and response |
| Price | MSS example: $24K-$90K/yr; not MDR-only | Custom quote |
| Response authority | 1/6 actions · Configurable | 1/6 actions · Configurable |
| Stack | Works with existing stack | Works with existing stack |
| Data access | Reports only | Dashboards |
| Warranty | None listed | None listed |
- Best fit
- Defense contractors and government contractors that need MDR evidence aligned to DFARS, CMMC and NIST requirements
- Price
- MSS example: $24K-$90K/yr; not MDR-only
- Response authority
- 1/6 actions · Configurable
- Stack
- Works with existing stack
- Data access
- Reports only
- Warranty
- None listed
- Best fit
- Buyers already committed to Microsoft Defender and Sentinel that want a services firm to manage detection and response
- Price
- Custom quote
- Response authority
- 1/6 actions · Configurable
- Stack
- Works with existing stack
- Data access
- Dashboards
- Warranty
- None listed
Detailed comparison
| FIELD | MAD SecurityTECH-AGNOSTIC | PerformantaTECH-AGNOSTIC |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | ||
| Target size | Mid-market, Enterprise | Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Sentiment | Mixed | Mixed |
| Your stack | ||
| Approach | Works with your tools | Works with your tools |
| EDR integrations | None listed | Microsoft Defender |
| SIEM integrations | None listed | Microsoft Sentinel |
| Coverage | EPEndpoint: CoveredCloudCloud: LimitedIDIdentity: LimitedSaaSSaaS: LimitedNetNetwork: Optional add-onOTOT/IoT: Optional add-on | EPEndpoint: CoveredCloudCloud: LimitedIDIdentity: CoveredSaaSSaaS: LimitedNetNetwork: LimitedOTOT/IoT: Not covered |
| Response | ||
| Response type | Active Remediation | Active Remediation |
| Approval policy | Configurable | Configurable |
| Response actions | Custom playbooks | Custom playbooks |
| IR included | Separate | Separate |
| Cost | ||
| Price range | Custom pricing. A vendor-published MAD Security cost-comparison PDF gives $24,000-$90,000 per year as an example average for SMB managed security services, but it is not an MDR-specific quote and says pricing varies. | Not published |
| Minimum seats | None | None |
| Breach warranty | – | – |
| More details | ||
| Requires own agent | No | No |
| Endpoints | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| Cloud workloads | ~ Limited | ~ Limited |
| Identity | ~ Limited | ✓ Included |
| SaaS apps | ~ Limited | ~ Limited |
| Network | + Optional | ~ Limited |
| OT/ICS | + Optional | Not offered |
| Threat hunting | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| Response SLA | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| 24/7 coverage | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pricing model | Custom pricing. MAD Security publishes a broad managed security services cost comparison, but does not publish MDR-specific price bands, minimums, per-endpoint pricing or log-volume pricing. | Custom quote. Performanta does not publish MDR, Safe XDR or managed SOC package pricing. |
| Hidden cost warnings | Confirm whether MDR is quoted as a standalone endpoint service or bundled into SOC-as-a-Service.. Confirm whether NDR, cloud telemetry, identity correlation and OT/IT monitoring are included or separate services.. Ask which tools are included in the MDR fee, since public pages do not name a standard EDR or SIEM platform.. The public $24,000-$90,000 annual example is for managed security services broadly, not a scoped MDR quote.. No public MDR SLA table, service-credit terms or breach warranty were found. | Public pages do not publish MDR pricing, contract minimums or service-credit language.. The explicit MDR offer is tied to Defender for Endpoint, so Microsoft licensing and customer tenant readiness can drive total cost.. Public pages do not define default MDR response authority, so buyers need the managed-technology boundary in writing.. Cloud and SaaS coverage appear tied to Microsoft security controls and Safe XDR scope, so non-Microsoft telemetry should be confirmed early.. Incident response is listed as a consulting service, so buyers should confirm what is included in MDR versus a separate incident-response engagement. |
| Data portability | Partial | Partial |
| Contract terms | Custom | Custom, Managed SOC, Safe XDR, MDR for Defender for Endpoint |
| Channels | EmailPortalPhone | PortalEmailPhone |
| Data access | Reports only | Dashboards |
| Dedicated analyst | – | – |
| SOC regions | North America | EuropeAfrica |
| Onboarding | Not published as a standard MDR onboarding timeline. | Not published. Performanta describes scoping, discovery, prioritisation, validation and mobilisation stages for Safe XDR, but no standard implementation duration was found. |
| Industry focus | Defense Industrial BaseGovernmentMaritimeState and Local GovernmentFinancial ServicesTechnologyHigher EducationManufacturing | Financial ServicesEducationHealthcareGovernmentRetailProfessional ServicesAgricultureTelecommunicationsManufacturingTransportationTourism |
| MTTD | Not published | Not published |
| MTTR | Not published | Not published |
| Community view | MAD Security has clear regulated-sector positioning and public MSSP Alert recognition, but independent MDR buyer-review signal is thin. No meaningful G2, Gartner Peer Insights or PeerSpot MDR review profile was found in this pass. | No meaningful MDR-specific buyer-review signal was found in major English-language review communities during this pass. The public buyer case rests on Performanta's Microsoft security focus, UK and South Africa SOC operations, Safe XDR platform, threat-hunting process and incident-response consulting depth. Buyers should validate pricing, response authority, non-Microsoft telemetry support and exact incident-response inclusion directly. |
| Compliance | CMMCDFARSNIST SP 800-171NIST 800-53FISMAFedRAMPMTSACJISHIPAA | – |
| Certifications | CMMC Level 2 CertifiedCMMC Registered Provider OrganizationService-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business | – |
| Founded | 2010 | 2010 |
| Data retention | Not published | Not published. Performanta says it monitors customer environments and SIEM platforms, but no standard public MDR log-retention period or data-residency term was found. |
| API available | – | – |
| Website | Visit → | Visit → |
FAQ
What is the main difference between MAD Security and Performanta?
MAD Security is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). Performanta is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). MAD Security covers 1 attack surfaces in base pricing vs. 2 for Performanta.
How do MAD Security and Performanta differ in response capabilities?
MAD Security supports 1 autonomous actions (custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Performanta supports 1 autonomous actions (custom playbooks) and approval is configurable.
How does MAD Security pricing compare to Performanta?
MAD Security pricing: Custom pricing. A vendor-published MAD Security cost-comparison PDF gives $24,000-$90,000 per year as an example average for SMB managed security services, but it is not an MDR-specific quote and says pricing varies.. Performanta pricing: Not published. Watch for with MAD Security: Confirm whether MDR is quoted as a standalone endpoint service or bundled into SOC-as-a-Service.; Confirm whether NDR, cloud telemetry, identity correlation and OT/IT monitoring are included or separate services.. Watch for with Performanta: Public pages do not publish MDR pricing, contract minimums or service-credit language.; The explicit MDR offer is tied to Defender for Endpoint, so Microsoft licensing and customer tenant readiness can drive total cost..
Should I choose MAD Security or Performanta?
Choose MAD Security if: defense contractors and government contractors that need MDR evidence aligned to DFARS, CMMC and NIST requirements. Choose Performanta if: buyers already committed to Microsoft Defender and Sentinel that want a services firm to manage detection and response. MAD Security is not ideal for buyers that need MDR-specific pricing, minimums and packaged tiers before talking to sales. Performanta is not ideal for buyers that need public MDR pricing before sales.
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.