MAD Security vs Sapphire
MAD Security and Sapphire are both Services firms that work with your existing tools. MAD Security targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations, while Sapphire serves SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise. MAD Security includes 1 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint), compared to 4 for Sapphire (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Network).
Buyer brief
MAD Security and Sapphire are both Services firms that work with your existing tools. MAD Security targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations, while Sapphire serves SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise. MAD Security includes 1 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint), compared to 4 for Sapphire (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Network).
Sapphire offers broader coverage (4 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 | UK organisations that want MDR from a UK-owned provider with a UK-based CREST-accredited SOC |
| 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
- UK organisations that want MDR from a UK-owned provider with a UK-based CREST-accredited SOC
- 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 | SapphireTECH-AGNOSTIC |
|---|---|---|
| ›› Fit | ||
| Target size | Mid-market, Enterprise | SMB, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Sentiment | Mixed | Mixed |
| ›› Your stack | ||
| Approach | Works with your tools | Works with your tools |
| EDR integrations | None listed | EDR toolsMicrosoft technologies |
| SIEM integrations | None listed | ExabeamSIEM tools |
| Coverage | EPEndpoint: CoveredCloudCloud: LimitedIDIdentity: LimitedSaaSSaaS: LimitedNetNetwork: Optional add-onOTOT/IoT: Optional add-on | EPEndpoint: CoveredCloudCloud: CoveredIDIdentity: LimitedSaaSSaaS: CoveredNetNetwork: CoveredOTOT/IoT: Optional add-on |
| ›› Response | ||
| Response type | Active Remediation | Active Remediation |
| Approval policy | Configurable | Configurable |
| Response actions | Custom playbooks | Custom playbooks |
| IR included | Separate | ✓ Included |
| ›› 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 | ✓ Included |
| Identity | ~ Limited | ~ Limited |
| SaaS apps | ~ Limited | ✓ Included |
| Network | + Optional | ✓ Included |
| OT/ICS | + Optional | + Optional |
| 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. Sapphire does not publish MDR 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 response SLAs or exact response-authority rules.. MDR, MXDR and OT SOC scope can differ materially, so buyers should define monitored surfaces in the order form.. The page publishes vendor-reported comparative metrics without independent methodology.. IR hours are included as standard, but buyers should confirm number of hours, coverage triggers and overage rates. |
| Data portability | Partial | Partial |
| Contract terms | Custom | Custom |
| Channels | EmailPortalPhone | PortalEmailPhone |
| Data access | Reports only | Dashboards |
| Dedicated analyst | – | – |
| SOC regions | North America | Europe |
| Onboarding | Not published as a standard MDR onboarding timeline. | Sapphire references onboarding and implementation that can be shorter than expected, but no standard public MDR onboarding timeline was found. |
| Industry focus | Defense Industrial BaseGovernmentMaritimeState and Local GovernmentFinancial ServicesTechnologyHigher EducationManufacturing | Public SectorDefenceFinancial ServicesProfessional ServicesIndustrialsManufacturingOperational TechnologyHealthcare |
| 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. | Sapphire has limited MDR-specific community review volume. The public buyer case is strongest for UK ownership, UK-based SOC delivery, CREST SOC accreditation and IT/OT services depth. Buyers should validate response authority, price, metrics and the exact split between MDR, MXDR, OT SOC and incident-response work. |
| Compliance | CMMCDFARSNIST SP 800-171NIST 800-53FISMAFedRAMPMTSACJISHIPAA | ISO 27001NISTHIPAADORACyber Essentials PlusCRESTGDPRPCI DSS |
| Certifications | CMMC Level 2 CertifiedCMMC Registered Provider OrganizationService-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business | CREST SOCCREST Penetration TestingCyber Essentials PlusISO 27001 |
| Founded | 2010 | 1996 |
| Data retention | Not published | Not published as a standard MDR retention period. |
| API available | – | – |
| Website | Visit → | Visit → |
›› FAQ
What is the main difference between MAD Security and Sapphire?
MAD Security is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). Sapphire is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). MAD Security covers 1 attack surfaces in base pricing vs. 4 for Sapphire.
How do MAD Security and Sapphire differ in response capabilities?
MAD Security supports 1 autonomous actions (custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Sapphire supports 1 autonomous actions (custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Incident response is not included with MAD Security and included with Sapphire.
How does MAD Security pricing compare to Sapphire?
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.. Sapphire 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 Sapphire: Public pages do not publish response SLAs or exact response-authority rules.; MDR, MXDR and OT SOC scope can differ materially, so buyers should define monitored surfaces in the order form..
Should I choose MAD Security or Sapphire?
Choose MAD Security if: defense contractors and government contractors that need MDR evidence aligned to DFARS, CMMC and NIST requirements. Choose Sapphire if: uK organisations that want MDR from a UK-owned provider with a UK-based CREST-accredited SOC. MAD Security is not ideal for buyers that need MDR-specific pricing, minimums and packaged tiers before talking to sales. Sapphire is not ideal for buyers that need public MDR pricing or contractual response SLAs 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.