Ontinue vs Palo Alto Networks: MDR Comparison 2026
Ontinue (Microsoft-ecosystem) and Palo Alto Networks (EDR vendor) take different approaches to managed detection and response. Ontinue requires its own security platform, while Palo Alto Networks requires its own security platform. Ontinue targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; Palo Alto Networks focuses on Mid-market and Enterprise. Ontinue includes 5 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network), compared to 6 for Palo Alto Networks (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network, OT/ICS).
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Ontinue vs Palo Alto Networks: Which Should You Choose?
Choose Ontinue if:
- •Organizations heavily invested in Microsoft E5/Defender ecosystem
- •Teams wanting Microsoft Teams as primary SOC communication channel
- •Mid-market and enterprise needing fast onboarding on Microsoft stack
Choose Palo Alto Networks if:
- •US government and defense organizations needing FedRAMP Moderate, DoD IL5, StateRAMP compliance
- •Large enterprises wanting co-managed SOC with full visibility into their Cortex XDR/XSIAM tenant
- •Organizations wanting breach response guarantee (MSIAM 2.0 — 250 hours IR included)
- •You need OT/ICS coverage included in base pricing
- •Breach warranty matters to you (Palo Alto Networks offers one, Ontinue does not)
Bottom line: Ontinue (Microsoft-ecosystem) and Palo Alto Networks (EDR vendor) serve different buyer profiles. Your decision depends on whether you prioritize Ontinue's microsoft-native mxdr with 99.5% ai-automated incident resolution rate and unique teams-based col... or Palo Alto Networks's enterprise mdr backed by palo alto networks' threat intelligence infrastructure (500b events/day,....
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Ontinue and Palo Alto Networks?
Ontinue is a Microsoft-ecosystem that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). Palo Alto Networks is an EDR vendor that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). Ontinue covers 5 attack surfaces in base pricing vs. 6 for Palo Alto Networks.
How do Ontinue and Palo Alto Networks differ in response capabilities?
Ontinue supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Palo Alto Networks supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Incident response is included with Ontinue and not included with Palo Alto Networks.
How does Ontinue pricing compare to Palo Alto Networks?
Ontinue pricing: Custom-quoted pricing. Palo Alto Networks pricing: Cortex XDR Pro: ~$81/endpoint/year starting (platform only). Unit 42 MDR service is additional custom pricing. Total cost depends on endpoints, tier (Pro vs Premium), coverage scope, and contract terms.. Watch for with Ontinue: Requires Microsoft E5 or Defender licenses as prerequisite; Microsoft Sentinel consumption costs are separate. Watch for with Palo Alto Networks: Cortex XDR/XSIAM platform license is a significant prerequisite cost on top of MDR service fee; Cortex Data Lake storage costs are separate and scale with data volume.
Should I choose Ontinue or Palo Alto Networks?
Choose Ontinue if: organizations heavily invested in Microsoft E5/Defender ecosystem. Choose Palo Alto Networks if: enterprise organizations already invested in the Palo Alto ecosystem (NGFW, Prisma, WildFire) wanting native MDR integration. Ontinue is not ideal for organizations using non-Microsoft EDR (CrowdStrike, SentinelOne). Palo Alto Networks is not ideal for sMBs or budget-constrained organizations — significant prerequisite costs (Cortex XDR + Data Lake) plus MDR service fee.