Palo Alto Networks vs Proficio: MDR comparison 2026
Palo Alto Networks is a Platform vendor that requires its own security platform. Proficio is a Pure-play MDR that works with your existing tools. Palo Alto Networks targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; Proficio serves SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise. Palo Alto Networks includes 5 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network), compared to 2 for Proficio (Endpoint, Network).
Key differences at a glance
Full comparison
Which should you choose?
Choose Palo Alto Networks if:
- •Enterprise organizations already invested in the Palo Alto ecosystem (NGFW, Prisma, WildFire) wanting native MDR
- •US government and defense organizations needing FedRAMP Moderate, DoD IL5, StateRAMP compliance
- •Large enterprises facing sophisticated threats needing Unit 42 threat intelligence (500B events/day)
- •You need Cloud and SaaS and Identity coverage included in base pricing
- •Breach warranty matters to you (Palo Alto Networks offers one, Proficio does not)
Choose Proficio if:
- •Mid-market organizations with existing Splunk, Sentinel, or Elastic wanting managed detection without rip-and-replace
- •Companies needing SOC-as-a-Service with flexible SIEM options (hosted or customer-owned)
- •Budget-conscious teams that want managed detection without the price tag of CrowdStrike or Arctic Wolf
Bottom line: Palo Alto Networks is the choice if you want a single-vendor stack with deep integration. Proficio is better if you have existing tools and want flexibility.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between Palo Alto Networks and Proficio?
Palo Alto Networks is a Platform vendor that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). Proficio is a Pure-play MDR that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). Palo Alto Networks covers 5 attack surfaces in base pricing vs. 2 for Proficio.
How do Palo Alto Networks and Proficio differ in response capabilities?
Palo Alto Networks supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Proficio supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable.
How does Palo Alto Networks pricing compare to Proficio?
Palo Alto Networks pricing: Cortex XDR Pro: ~$81/endpoint/year reported (platform only, pricing sources vary). Unit 42 MDR service is additional custom pricing. Total cost depends on endpoints, tier, coverage scope, and contract terms.. Proficio pricing: Custom-quoted pricing. 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. Watch for with Proficio: Base ProSOC MDR is monitoring and alerting only. Automated containment (Active Defense) is a separate paid add-on, so budget accordingly.; Log volume directly affects pricing. If your environment grows or you add new log sources, expect cost increases..
Should I choose Palo Alto Networks or Proficio?
Choose Palo Alto Networks if: enterprise organizations already invested in the Palo Alto ecosystem (NGFW, Prisma, WildFire) wanting native MDR. Choose Proficio if: mid-market organizations with existing Splunk, Sentinel, or Elastic wanting managed detection without rip-and-replace. Palo Alto Networks is not ideal for sMBs or budget-constrained organizations (significant platform prerequisites plus MDR service fee). Proficio is not ideal for organizations expecting automated response in base pricing (Active Defense is a paid add-on).