Palo Alto Networks vs Secureworks: MDR Comparison 2026
Palo Alto Networks (EDR vendor) and Secureworks (Services firm) take different approaches to managed detection and response. Palo Alto Networks requires its own security platform, while Secureworks works with your existing tools. Palo Alto Networks targets Mid-market and Enterprise organizations; Secureworks focuses on Mid-market and Enterprise. Palo Alto Networks includes 6 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, Identity, Network, OT/ICS), compared to 4 for Secureworks (Endpoint, Cloud, Identity, Network).
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Palo Alto Networks vs Secureworks: Which Should You Choose?
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 SaaS and OT/ICS coverage included in base pricing
- •Breach warranty matters to you (Palo Alto Networks offers one, Secureworks does not)
Choose Secureworks if:
- •Organizations valuing deep threat intelligence (CTU now part of Sophos X-Ops, still actively publishing)
- •Companies needing OT/ICS MDR coverage (Dragos, Claroty, Nozomi, SCADAfence integrations)
- •Financial services organizations needing FFIEC-examined technology service provider
Bottom line: Palo Alto Networks is the choice if you want a single-vendor stack with deep integration. Secureworks is better if you have existing tools and want flexibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Palo Alto Networks and Secureworks?
Palo Alto Networks is an EDR vendor that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). Secureworks is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). SLA commitments differ: Palo Alto Networks offers Not disclosed, Secureworks offers ≤1 hour. Palo Alto Networks covers 6 attack surfaces in base pricing vs. 4 for Secureworks.
How do Palo Alto Networks and Secureworks 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. Secureworks supports 4 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, network containment, account disable, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Incident response is not included with Palo Alto Networks and included with Secureworks.
How does Palo Alto Networks pricing compare to Secureworks?
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.. Secureworks pricing: PeerSpot community reports: ~$60K-$320K+/year depending on environment. One user: initial $160-170/endpoint negotiated to $110/endpoint. Another: ~$70 USD/agent/year with volume discounts. Available on AWS and Azure Marketplaces.. 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 Secureworks: Sophos acquisition completed Feb 2025 — Taegis integration into Sophos Central underway, long-term platform consolidation likely; ~6% workforce reduction (~380 roles) in Feb 2025 post-acquisition — analyst continuity should be verified.
Should I choose Palo Alto Networks or Secureworks?
Choose Palo Alto Networks if: enterprise organizations already invested in the Palo Alto ecosystem (NGFW, Prisma, WildFire) wanting native MDR integration. Choose Secureworks if: enterprise organizations wanting open XDR with existing CrowdStrike, Microsoft Defender, SentinelOne, or Carbon Black EDR investments. Palo Alto Networks is not ideal for sMBs or budget-constrained organizations — significant prerequisite costs (Cortex XDR + Data Lake) plus MDR service fee. Secureworks is not ideal for enterprise organizations concerned about Sophos's SMB/mid-market heritage and whether Taegis enterprise investment continues.