Rapid7 vs Sophos: MDR Comparison 2026
Rapid7 (EDR vendor) and Sophos (Services firm) take different approaches to managed detection and response. Rapid7 requires its own security platform, while Sophos works with your existing tools. Rapid7 targets SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise organizations; Sophos focuses on SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise.
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Rapid7 vs Sophos: Which Should You Choose?
Choose Rapid7 if:
- •Mid-market to enterprise organizations wanting full data transparency alongside MDR
- •Security teams that want to retain query access to their own data
- •Organizations needing active remediation without a fully outsourced model
- •You want direct Slack integration with your SOC
Choose Sophos if:
- •SMBs and mid-market organizations seeking an all-in-one MDR with inclusive IR
- •Organizations with diverse, multi-vendor security stacks needing broad integration support
- •Companies wanting straightforward pricing with predictable costs
Bottom line: Rapid7 is the choice if you want a single-vendor stack with deep integration. Sophos is better if you have existing tools and want flexibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Rapid7 and Sophos?
Rapid7 is an EDR vendor that is platform-native (requires their own security stack). Sophos is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). SLA commitments differ: Rapid7 offers Not disclosed, Sophos offers ≤15 minutes.
How do Rapid7 and Sophos differ in response capabilities?
Rapid7 supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Sophos supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable.
How does Rapid7 pricing compare to Sophos?
Rapid7 pricing: Starting ~$17/asset/month; $30,000-$150,000+/year for enterprise deployments. Sophos pricing: Custom quote required; tiered pricing bands (10-24, 25-49, 50-99, etc.) (10-seat minimum). Watch for with Rapid7: Requires Rapid7 Insight Agent on at least 80% of supported assets; Enterprise tier significantly more expensive than Essentials. Watch for with Sophos: MDR Essentials does NOT include breach warranty or full incident response — those require MDR Complete; Linux server protection requires separate Sophos Workload Protection subscription.
Should I choose Rapid7 or Sophos?
Choose Rapid7 if: mid-market to enterprise organizations wanting full data transparency alongside MDR. Choose Sophos if: sMBs and mid-market organizations seeking an all-in-one MDR with inclusive IR. Rapid7 is not ideal for small organizations with fewer than 100 assets seeking budget MDR. Sophos is not ideal for large enterprises needing deep, custom detection engineering.