Sophos vs ESET: MDR Comparison 2026
Detailed comparison of Sophos and ESET managed detection and response services. Compare response capabilities, SLA, coverage, integrations, and compliance.
Winner by Category
Response Level
Tie
Same level
SLA Speed
Sophos
Faster response time
Coverage Breadth
Tie
Same coverage
Integrations
Sophos
More integration options
Criteria
Industry-leading breadth of integration (350+ vendors), inclusive full-scale incident response with no caps, $1M breach warranty with simple qualification, and top G2 rankings. Best suited for organizations with heterogeneous security stacks who want comprehensive managed response without hidden fees.
Strong SMB-focused MDR built on 30+ years of threat research, with fast 20-minute response times and accessible 25-device minimum. Best for organizations already in or willing to adopt the ESET ecosystem.
Response Type
Active Remediation
Active Remediation
Approval Policy
Configurable
Configurable
Auto-Isolate
✓
✓
Kill Process
✓
✓
IR Included
✓ Included
✓ Included
Response SLA
≤15 minutes
20m
24/7 Coverage
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
Channels
EmailPortalPhone
EmailPortalPhone
Data Access
Dashboards
Dashboards
Model
Per-user and per-server pricing; two tiers (MDR Essentials and MDR Complete)
Per-seat/device, custom-quoted; available as add-on to ESET PROTECT Enterprise or Elite tiers. MSP pricing with daily billing or monthly invoicing.
Price Range
Custom quote required; tiered pricing bands (10-24, 25-49, 50-99, etc.)
Custom-quoted based on environment and device count; volume discounts available
Minimum Seats
10
25
Threat Hunting
✓ Included
✓ Included
Overall
Very Positive
Positive
Summary
Ranked #1 overall for MDR on G2. Praised for value, 350+ integrations, and the technology-agnostic approach. Criticized for technical support responsiveness and resource intensity on endpoints.
Recognized as Market Leader and Product Leader in MDR by KuppingerCole 2024. Praised for fast 20-minute response times, strong threat intelligence from 30+ years of research, and good SMB accessibility. Criticized for UI/UX issues and the ESET console interface being unintuitive for US users.
Sophos vs ESET: Which Should You Choose?
Choose Sophos if:
- You need active remediation
- ≤15 minutes response time meets your needs
- You prefer technology agnostic solutions
- Your org size: SMB / Mid-market / Enterprise
Choose ESET if:
- You need active remediation
- 20m response time meets your needs
- You prefer platform native solutions
- Your org size: SMB / Mid-market / Enterprise
FAQ
What's the main difference between Sophos and ESET?
Key differences: response model (Active Remediation vs Active Remediation), SLA (≤15 minutes vs 20m), and approach (Technology Agnostic vs Platform Native).