Sophos vs Trustwave: MDR Comparison 2026
Sophos and Trustwave are both categorized as Services firms, but differ in execution. Sophos works with your existing tools and targets SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise organizations. Trustwave works with your existing tools and focuses on Mid-market and Enterprise.
Key Differences at a Glance
Winner by Category
Sophos vs Trustwave: Which Should You Choose?
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
- •Breach warranty matters to you (Sophos offers one, Trustwave does not)
Choose Trustwave if:
- •US government organizations needing the first FedRAMP-authorized pure-play MDR provider
- •Companies needing both MDR and PCI DSS compliance/assessment from a single provider
- •Mid-market and enterprise organizations wanting a co-managed SOC model alongside internal teams
Bottom line: Both providers target similar markets. Compare their specific response actions, communication channels, and pricing structure to find the better fit for your environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Sophos and Trustwave?
Sophos is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). Trustwave is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). SLA commitments differ: Sophos offers ≤15 minutes, Trustwave offers ≤30 minutes.
How do Sophos and Trustwave differ in response capabilities?
Sophos supports 6 autonomous actions (endpoint isolation, process termination, network containment, account disable, file quarantine, custom playbooks) and approval is configurable. Trustwave 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 Sophos and not included with Trustwave.
How does Sophos pricing compare to Trustwave?
Sophos pricing: Custom quote required; tiered pricing bands (10-24, 25-49, 50-99, etc.) (10-seat minimum). Trustwave pricing: Starting at ~$43,775/year (SelectHub estimate). Enterprise pricing is custom/quote-based.. 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. Watch for with Trustwave: Ownership instability — 4 ownership events in 10 years (Singtel → Chertoff/MC2 → failed Cybereason merger → LevelBlue); IR not included in base MDR — separate DFIR retainer required.
Should I choose Sophos or Trustwave?
Choose Sophos if: sMBs and mid-market organizations seeking an all-in-one MDR with inclusive IR. Choose Trustwave if: uS government organizations needing the first FedRAMP-authorized pure-play MDR provider. Sophos is not ideal for large enterprises needing deep, custom detection engineering. Trustwave is not ideal for organizations concerned about vendor stability — 4 ownership events in 10 years including a failed Cybereason merger.