MDR Cost 2026 - What Managed Detection and Response Actually Costs
Every MDR vendor hides pricing behind "contact sales." Every comparison site is run by an MDR provider pushing their own service. This guide is different. We compile real pricing from public sources, Vendr transaction data, Gartner benchmarks, and partner channel intelligence to give you the numbers you need for a budget proposal - no sales calls required.
MDRCost.com is an independent pricing guide. We are not affiliated with CrowdStrike, Arctic Wolf, SentinelOne, Sophos, Huntress, Expel, or any MDR vendor. Pricing data is compiled from public sources, partner channels, and verified buyer reports. Always request a direct quote for your specific environment.
Quick Answer: MDR Pricing Summary
MDR costs $15-50 per endpoint per month for most mid-market organisations. For 500 endpoints, expect to pay $90,000-$300,000/year. Huntress starts at roughly $3/endpoint for SMBs. Arctic Wolf median deal size: $96,340/year (Vendr, 17 purchases). CrowdStrike Falcon Complete runs $25-45/endpoint/month for enterprise buyers.
Where Each Vendor Sits on the Pricing Spectrum
MDR pricing ranges from $3 to $45+ per endpoint per month. The range is wide because these services vary dramatically in scope, from lightweight managed EDR monitoring to full security operations with dedicated analyst teams, threat hunting, and incident response. Below is where each major vendor typically falls for a mid-market buyer with 500 endpoints.
6-Vendor MDR Comparison Table
This table compares the six most widely evaluated MDR providers across the dimensions that matter most for a procurement decision. All pricing data is based on verified buyer reports, Vendr transaction analysis, partner channel intelligence, and publicly available information as of April 2026. Your actual quote will depend on endpoint count, contract length, and negotiation.
| Vendor | Price Range | Model | SLA | Min Endpoints | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CrowdStrike | $25-45/endpoint/month | All-in-one managed | 1-hour response | 250+ | Enterprise (500+ endpoints) |
| Arctic Wolf | $8-25/endpoint/month | Concierge Security Team | 4-hour response | 100 users | Mid-market (100-5,000) |
| SentinelOne | $7-23/endpoint/month (total) | Add-on to platform | 4-hour response | No hard minimum | Existing S1 customers |
| Sophos | $7-17/endpoint/month | Channel/partner based | 8-hour response | No hard minimum | Mid-market, Sophos ecosystem |
| Huntress | $3-9/endpoint/month | Per-endpoint monthly | Same-day response | 50 seats | SMB and MSPs |
| Expel | From $11,640/year base | Tool-agnostic overlay | 4-hour response | Flexible | Existing tool investments |
Last verified April 2026. Pricing compiled from Vendr transaction data, partner channel intelligence, and verified buyer reports. Always request a direct quote.
MDR Pricing Models Explained
MDR vendors do not all charge the same way. Understanding the pricing model is critical because it determines how your costs scale as your organisation grows. Some models favour smaller companies, while others provide better economics at enterprise scale. Choosing the wrong model can mean paying 2-3x more than necessary for the same level of coverage.
Per-Endpoint
Most common. Price scales linearly with endpoint count. Volume discounts at 500+ and 1,000+ thresholds.
Vendors: CrowdStrike, Arctic Wolf, SentinelOne, Sophos, Huntress
Per-User
Price based on user count rather than device count. Can be cheaper for organisations with many devices per user.
Vendors: Sophos (alternative model), Arctic Wolf (entry tier)
Flat-Fee / Base Tier
Fixed annual price for a defined scope. Simpler budgeting but may not scale efficiently.
Vendors: Expel (base tier), Arctic Wolf (entry at $44K/year)
Add-On Layer
MDR purchased as an add-on to an existing EDR platform licence. Total cost is platform + MDR layer.
Vendors: SentinelOne Vigilance (on top of Singularity platform)
What Drives MDR Price Differences
The gap between a $3/endpoint Huntress deployment and a $45/endpoint CrowdStrike Falcon Complete engagement is not arbitrary. Several factors determine where your MDR cost will land within the spectrum. Understanding these factors helps you negotiate effectively and avoid paying for capabilities you do not need.
Coverage Hours
Business-hours-only monitoring costs 30-40% less than 24/7/365 coverage. Most MDR services include 24/7 as standard, but some budget tiers offer business-hours alerting with after-hours escalation only for critical threats. For most organisations, 24/7 coverage is essential since attackers deliberately target off-hours.
SLA Response Time
The speed guarantee for initial response dramatically affects pricing. A 1-hour SLA (CrowdStrike Falcon Complete) costs significantly more than an 8-hour SLA (Sophos MDR Essentials). Evaluate your actual risk tolerance before paying premium rates for faster response times that you may not need.
Data Sources Monitored
Endpoint-only MDR (the base tier for most vendors) monitors devices. Adding cloud workloads, email security, identity/Active Directory, and network telemetry increases costs by 50-100%. Full-stack MDR that covers all attack surfaces costs roughly double endpoint-only monitoring.
Incident Response Inclusion
Standard MDR includes investigation and containment - the analysts find threats and stop them. Full incident response with forensics, evidence preservation, and legal coordination typically costs extra at $250-400/hour. Some premium tiers include a block of IR retainer hours.
Endpoint Count and Volume
Volume discounts are significant in MDR. A 100-endpoint company might pay $18/endpoint/month, while a 2,000-endpoint company pays $10/endpoint/month with the same vendor. The discount tiers typically break at 100, 250, 500, 1,000, and 5,000 endpoints.
Contract Length
Annual contracts are standard. Multi-year commitments (2-3 years) can reduce costs by 10-20%. Monthly billing is available from some vendors like Huntress but carries a premium. Watch for annual price escalation clauses of 3-7% that can significantly increase total contract value.
MDR Volume Discount Guide
Volume discounts are the single biggest lever for reducing MDR cost. The table below shows typical per-endpoint pricing at different scale tiers across major vendors. These figures represent negotiated pricing from verified buyer reports, not list prices. Your actual discount will depend on contract length, scope, and negotiation.
| Endpoints | Huntress | Sophos MDR | Arctic Wolf | CrowdStrike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | $7-9 | $14-17 | $18-25 | N/A |
| 500 | $5-7 | $10-14 | $12-18 | $35-45 |
| 1,000 | $4-6 | $8-12 | $8-14 | $28-38 |
| 5,000 | $3-5 | $7-10 | $8-12 | $25-32 |
Prices in USD per endpoint per month. Based on verified buyer reports and partner channel data, April 2026.
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Related Security Pricing Guides
MDR is just one component of a comprehensive security strategy. If you are evaluating your overall cybersecurity spend, these independent pricing guides cover complementary tools and services that many organisations purchase alongside or instead of MDR.
Frequently Asked Questions About MDR Cost
How much does MDR cost per endpoint?
MDR costs between $3 and $50 per endpoint per month depending on the vendor and service tier. Huntress starts at around $3 per endpoint for MSPs, while CrowdStrike Falcon Complete runs $25-45 per endpoint for enterprise customers. The average mid-market organisation pays $12-20 per endpoint per month. Volume discounts typically begin at 500 endpoints.
Which MDR vendor is cheapest?
Huntress is the most affordable MDR vendor at $3-9 per endpoint per month, with MSP partner pricing as low as $2.50 per endpoint. Sophos MDR Essentials is the next most affordable at roughly $7-10 per endpoint per month. Arctic Wolf's entry tier starts at $44,000 per year for up to 100 users. The cheapest option depends on your endpoint count and whether you need a full SOC team or lighter monitoring.
Is MDR worth the cost for small business?
MDR is generally worth the cost for small businesses with 50 or more endpoints. The average cost of a data breach for businesses with fewer than 500 employees is $3.3 million, while annual MDR costs for a 100-endpoint company range from $3,600 to $10,800. MDR also satisfies cyber insurance requirements and can reduce premiums by 15-25%. For businesses that cannot afford a dedicated security analyst at $80,000-120,000 per year, MDR provides 24/7 coverage at a fraction of that cost.
What is the difference between MDR and EDR?
EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) is security software that detects threats on your devices. It costs $3-15 per endpoint per month but requires trained analysts to monitor and respond to alerts. MDR (Managed Detection and Response) bundles EDR software with a team of security analysts who monitor your environment 24/7 and respond to threats on your behalf. MDR costs $15-50 per endpoint per month but eliminates the need to hire security staff. Most MDR services include their own EDR agent.
How much does CrowdStrike Falcon Complete cost?
CrowdStrike Falcon Complete costs approximately $25-45 per endpoint per month based on buyer-reported data from Vendr and partner channels. CrowdStrike does not publish Falcon Complete pricing publicly - all deals are custom quoted. The service requires a minimum of roughly 250 endpoints and a 12-month contract. For context, the base CrowdStrike Falcon EDR tiers range from $5 to $15 per device per month, so the managed service layer roughly doubles or triples the cost.
Does MDR replace the need for in-house security staff?
MDR can fully replace an in-house SOC for small and mid-market organisations. Building a 24/7 security operations centre requires 5-6 analysts plus a manager, costing $600,000-900,000 per year in salaries alone, plus $1-2 million in initial infrastructure. MDR provides equivalent 24/7 coverage for $90,000-300,000 per year at 500 endpoints. Large enterprises often use a hybrid model with a small in-house team during business hours and MDR for after-hours and weekend coverage.