How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Rankite is independent; if a vendor ever pays for a featured spot, that listing is clearly labeled Partner.
Key takeaways
- Huntress and Arctic Wolf are the small-business-friendly picks: 24/7 SOC coverage with pricing and onboarding built for lean IT teams.
- CrowdStrike Falcon Complete and SentinelOne Vigilance bring elite detection, but you pay enterprise prices and work through partners.
- Sophos MDR and Bitdefender MDR suit businesses already running those vendors' endpoint products, with bundled pricing that beats buying separately.
- Rapid7 MDR and Expel fit companies that want the SOC to work inside tools they already own, with transparent investigation data.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Huntress | Small businesses that want enterprise-grade SOC without enterprise complexity | See website (quote-based, per-endpoint pricing) | Free trial |
 Arctic Wolf | Predictable flat-rate security operations | See website (quote-based) | No |
 Sophos MDR | Businesses already standardized on Sophos products | See website (quote-based) | No |
 Bitdefender MDR | Small businesses wanting top-rated prevention plus managed response | See website (quote-based) | No |
 CrowdStrike Falcon Complete | Businesses that want the Falcon platform fully managed | See website (Falcon Complete is quote-based; self-managed bundles from $7.99/device/month) | Free trial |
 SentinelOne Vigilance | SentinelOne customers adding managed threat hunting | See website (quote-based) | No |
 Rapid7 MDR | Companies wanting MDR plus unlimited incident response | See website (quote-based) | No |
 Expel | Teams that want full visibility into what their SOC does | See website (quote-based) | No |
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
The best MDR software for small business security
A small business gets attacked like an enterprise but defends like a small business: no SOC, no night shift, maybe one IT person who also resets passwords. Managed detection and response closes that gap by renting you a security operations center: human analysts watching your endpoints around the clock, investigating alerts, and containing threats before they become incidents. These eight providers all sell to smaller organizations, with the differences that matter spelled out.
#1
Huntress
Best for: Small businesses that want enterprise-grade SOC without enterprise complexity
Visit huntress.com
Starting priceSee website (quote-based, per-endpoint pricing)
Free planFree trial
Huntress designed its platform for the companies everyone else ignores: small and mid-size businesses without security staff. Deployment takes minutes per endpoint, the 24/7 SOC investigates and remediates (not just alerts), and the product line now covers managed EDR, identity threat detection, SIEM, and security awareness training. Its 98.9% customer satisfaction rating and 4.8 stars across 1,200-plus G2 reviews reflect an MSP-heavy customer base that stakes its own reputation on the product.
Pricing is per endpoint and quote-based, which keeps entry accessible but means budgeting the whole platform, not just the EDR piece. Huntress does not try to match the feature depth of CrowdStrike or SentinelOne; it tries to be the SOC a 50-person company can actually buy and run. For that buyer, it is the most natural fit on this list.
What we like- Built for smaller organizations with simple deployment
- 24/7 human-led SOC with managed EDR, ITDR, and SIEM
- Strong reputation among MSPs serving SMBs
Watch out for- Per-product pricing means the full platform costs more than the entry product
- Smaller feature set than enterprise MDR suites
Starting priceSee website (quote-based)
Free planNo
Arctic Wolf sells security operations as a service with an unusual promise for the category: flat, predictable pricing. No token metering, no per-alert fees. Its Aurora platform covers endpoints, networks, cloud, and identity with 24/7 monitoring, and the company counts more than 10,000 customers with a large MSP and channel partner network serving smaller businesses.
The flat pricing is genuinely differentiating in a market where surprise overages are common. The trade-off is that Arctic Wolf is a broad platform, not a point product, so onboarding involves more scoping than a Huntress-style deployment. Small businesses buying through an MSP partner tend to get the smoothest experience. If budget predictability is your top criterion, start here.
What we like- Flat, predictable pricing with no per-alert metering
- Broad coverage across endpoint, network, and cloud with 250-plus integrations
- 10,000-plus customers
Watch out for- Quote-based pricing still requires a sales process
- Platform breadth can mean slower onboarding than SMB specialists
#3
Sophos MDR
Best for: Businesses already standardized on Sophos products
Visit sophos.com
Starting priceSee website (quote-based)
Free planNo
Sophos MDR puts the vendor's own analysts on your Sophos-protected environment around the clock. Because the MDR team works with Sophos endpoint, firewall, and email telemetry natively, detection and response avoid the integration gaps that plague multi-vendor setups. Sophos holds Gartner Peer Insights Customers' Choice distinctions across endpoint, firewall, and MDR categories, and its customer base exceeds 625,000 organizations.
The logic is ecosystem: if you already run Sophos Intercept X and Sophos Firewall, adding MDR is the cheapest path to 24/7 coverage. If you run someone else's endpoint, the case weakens considerably, since the integration advantage disappears. Small businesses standardizing their stack on one vendor should price the bundle; everyone else should compare the standalone options.
What we like- Deep integration with Sophos endpoint, firewall, and email products
- Gartner Customers' Choice recognition across endpoint and MDR
- 625,000-plus customers worldwide
Watch out for- Best value locked inside the Sophos ecosystem
- Standalone MDR for non-Sophos environments is less compelling
#4
Bitdefender MDR
Best for: Small businesses wanting top-rated prevention plus managed response
Visit bitdefender.com
Starting priceSee website (quote-based)
Free planNo
Bitdefender's argument is prevention first: its engines consistently rank at the top of independent tests, which means fewer incidents reach the response stage at all. The MDR service layers 24/7 monitoring and response over the GravityZone platform, covering endpoints, cloud workloads, and email. For small businesses, the practical path is usually through a partner or MSP that bundles Bitdefender's small-business security with the MDR service.
The friction is the buying motion. Bitdefender's consumer and small-business products are famously easy to buy; the MDR service is not, running through quotes and partners. Businesses already on GravityZone should ask their partner for the MDR add-on price. Businesses choosing fresh should weigh whether they want prevention-plus-MDR from one vendor or best-of-breed detection with a separate SOC.
What we like- Consistently top-ranked prevention engine reduces what the SOC must chase
- GravityZone platform covers endpoint, cloud, and email
- Strong independent test results
Watch out for- MDR is an enterprise-style engagement despite SMB-friendly products
- Channel-heavy sales motion for smaller buyers
#5
CrowdStrike Falcon Complete
Best for: Businesses that want the Falcon platform fully managed
Visit crowdstrike.com
Starting priceSee website (Falcon Complete is quote-based; self-managed bundles from $7.99/device/month)
Free planFree trial
Falcon Complete is CrowdStrike's MDR tier: the full Falcon platform with CrowdStrike's own team doing the monitoring, hunting, and response around the clock, backed by a breach prevention warranty. It is the most turnkey way to get elite endpoint protection without hiring anyone. CrowdStrike also publishes SMB bundle pricing (Falcon Go from $7.99 per device per month), which gives smaller businesses a self-managed on-ramp.
The honest math for small business: Falcon Complete is priced like the premium product it is, and many sub-200-employee companies get better value from Falcon Go or Pro paired with an MSP that provides the human layer. Complete makes sense when you want CrowdStrike's team specifically and can justify the premium. Everyone else should price the bundle-plus-partner alternative before signing.
What we like- Elite detection on the Falcon platform with a breach prevention warranty
- 24/7 expert-led response included
- SMB-friendly self-managed bundles available below it
Watch out for- Complete-tier pricing is enterprise-grade
- Smaller businesses may find Falcon Go or Pro plus a partner more economical
#6
SentinelOne Vigilance
Best for: SentinelOne customers adding managed threat hunting
Visit sentinelone.com
Starting priceSee website (quote-based)
Free planNo
SentinelOne's Singularity platform is known for autonomous detection and one-click remediation, and Vigilance is the managed layer on top: 24/7 monitoring, threat hunting, and response from SentinelOne's SOC. The company has been named a Leader in Gartner's endpoint protection Magic Quadrant six years running, which is why it shows up on every serious shortlist.
For small business, Vigilance almost always arrives through a partner or MSP rather than direct, which is fine: the partner handles onboarding and the day-to-day relationship. The platform's depth (identity, cloud, data) is more than a 30-person company needs, but that is not a drawback in practice since you only use what you buy. Compare the partner's all-in price against Huntress and Arctic Wolf before assuming the big names cost more.
What we like- AI-native Singularity platform with autonomous response
- Vigilance adds 24/7 human threat hunting and response
- Six-year Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader
Watch out for- Quote-based and partner-delivered, so small businesses buy through channels
- Platform depth exceeds what tiny IT teams will use
#7
Rapid7 MDR
Best for: Companies wanting MDR plus unlimited incident response
Visit rapid7.com
Starting priceSee website (quote-based)
Free planNo
Rapid7's MDR stands out on one line: unlimited incident response included. Most MDR providers meter or cap IR hours; Rapid7's bundled approach means a bad month does not become a second invoice. The service runs on its Insight platform with 24/7 monitoring, detection, and remediation, and its open XDR approach ingests telemetry from tools you already own rather than demanding rip-and-replace.
Rapid7's center of gravity is the mid-market rather than the very small business, so companies under 100 employees typically engage through a partner. The platform's breadth (vulnerability management, cloud security, SIEM) can complicate a simple MDR evaluation; focus the demo on the MDR service specifically. For businesses that already run Rapid7 products, the MDR attach is the natural next step.
What we like- MDR bundled with unlimited incident response is unusual and valuable
- Open XDR approach works with third-party tools
- 11,000-plus customers and strong analyst recognition
Watch out for- Historically mid-market focused, so the smallest businesses buy through partners
- Platform breadth adds evaluation complexity
#8
Expel
Best for: Teams that want full visibility into what their SOC does
Visit expel.io
Starting priceSee website (quote-based)
Free planNo
Expel takes the opposite approach from the platform vendors: keep the EDR, SIEM, and cloud tools you already have, and Expel's SOC operates them for you. Analysts triage alerts, investigate, and remediate across your stack, and every investigation is visible to you, which answers the trust question most MDR buyers quietly have. The company is a Forrester Wave Leader in MDR services with strong marks for transparency.
The catch is arithmetic: Expel's fee sits on top of whatever you pay for the underlying tools, so the all-in cost can exceed a bundled platform. It makes most sense for companies that already own decent tooling but lack the people to run it. If you are starting from zero, a bundled option like Huntress or Arctic Wolf is usually cheaper; if you have the tools and need the team, Expel is built for exactly that.
What we like- Works with your existing security tools instead of replacing them
- Transparent investigations you can inspect
- Analysts reachable directly via Slack or Teams
Watch out for- Bring-your-own-tool model means you still pay for the underlying products
- Smaller vendor than the platform giants
MDR vs MSSP vs EDR: the difference that matters
EDR is software on your endpoints that detects and blocks threats; someone still has to watch it. An MSSP (managed security service provider) watches it for you but typically just forwards alerts. MDR goes further: the provider investigates, contains, and remediates, often with hunting for threats the automation missed. For a small business without security staff, MDR is the only one of the three that actually closes the loop. When a vendor says "managed," ask specifically: do your analysts isolate hosts and kill processes, or do they email me alerts at 2 a.m.?
How we chose
We picked MDR providers that actively sell to small and mid-size businesses in 2026, whether direct or through MSP and channel partners. We verified each vendor's homepage directly and noted Red Canary's acquisition by Zscaler, which removed it from this list. Pricing is quote-based across the category, so we report that honestly rather than printing third-party estimates. Assessments reflect product documentation, analyst recognition, and public reviews; we did not run attack simulations.
Questions to ask before you sign
Ask what "response" includes: which containment actions analysts take without calling you, and what needs your approval. Ask about onboarding time and who does the deployment work; a 30-day onboarding for a 40-person company is a red flag. Ask how the provider handles your existing tools: rip-and-replace, integrate, or ignore. Ask for the escalation path at 2 a.m. on a Saturday, in writing. And ask about contract terms: minimum endpoint counts, annual uplifts, and what happens to your data and configurations if you leave. The answers matter more than any feature checklist, because you are buying a team, not just software.
Frequently asked questions
What is MDR?
Managed detection and response is a service where a vendor's security analysts monitor your systems 24/7, investigate alerts, hunt for hidden threats, and contain incidents on your behalf. It combines security software with the human team most small businesses cannot hire.
How much does MDR cost for a small business?
Almost every provider prices by quote, typically per endpoint or per user per month. Entry-level MDR for a small business commonly runs from a few dollars to low tens of dollars per endpoint monthly, with the managed service premium on top of the underlying software. Always get the all-in quote including onboarding.
Do I still need antivirus if I have MDR?
MDR includes endpoint protection as part of the service; you do not need separate antivirus on covered devices. What MDR adds over antivirus is the human layer: investigation, threat hunting, and response when prevention alone is not enough.
What is the difference between MDR and a SOC?
A SOC (security operations center) is the team and facility; MDR is the service of renting one. Buying MDR means a vendor's SOC watches your environment. Building your own SOC means hiring analysts, buying a SIEM, and staffing nights and weekends, which is out of reach for most small businesses.
How long does MDR deployment take?
SMB-focused providers like Huntress deploy in days; platform vendors like Arctic Wolf or CrowdStrike typically take weeks including scoping and tuning. Ask for the timeline in writing and who does the work, since your IT person's time is the hidden cost.
Can my MSP provide MDR instead?
Yes, and many do: MSPs resell or white-label MDR from vendors like Huntress, SentinelOne, and Bitdefender, adding their own support layer. Compare the MSP's all-in price and response SLAs against buying direct, and confirm whose analysts actually do the threat hunting.
Sources we checked (8)
- https://huntress.com/
- https://arcticwolf.com/
- https://sophos.com/
- https://www.bitdefender.com
- https://www.crowdstrike.com
- https://www.sentinelone.com
- https://www.rapid7.com
- https://expel.io/
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has spent more than a decade helping SaaS and e-commerce brands grow through search. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.