MDR is now the line item that decides whether an MSP keeps a client through a cyber insurance renewal. Carriers are no longer accepting endpoint protection alone, and most SMB clients cannot pass underwriting without 24/7 monitored detection and response on the stack. 81% of MSPs now offer an MDR service, up from roughly 55% three years ago.
The hard part is picking the right SOC and MDR provider, because the category has split into two very different products that happen to share the MDR label. There are MSP-native platforms built channel-first like Blackpoint and Huntress, and there are mid-market direct-sales platforms like Arctic Wolf that an MSP can resell but never fully own. The response model also matters more than feature lists. Some MDRs alert and guide your team to respond. Others contain the threat autonomously inside an agreed scope. That distinction shows up in MTTR every single time.
This guide ranks the four MDR providers that consistently make MSP shortlists in 2026. Blackpoint takes the top spot. Huntress, Sophos MDR, and Arctic Wolf round out the list.
Read the Quick Take if you have two minutes. Read the full reviews before you sign a contract or switch your client base.
Quick Take
- Blackpoint Cyber — Best overall for MSP-native SOC. Channel-only MDR with autonomous threat containment, multi-tenant partner architecture, and incident response included in base pricing.
- Huntress — Best multi-layer platform for SMB-focused MSPs. Managed EDR with under 1% false positive rate, plus ITDR, SIEM, and Security Awareness Training at roughly $2.50 to $3.50 per endpoint per month.
- Sophos MDR — Best for Sophos-stack and mid-market MSPs. 18,000+ MSP customer environments defended, MSP Elevate channel program, and the only major MDR that runs natively on Microsoft Defender for Business.
- Arctic Wolf — Best for MSPs serving mid-market clients with a concierge requirement. Named Concierge Security Team and $3M breach warranty option, with direct-sales conflict as a known trade-off.
The 4 best SOC and MDR providers for MSPs at a glance
| Rank | Product | Best For | Starting Price | Standout Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blackpoint Cyber | Best overall for MSP-native SOC | ~$8–$10/endpoint/mo | Channel-only with autonomous threat containment and IR included |
| 2 | Huntress | Best multi-layer platform for SMB stacks | ~$2.50–$3.50/endpoint/mo (EDR) | Sub-1% false positive rate across managed EDR |
| 3 | Sophos MDR | Best for Sophos-stack and mid-market MSPs | ~$7–$17/endpoint/mo | MSP Elevate program with EDR-agnostic coverage across 350+ tools |
| 4 | Arctic Wolf | Best for MSPs serving mid-market clients | $44K+/year (~$30–$40/endpoint/mo at small scale) | Named Concierge Security Team and $3M breach warranty option |
1. Blackpoint Cyber
Best Overall for MSP-Native SOC — ~$8 to $10/endpoint/mo
Blackpoint Cyber is a Managed Detection and Response platform with an autonomous, MSP-native 24/7 SOC that contains threats in real time rather than emailing your team to respond — sold exclusively through the channel with no direct-to-end-customer motion.
Blackpoint is the only major MDR on this list that is structurally aligned with the MSP business model. The vendor does not sell direct to your clients, which removes the single biggest source of channel conflict that has defined the MDR category since direct-to-mid-market sales became normalized. The Blackpoint SOC takes containment action — isolate, kill, quarantine — on threats in real time inside the agreed scope, rather than sending your on-call tech a guide at 2 AM. The combination of channel-only sales, autonomous response, and multi-tenant MSP architecture is why Blackpoint consistently tops MSP MDR shortlists in 2026.
What you actually get
- Channel-only sales model — Blackpoint does not sell direct to end customers. Zero structural channel conflict, full stop.
- Autonomous SOC containment rather than alert-and-guide. Real-time isolate, kill, and quarantine actions inside agreed scope.
- CompassOne platform that unifies detection, response, and security posture management in one MSP-native console.
- Multi-tenant partner architecture designed for MSPs managing 25 or more SMB client environments from a single pane.
- Volume discounts at 50+ endpoints with month-to-month or annual contract options available.
- Native incident response and full remediation included in base service rather than upsold as a separate retainer.
What works
- The only MDR on this list with a strict no-direct-sales policy — zero structural channel conflict
- Autonomous containment beats alert-and-guide for MSPs without 24/7 in-house tier-1 response
- Incident response included in base pricing rather than billed separately
- Multi-tenant MSP partner portal designed for the way MSPs actually operate across dozens of client environments
- Month-to-month contracts available — rare in this category
What to know
- Pricing per endpoint is significantly higher than Huntress at the same EDR coverage level
- Windows and macOS only — no Linux agent, which matters for MSPs with Linux server exposure in client environments
- No published false positive rate, unlike Huntress
- Smaller vendor scale than Sophos or Arctic Wolf — less brand recognition at end-customer procurement conversations
Best for: MSPs of any size delivering managed security as a productized service to SMB clients, particularly those serving Windows-and-macOS-heavy environments and running without a 24/7 in-house tier-1 team.
Skip if: You have heavy Linux server fleet exposure across your client base, or you are at very small scale (under 25 total endpoints) where Huntress’s lower per-endpoint pricing wins on total cost of ownership.
Pricing: Roughly $8 to $10 per endpoint per month with volume discounts at 50+ endpoints. Quote-based through the channel. Month-to-month or annual contracts available. Incident response included in base service in most partner agreements.
2. Huntress
Best Multi-Layer Platform for SMB-Focused MSPs — ~$2.50 to $3.50/endpoint/mo (EDR)
Huntress is a managed security platform purpose-built for MSPs and SMBs, combining Managed EDR, Identity Threat Detection and Response for Microsoft 365 and Entra ID, a managed SIEM, and Managed Security Awareness Training — all backed by a 24/7 AI-assisted, human-led SOC.
Huntress publishes a false positive rate of less than 1% on managed EDR with human review of every alert before it reaches partners. For MSPs that have been burned by high alert volume or noisy MDRs, that alert quality is the entire product. Huntress also covers the broadest single-vendor platform on this list — endpoints, identities, logs, and human risk under one roof — at SMB-friendly pricing. It does not rank first because Huntress requires its own agent stack rather than running on top of any EDR you already deploy, and because the modular pricing model means a full Huntress stack at scale approaches Blackpoint’s pricing.
What you actually get
- Sub-1% false positive rate on managed EDR with human review of every alert before partner notification — the most documented alert quality claim in the MSP MDR category.
- Managed ITDR for Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Entra ID including hybrid AD, with fast SOC response on identity threats.
- Managed SIEM for log aggregation and detection across the broader stack.
- Managed Security Awareness Training included in the platform rather than bolted on from a third party.
- Five autonomous response actions — account disable, endpoint isolation, file quarantine, network containment, process termination — with configurable approval.
- MSP-channel-native with volume pricing, multi-tenant management, and no direct-to-end-customer sales motion.
What works
- Lowest EDR pricing of the four platforms at SMB scale
- Broadest single-vendor platform coverage — EDR, ITDR, SIEM, and SAT from one vendor
- Sub-1% false positive rate is genuinely differentiated against the rest of the category
- 30-minute deployment with no rip-and-replace of existing AV like Microsoft Defender or SentinelOne
- Channel-native with no direct-to-end-customer sales motion
What to know
- 50-endpoint minimum on standard plans — under 50 requires direct sales engagement
- Each module (EDR, ITDR, SIEM, SAT) is priced separately — the full stack adds up quickly
- Requires Huntress agents on endpoints — not technology-agnostic like Sophos MDR or Arctic Wolf
- No published SLA on response time
- Incident response is a separate engagement, not included in base pricing like Blackpoint
Best for: MSPs serving SMB clients (typically 10 to 500 endpoints per client) on Microsoft 365 stacks who want a multi-layered single-vendor security platform with low alert noise and SMB-friendly pricing. See also the top 4 cybersecurity reseller offerings for MSPs for how Huntress fits into a broader security stack.
Skip if: You need autonomous response and incident response included in base pricing — Blackpoint is the better pick. Or if you need a technology-agnostic MDR that runs on top of your existing EDR — Sophos or Arctic Wolf are stronger choices.
Pricing: Roughly $2.50 to $3.50 per endpoint per month for Managed EDR (community-reported, not officially published). 50-endpoint minimum. ITDR, SIEM, and Security Awareness Training are priced separately. Volume discounts apply at scale.
3. Sophos MDR
Best for Sophos-Stack and Mid-Market MSPs — ~$7 to $17/endpoint/mo
Sophos MDR is a 24/7 managed detection and response service delivered by the Sophos X-Ops SOC, available in Essentials (notify-and-guide) and Complete (contain-and-neutralize) tiers, and able to run on top of either Sophos’s own EDR or third-party tools including Microsoft Defender and SentinelOne.
Sophos defends more than 18,000 MSP customer environments through its managed services — the largest deployed MDR base of any platform on this list. It is also the only MDR here with a documented commitment to running on third-party EDR tools, meaning MSPs standardized on Microsoft Defender do not have to rip out the agent stack to add MDR coverage. The MSP Elevate program, launched May 2025, added an exclusive MDR bundle with NDR included. Sophos ITDR went generally available in October 2025. It ranks third because per-endpoint pricing sits above Huntress at SMB scale, and because Sophos maintains a direct sales motion alongside the channel.
What you actually get
- MSP Elevate program launched May 2025 with exclusive access to Sophos MDR Complete premium tier, including one-year data retention and Network Detection and Response.
- Technology-agnostic MDR that runs on Sophos EDR, Microsoft Defender for Business, SentinelOne, and other third-party endpoint platforms — with support for 350+ integrations.
- Two service tiers — Essentials (notify-and-guide) and Complete (contain-and-neutralize on the customer’s behalf, with a $1M breach warranty and 60-minute SLA on high-severity cases).
- Sophos ITDR for identity threat detection, generally available since October 2025 for Term licenses and November 2025 for MSP Flex.
- Spektrum Labs Insurability Fastrack partnership launched March 2026, helping Sophos MDR customers unlock enhanced cyber insurance terms.
- Sophos X-Ops SOC with frontline human expertise, machine learning, and real-time threat intelligence.
What works
- Largest deployed MDR base in the MSP channel by client count
- Only major MDR that natively runs on Microsoft Defender for Business and other third-party EDR without ripping out the agent
- MDR Complete tier includes contain-and-neutralize response, a 60-minute SLA, and a $1M breach warranty
- Spektrum Labs partnership creates a real cyber insurance procurement story for MSPs
- Two pricing tiers let MSPs match service level to client budget
What to know
- Higher per-endpoint pricing than Huntress at SMB scale — model bundle-driven total cost of ownership before quoting
- Sophos has a direct sales motion alongside the channel, though MSP Elevate is built to differentiate partner offerings
- MDR Essentials does not include full incident response or breach warranty — requires an upgrade to MDR Complete
- Linux server protection requires a separate Sophos Workload Protection subscription
- MSP markup typically lands at 20% to 40% above partner cost, which can create margin pressure on competitive deals
Best for: MSPs already running Sophos firewalls or endpoints, MSPs serving mid-market clients (100 to 2,000 endpoints) who need Complete-tier contain-and-neutralize response, and MSPs that want to layer MDR on top of existing Microsoft Defender or SentinelOne deployments without ripping out the agent.
Skip if: You serve very small SMB clients under 25 endpoints where Huntress’s per-endpoint economics dominate, or if you want zero direct-sales conflict — in which case Blackpoint is the cleaner pick.
Pricing: Roughly $7 to $17 per endpoint per month ($80 to $200 per user per year through Sophos partners). MDR Essentials sits at the lower end, MDR Complete at the upper end. Multi-year and volume discounts apply through MSP Flex.
4. Arctic Wolf
Best for MSPs Serving Mid-Market with Concierge Need — $44K+/year
Arctic Wolf is a security operations platform delivered as Cyber-SOC-as-a-Service, with a named Concierge Security Team assigned to each customer, designed for mid-market organizations that want a fully managed security operation without building one in-house.
Arctic Wolf is genuinely good at what it does. The Concierge Security Team model is well regarded, the SOC operates around the clock, and coverage across endpoint, network, and cloud is credible. The $3M breach warranty option is unique in this comparison. It ranks fourth because Arctic Wolf has a structural problem the MSP channel that no feature can solve: the vendor sells direct to end customers. MSPs report client conversations that start with the question of why they are needed if the client can buy Arctic Wolf directly. The product is not the problem. The commercial model is.
What you actually get
- Named Concierge Security Team assigned to each customer with scheduled reviews and proactive guidance.
- $3M breach warranty option with qualifying product bundles — unique in this comparison set.
- Technology-agnostic platform that ingests telemetry from existing tools rather than requiring proprietary agents.
- Three-attack-surface coverage (endpoint, network, cloud) in base pricing.
- 60-minute SLA commitment on initial response for high-severity cases.
- AWS Marketplace listing with MDR Basic starting at $44,000 per year for up to 100 users.
What works
- Mature SOC operations with the longest track record at mid-market scale
- $3M breach warranty option is genuinely differentiated from every other provider on this list
- Technology-agnostic — works with whatever EDR and tools the client already runs
- Strong endpoint, network, and cloud coverage out of the box
- Named Concierge Security Team builds client trust at mid-market procurement conversations
What to know
- Direct-to-end-customer sales motion creates structural channel conflict — the single most-cited Arctic Wolf concern in MSP communities. Your client can eventually buy this without you.
- Highest per-endpoint pricing of any platform on this list at SMB scale
- Arctic Wolf’s own data shows 71% of raw alerts are false alarms before SOC filtering
- Remediation is guided rather than performed on the customer’s behalf — a separate IR retainer is often needed
- Onboarding is paid, takes roughly a month, and requires physical sensors plus multiple agents
- MDR and risk management tools live in separate portals, creating management overhead
Best for: MSPs serving mid-market clients (500 to 2,000 endpoints per client) where the named Concierge Security Team and $3M breach warranty matter at procurement, and where the client genuinely cannot or will not buy direct. Also suitable for MSPs that mostly resell rather than build a productized security service.
Skip if: You are a channel-first MSP building a productized managed security offering. The direct-sales conflict will eventually surface. Pick Blackpoint or Huntress instead.
Pricing: MDR Basic starts at $44,000 per year for up to 100 users on AWS Marketplace. Median buyer-reported deal is $96,340 per year. Pricing range spans $29,176 to $319,984 annually depending on scope. At 100 users that lands around $30 to $40 per endpoint per month, well above every other platform on this list. Multi-year contracts and onboarding fees stack on top.
How to choose a SOC and MDR provider as an MSP
All four platforms on this list are legitimate options. The right one depends on your channel posture priorities, your client mix, and how your team handles alerts after hours.
Decide on response model before anything else
There are two MDR response models: alert-and-guide (the SOC tells your team what happened and what to do) and autonomous containment (the SOC acts inside an agreed scope without waiting for your team). If your MSP does not run 24/7 tier-1 coverage, autonomous containment is the only model that actually closes incidents while your team sleeps. Blackpoint is the clear autonomous-containment pick on this list. Huntress and Sophos MDR Complete both include containment actions with configurable approval.
Channel posture is a commercial decision, not a security one
Direct-to-end-customer vendor sales motions are no longer a footnote. They are a structural risk for MSPs building productized security offerings. If your business model depends on owning the client relationship, eliminate vendors with direct sales motions from your shortlist before you evaluate a single feature. That decision alone narrows the field to Blackpoint and Huntress for most channel-first MSPs.
Match the platform to your existing stack
| If your situation is… | Start here |
|---|---|
| Channel-first MSP, Windows/macOS client base, no 24/7 in-house SOC | Blackpoint Cyber |
| SMB Microsoft 365 stack, low per-endpoint budget, want EDR + identity + SAT | Huntress |
| Already running Sophos firewalls or endpoints, or standardized on Microsoft Defender | Sophos MDR |
| Mid-market clients (500+ endpoints), breach warranty matters at procurement | Arctic Wolf |
Cyber insurance is now driving MDR decisions
Most major carriers — Coalition, At-Bay, Cowbell, Beazley — now require 24/7 monitored detection and response for ransomware coverage at the SMB level. Endpoint protection alone no longer satisfies underwriting for most policies above $1M in cyber liability limits. If your clients are renewing cyber insurance in 2026 and 2027, MDR is no longer optional for most of them. For a broader look at how MDR fits into the MSP security stack, see the top 4 cybersecurity reseller offerings for MSPs and the top 4 password management platforms for MSPs.
How I ranked these
Every Top4List review is scored on the same 100-point rubric across five categories worth 20 points each.
- MSP Fit — Channel posture (does the vendor sell direct against you?), multi-tenant partner architecture, and whether the platform was designed for MSP operational workflows.
- Technical Capability — Response model depth (autonomous vs. alert-and-guide), attack surface coverage (endpoint, identity, network, cloud), and SOC quality.
- Pricing Honesty — Transparency of per-endpoint pricing, whether incident response is included or billed separately, and whether the full-stack cost is calculable before a sales call.
- Operational Overhead — Alert noise, false positive rate, deployment speed, and how much work the platform adds to your team’s daily queue post-deployment.
- Market Position — Channel adoption, third-party recognition, and signals from MSP communities about real-world production behavior.
Channel posture was weighted more heavily than in past editions because direct-sales conflict has become the most-cited concern in MSP community discussions through 2025 and 2026. For more context on the broader MSP tooling stack, see the top 4 RMM tools for MSPs and the top 4 PSA platforms for MSPs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best MDR for MSPs in 2026?
Blackpoint Cyber is the best overall MDR for MSPs in 2026 because it is channel-only with no direct-to-end-customer sales motion, runs an autonomous SOC that contains threats in real time, and ships a multi-tenant partner architecture built for the MSP business model. Huntress is the best alternative for SMB-focused MSPs that want broader single-vendor coverage at lower per-endpoint pricing.
How much does Blackpoint Cyber cost per endpoint?
Blackpoint Cyber pricing typically runs $8 to $10 per endpoint per month with volume discounts available at 50+ endpoints. Pricing is quote-based through the channel and is not publicly published. Month-to-month or annual contracts are available. Incident response is included in base service in most partner agreements, unlike some competitors that bill IR separately.
Is Huntress cheaper than Blackpoint for MSPs?
Yes, at the EDR layer. Huntress Managed EDR runs roughly $2.50 to $3.50 per endpoint per month versus Blackpoint at $8 to $10. However, adding Huntress ITDR, SIEM, and Security Awareness Training closes the gap considerably, and a full Huntress stack at scale approaches Blackpoint’s pricing. The right comparison depends on which layers your MSP actually needs.
Blackpoint vs Huntress — which should an MSP pick?
Pick Blackpoint when autonomous SOC response and included incident response matter more than feature breadth. Pick Huntress when you want a single-vendor stack covering EDR, identity, SIEM, and security awareness training at SMB-friendly pricing with under 1% false positive rate. Both are channel-first MSP-native MDR providers.
Does Sophos MDR work with Microsoft Defender?
Yes. Sophos MDR runs natively on Microsoft Defender for Business, SentinelOne, and other third-party endpoint platforms — in addition to Sophos’s own EDR. This is the single biggest reason MSPs already standardized on Microsoft Defender add Sophos MDR rather than ripping out the agent stack.
Why does Arctic Wolf rank below smaller MDRs for MSPs?
Arctic Wolf ranks fourth because it sells direct to end customers. For MSPs building a productized managed security service, that direct-sales motion creates a structural risk: a client can eventually buy Arctic Wolf without the MSP in the middle. The product is mature and the SOC is well regarded, but the commercial model is not aligned with channel-first MSP economics.
What is the cheapest MDR for MSPs?
Huntress Managed EDR at roughly $2.50 to $3.50 per endpoint per month is the cheapest credible MDR for SMB-focused MSPs in 2026. Sophos MDR Essentials with a multi-year discount can approach the lower end of that range at scale through MSP Flex. Below that price point, what you are buying is endpoint protection with monitoring rather than full MDR.
Do cyber insurance carriers require MDR for MSP-supported environments?
Increasingly, yes. Most major carriers now require 24/7 monitored detection and response for ransomware coverage at the SMB level. Endpoint protection alone no longer satisfies underwriting for most policies above $1M in cyber liability limits. The Sophos and Spektrum Labs Insurability Fastrack Program announced March 2026 is one industry response to this pressure, and it is a signal of where underwriting requirements are heading.
Sources
The 4 Best SOC and MDR Providers for MSPs in 2026 (Ranked)
MDR is now the line item that decides whether an MSP keeps a client through a cyber insurance renewal. Carriers are no longer accepting endpoint protection alone, and most SMB clients cannot pass underwriting without 24/7 monitored detection and response on the stack. 81% of MSPs now offer an MDR service, up from roughly 55% three years ago.
The hard part is picking the right SOC and MDR provider, because the category has split into two very different products that happen to share the MDR label. There are MSP-native platforms built channel-first like Blackpoint and Huntress, and there are mid-market direct-sales platforms like Arctic Wolf that an MSP can resell but never fully own. The response model also matters more than feature lists. Some MDRs alert and guide your team to respond. Others contain the threat autonomously inside an agreed scope. That distinction shows up in MTTR every single time.
This guide ranks the four MDR providers that consistently make MSP shortlists in 2026. Blackpoint takes the top spot. Huntress, Sophos MDR, and Arctic Wolf round out the list.
Read the Quick Take if you have two minutes. Read the full reviews before you sign a contract or switch your client base.
Quick Take
- Blackpoint Cyber — Best overall for MSP-native SOC. Channel-only MDR with autonomous threat containment, multi-tenant partner architecture, and incident response included in base pricing.
- Huntress — Best multi-layer platform for SMB-focused MSPs. Managed EDR with under 1% false positive rate, plus ITDR, SIEM, and Security Awareness Training at roughly $2.50 to $3.50 per endpoint per month.
- Sophos MDR — Best for Sophos-stack and mid-market MSPs. 18,000+ MSP customer environments defended, MSP Elevate channel program, and the only major MDR that runs natively on Microsoft Defender for Business.
- Arctic Wolf — Best for MSPs serving mid-market clients with a concierge requirement. Named Concierge Security Team and $3M breach warranty option, with direct-sales conflict as a known trade-off.
The 4 best SOC and MDR providers for MSPs at a glance
| Rank | Product | Best For | Starting Price | Standout Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blackpoint Cyber | Best overall for MSP-native SOC | ~$8–$10/endpoint/mo | Channel-only with autonomous threat containment and IR included |
| 2 | Huntress | Best multi-layer platform for SMB stacks | ~$2.50–$3.50/endpoint/mo (EDR) | Sub-1% false positive rate across managed EDR |
| 3 | Sophos MDR | Best for Sophos-stack and mid-market MSPs | ~$7–$17/endpoint/mo | MSP Elevate program with EDR-agnostic coverage across 350+ tools |
| 4 | Arctic Wolf | Best for MSPs serving mid-market clients | $44K+/year (~$30–$40/endpoint/mo at small scale) | Named Concierge Security Team and $3M breach warranty option |
1. Blackpoint Cyber
Best Overall for MSP-Native SOC — ~$8 to $10/endpoint/mo
Blackpoint Cyber is a Managed Detection and Response platform with an autonomous, MSP-native 24/7 SOC that contains threats in real time rather than emailing your team to respond — sold exclusively through the channel with no direct-to-end-customer motion.
Blackpoint is the only major MDR on this list that is structurally aligned with the MSP business model. The vendor does not sell direct to your clients, which removes the single biggest source of channel conflict that has defined the MDR category since direct-to-mid-market sales became normalized. The Blackpoint SOC takes containment action — isolate, kill, quarantine — on threats in real time inside the agreed scope, rather than sending your on-call tech a guide at 2 AM. The combination of channel-only sales, autonomous response, and multi-tenant MSP architecture is why Blackpoint consistently tops MSP MDR shortlists in 2026.
What you actually get
- Channel-only sales model — Blackpoint does not sell direct to end customers. Zero structural channel conflict, full stop.
- Autonomous SOC containment rather than alert-and-guide. Real-time isolate, kill, and quarantine actions inside agreed scope.
- CompassOne platform that unifies detection, response, and security posture management in one MSP-native console.
- Multi-tenant partner architecture designed for MSPs managing 25 or more SMB client environments from a single pane.
- Volume discounts at 50+ endpoints with month-to-month or annual contract options available.
- Native incident response and full remediation included in base service rather than upsold as a separate retainer.
What works
- The only MDR on this list with a strict no-direct-sales policy — zero structural channel conflict
- Autonomous containment beats alert-and-guide for MSPs without 24/7 in-house tier-1 response
- Incident response included in base pricing rather than billed separately
- Multi-tenant MSP partner portal designed for the way MSPs actually operate across dozens of client environments
- Month-to-month contracts available — rare in this category
What to know
- Pricing per endpoint is significantly higher than Huntress at the same EDR coverage level
- Windows and macOS only — no Linux agent, which matters for MSPs with Linux server exposure in client environments
- No published false positive rate, unlike Huntress
- Smaller vendor scale than Sophos or Arctic Wolf — less brand recognition at end-customer procurement conversations
Best for: MSPs of any size delivering managed security as a productized service to SMB clients, particularly those serving Windows-and-macOS-heavy environments and running without a 24/7 in-house tier-1 team.
Skip if: You have heavy Linux server fleet exposure across your client base, or you are at very small scale (under 25 total endpoints) where Huntress’s lower per-endpoint pricing wins on total cost of ownership.
Pricing: Roughly $8 to $10 per endpoint per month with volume discounts at 50+ endpoints. Quote-based through the channel. Month-to-month or annual contracts available. Incident response included in base service in most partner agreements.
2. Huntress
Best Multi-Layer Platform for SMB-Focused MSPs — ~$2.50 to $3.50/endpoint/mo (EDR)
Huntress is a managed security platform purpose-built for MSPs and SMBs, combining Managed EDR, Identity Threat Detection and Response for Microsoft 365 and Entra ID, a managed SIEM, and Managed Security Awareness Training — all backed by a 24/7 AI-assisted, human-led SOC.
Huntress publishes a false positive rate of less than 1% on managed EDR with human review of every alert before it reaches partners. For MSPs that have been burned by high alert volume or noisy MDRs, that alert quality is the entire product. Huntress also covers the broadest single-vendor platform on this list — endpoints, identities, logs, and human risk under one roof — at SMB-friendly pricing. It does not rank first because Huntress requires its own agent stack rather than running on top of any EDR you already deploy, and because the modular pricing model means a full Huntress stack at scale approaches Blackpoint’s pricing.
What you actually get
- Sub-1% false positive rate on managed EDR with human review of every alert before partner notification — the most documented alert quality claim in the MSP MDR category.
- Managed ITDR for Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Entra ID including hybrid AD, with fast SOC response on identity threats.
- Managed SIEM for log aggregation and detection across the broader stack.
- Managed Security Awareness Training included in the platform rather than bolted on from a third party.
- Five autonomous response actions — account disable, endpoint isolation, file quarantine, network containment, process termination — with configurable approval.
- MSP-channel-native with volume pricing, multi-tenant management, and no direct-to-end-customer sales motion.
What works
- Lowest EDR pricing of the four platforms at SMB scale
- Broadest single-vendor platform coverage — EDR, ITDR, SIEM, and SAT from one vendor
- Sub-1% false positive rate is genuinely differentiated against the rest of the category
- 30-minute deployment with no rip-and-replace of existing AV like Microsoft Defender or SentinelOne
- Channel-native with no direct-to-end-customer sales motion
What to know
- 50-endpoint minimum on standard plans — under 50 requires direct sales engagement
- Each module (EDR, ITDR, SIEM, SAT) is priced separately — the full stack adds up quickly
- Requires Huntress agents on endpoints — not technology-agnostic like Sophos MDR or Arctic Wolf
- No published SLA on response time
- Incident response is a separate engagement, not included in base pricing like Blackpoint
Best for: MSPs serving SMB clients (typically 10 to 500 endpoints per client) on Microsoft 365 stacks who want a multi-layered single-vendor security platform with low alert noise and SMB-friendly pricing. See also the top 4 cybersecurity reseller offerings for MSPs for how Huntress fits into a broader security stack.
Skip if: You need autonomous response and incident response included in base pricing — Blackpoint is the better pick. Or if you need a technology-agnostic MDR that runs on top of your existing EDR — Sophos or Arctic Wolf are stronger choices.
Pricing: Roughly $2.50 to $3.50 per endpoint per month for Managed EDR (community-reported, not officially published). 50-endpoint minimum. ITDR, SIEM, and Security Awareness Training are priced separately. Volume discounts apply at scale.
3. Sophos MDR
Best for Sophos-Stack and Mid-Market MSPs — ~$7 to $17/endpoint/mo
Sophos MDR is a 24/7 managed detection and response service delivered by the Sophos X-Ops SOC, available in Essentials (notify-and-guide) and Complete (contain-and-neutralize) tiers, and able to run on top of either Sophos’s own EDR or third-party tools including Microsoft Defender and SentinelOne.
Sophos defends more than 18,000 MSP customer environments through its managed services — the largest deployed MDR base of any platform on this list. It is also the only MDR here with a documented commitment to running on third-party EDR tools, meaning MSPs standardized on Microsoft Defender do not have to rip out the agent stack to add MDR coverage. The MSP Elevate program, launched May 2025, added an exclusive MDR bundle with NDR included. Sophos ITDR went generally available in October 2025. It ranks third because per-endpoint pricing sits above Huntress at SMB scale, and because Sophos maintains a direct sales motion alongside the channel.
What you actually get
- MSP Elevate program launched May 2025 with exclusive access to Sophos MDR Complete premium tier, including one-year data retention and Network Detection and Response.
- Technology-agnostic MDR that runs on Sophos EDR, Microsoft Defender for Business, SentinelOne, and other third-party endpoint platforms — with support for 350+ integrations.
- Two service tiers — Essentials (notify-and-guide) and Complete (contain-and-neutralize on the customer’s behalf, with a $1M breach warranty and 60-minute SLA on high-severity cases).
- Sophos ITDR for identity threat detection, generally available since October 2025 for Term licenses and November 2025 for MSP Flex.
- Spektrum Labs Insurability Fastrack partnership launched March 2026, helping Sophos MDR customers unlock enhanced cyber insurance terms.
- Sophos X-Ops SOC with frontline human expertise, machine learning, and real-time threat intelligence.
What works
- Largest deployed MDR base in the MSP channel by client count
- Only major MDR that natively runs on Microsoft Defender for Business and other third-party EDR without ripping out the agent
- MDR Complete tier includes contain-and-neutralize response, a 60-minute SLA, and a $1M breach warranty
- Spektrum Labs partnership creates a real cyber insurance procurement story for MSPs
- Two pricing tiers let MSPs match service level to client budget
What to know
- Higher per-endpoint pricing than Huntress at SMB scale — model bundle-driven total cost of ownership before quoting
- Sophos has a direct sales motion alongside the channel, though MSP Elevate is built to differentiate partner offerings
- MDR Essentials does not include full incident response or breach warranty — requires an upgrade to MDR Complete
- Linux server protection requires a separate Sophos Workload Protection subscription
- MSP markup typically lands at 20% to 40% above partner cost, which can create margin pressure on competitive deals
Best for: MSPs already running Sophos firewalls or endpoints, MSPs serving mid-market clients (100 to 2,000 endpoints) who need Complete-tier contain-and-neutralize response, and MSPs that want to layer MDR on top of existing Microsoft Defender or SentinelOne deployments without ripping out the agent.
Skip if: You serve very small SMB clients under 25 endpoints where Huntress’s per-endpoint economics dominate, or if you want zero direct-sales conflict — in which case Blackpoint is the cleaner pick.
Pricing: Roughly $7 to $17 per endpoint per month ($80 to $200 per user per year through Sophos partners). MDR Essentials sits at the lower end, MDR Complete at the upper end. Multi-year and volume discounts apply through MSP Flex.
4. Arctic Wolf
Best for MSPs Serving Mid-Market with Concierge Need — $44K+/year
Arctic Wolf is a security operations platform delivered as Cyber-SOC-as-a-Service, with a named Concierge Security Team assigned to each customer, designed for mid-market organizations that want a fully managed security operation without building one in-house.
Arctic Wolf is genuinely good at what it does. The Concierge Security Team model is well regarded, the SOC operates around the clock, and coverage across endpoint, network, and cloud is credible. The $3M breach warranty option is unique in this comparison. It ranks fourth because Arctic Wolf has a structural problem the MSP channel that no feature can solve: the vendor sells direct to end customers. MSPs report client conversations that start with the question of why they are needed if the client can buy Arctic Wolf directly. The product is not the problem. The commercial model is.
What you actually get
- Named Concierge Security Team assigned to each customer with scheduled reviews and proactive guidance.
- $3M breach warranty option with qualifying product bundles — unique in this comparison set.
- Technology-agnostic platform that ingests telemetry from existing tools rather than requiring proprietary agents.
- Three-attack-surface coverage (endpoint, network, cloud) in base pricing.
- 60-minute SLA commitment on initial response for high-severity cases.
- AWS Marketplace listing with MDR Basic starting at $44,000 per year for up to 100 users.
What works
- Mature SOC operations with the longest track record at mid-market scale
- $3M breach warranty option is genuinely differentiated from every other provider on this list
- Technology-agnostic — works with whatever EDR and tools the client already runs
- Strong endpoint, network, and cloud coverage out of the box
- Named Concierge Security Team builds client trust at mid-market procurement conversations
What to know
- Direct-to-end-customer sales motion creates structural channel conflict — the single most-cited Arctic Wolf concern in MSP communities. Your client can eventually buy this without you.
- Highest per-endpoint pricing of any platform on this list at SMB scale
- Arctic Wolf’s own data shows 71% of raw alerts are false alarms before SOC filtering
- Remediation is guided rather than performed on the customer’s behalf — a separate IR retainer is often needed
- Onboarding is paid, takes roughly a month, and requires physical sensors plus multiple agents
- MDR and risk management tools live in separate portals, creating management overhead
Best for: MSPs serving mid-market clients (500 to 2,000 endpoints per client) where the named Concierge Security Team and $3M breach warranty matter at procurement, and where the client genuinely cannot or will not buy direct. Also suitable for MSPs that mostly resell rather than build a productized security service.
Skip if: You are a channel-first MSP building a productized managed security offering. The direct-sales conflict will eventually surface. Pick Blackpoint or Huntress instead.
Pricing: MDR Basic starts at $44,000 per year for up to 100 users on AWS Marketplace. Median buyer-reported deal is $96,340 per year. Pricing range spans $29,176 to $319,984 annually depending on scope. At 100 users that lands around $30 to $40 per endpoint per month, well above every other platform on this list. Multi-year contracts and onboarding fees stack on top.
How to choose a SOC and MDR provider as an MSP
All four platforms on this list are legitimate options. The right one depends on your channel posture priorities, your client mix, and how your team handles alerts after hours.
Decide on response model before anything else
There are two MDR response models: alert-and-guide (the SOC tells your team what happened and what to do) and autonomous containment (the SOC acts inside an agreed scope without waiting for your team). If your MSP does not run 24/7 tier-1 coverage, autonomous containment is the only model that actually closes incidents while your team sleeps. Blackpoint is the clear autonomous-containment pick on this list. Huntress and Sophos MDR Complete both include containment actions with configurable approval.
Channel posture is a commercial decision, not a security one
Direct-to-end-customer vendor sales motions are no longer a footnote. They are a structural risk for MSPs building productized security offerings. If your business model depends on owning the client relationship, eliminate vendors with direct sales motions from your shortlist before you evaluate a single feature. That decision alone narrows the field to Blackpoint and Huntress for most channel-first MSPs.
Match the platform to your existing stack
| If your situation is… | Start here |
|---|---|
| Channel-first MSP, Windows/macOS client base, no 24/7 in-house SOC | Blackpoint Cyber |
| SMB Microsoft 365 stack, low per-endpoint budget, want EDR + identity + SAT | Huntress |
| Already running Sophos firewalls or endpoints, or standardized on Microsoft Defender | Sophos MDR |
| Mid-market clients (500+ endpoints), breach warranty matters at procurement | Arctic Wolf |
Cyber insurance is now driving MDR decisions
Most major carriers — Coalition, At-Bay, Cowbell, Beazley — now require 24/7 monitored detection and response for ransomware coverage at the SMB level. Endpoint protection alone no longer satisfies underwriting for most policies above $1M in cyber liability limits. If your clients are renewing cyber insurance in 2026 and 2027, MDR is no longer optional for most of them. For a broader look at how MDR fits into the MSP security stack, see the top 4 cybersecurity reseller offerings for MSPs and the top 4 password management platforms for MSPs.
How I ranked these
Every Top4List review is scored on the same 100-point rubric across five categories worth 20 points each.
- MSP Fit — Channel posture (does the vendor sell direct against you?), multi-tenant partner architecture, and whether the platform was designed for MSP operational workflows.
- Technical Capability — Response model depth (autonomous vs. alert-and-guide), attack surface coverage (endpoint, identity, network, cloud), and SOC quality.
- Pricing Honesty — Transparency of per-endpoint pricing, whether incident response is included or billed separately, and whether the full-stack cost is calculable before a sales call.
- Operational Overhead — Alert noise, false positive rate, deployment speed, and how much work the platform adds to your team’s daily queue post-deployment.
- Market Position — Channel adoption, third-party recognition, and signals from MSP communities about real-world production behavior.
Channel posture was weighted more heavily than in past editions because direct-sales conflict has become the most-cited concern in MSP community discussions through 2025 and 2026. For more context on the broader MSP tooling stack, see the top 4 RMM tools for MSPs and the top 4 PSA platforms for MSPs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best MDR for MSPs in 2026?
Blackpoint Cyber is the best overall MDR for MSPs in 2026 because it is channel-only with no direct-to-end-customer sales motion, runs an autonomous SOC that contains threats in real time, and ships a multi-tenant partner architecture built for the MSP business model. Huntress is the best alternative for SMB-focused MSPs that want broader single-vendor coverage at lower per-endpoint pricing.
How much does Blackpoint Cyber cost per endpoint?
Blackpoint Cyber pricing typically runs $8 to $10 per endpoint per month with volume discounts available at 50+ endpoints. Pricing is quote-based through the channel and is not publicly published. Month-to-month or annual contracts are available. Incident response is included in base service in most partner agreements, unlike some competitors that bill IR separately.
Is Huntress cheaper than Blackpoint for MSPs?
Yes, at the EDR layer. Huntress Managed EDR runs roughly $2.50 to $3.50 per endpoint per month versus Blackpoint at $8 to $10. However, adding Huntress ITDR, SIEM, and Security Awareness Training closes the gap considerably, and a full Huntress stack at scale approaches Blackpoint’s pricing. The right comparison depends on which layers your MSP actually needs.
Blackpoint vs Huntress — which should an MSP pick?
Pick Blackpoint when autonomous SOC response and included incident response matter more than feature breadth. Pick Huntress when you want a single-vendor stack covering EDR, identity, SIEM, and security awareness training at SMB-friendly pricing with under 1% false positive rate. Both are channel-first MSP-native MDR providers.
Does Sophos MDR work with Microsoft Defender?
Yes. Sophos MDR runs natively on Microsoft Defender for Business, SentinelOne, and other third-party endpoint platforms — in addition to Sophos’s own EDR. This is the single biggest reason MSPs already standardized on Microsoft Defender add Sophos MDR rather than ripping out the agent stack.
Why does Arctic Wolf rank below smaller MDRs for MSPs?
Arctic Wolf ranks fourth because it sells direct to end customers. For MSPs building a productized managed security service, that direct-sales motion creates a structural risk: a client can eventually buy Arctic Wolf without the MSP in the middle. The product is mature and the SOC is well regarded, but the commercial model is not aligned with channel-first MSP economics.
What is the cheapest MDR for MSPs?
Huntress Managed EDR at roughly $2.50 to $3.50 per endpoint per month is the cheapest credible MDR for SMB-focused MSPs in 2026. Sophos MDR Essentials with a multi-year discount can approach the lower end of that range at scale through MSP Flex. Below that price point, what you are buying is endpoint protection with monitoring rather than full MDR.
Do cyber insurance carriers require MDR for MSP-supported environments?
Increasingly, yes. Most major carriers now require 24/7 monitored detection and response for ransomware coverage at the SMB level. Endpoint protection alone no longer satisfies underwriting for most policies above $1M in cyber liability limits. The Sophos and Spektrum Labs Insurability Fastrack Program announced March 2026 is one industry response to this pressure, and it is a signal of where underwriting requirements are heading.
Sources
- Blackpoint Cyber: MDR Platform for MSPs
- Blackpoint Cyber: Arctic Wolf Alternatives for MSP Security
- Huntress: Managed Security Platform
- Huntress: Huntress vs Blackpoint MDR Comparison
- Sophos: Managed Detection and Response
- Sophos: MSP Partner Program and MSP Elevate
- Arctic Wolf: Managed Detection and Response
- MDR Providers: Arctic Wolf vs Huntress Comparison
- MDR Providers: Huntress vs Sophos MDR Comparison
- Sophos. MSP Perspectives 2024 Report. 2024.
