EDR, MDR, and XDR describe three different layers of the same problem: catching an attacker on your systems and doing something about it. EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) is the tooling that records endpoint activity and can respond to it. MDR (Managed Detection and Response) is that tooling plus a 24/7 team of human analysts who investigate and remediate for you. XDR (Extended Detection and Response) widens the net beyond the endpoint to identity, email, and cloud signal. For most businesses under 500 employees with no in-house security team, the right answer is MDR, not raw EDR.
Quick Answer: EDR vs MDR vs XDR
Buy EDR when you have a security team that can work alerts around the clock. Buy MDR when you do not, which is most small and mid-size businesses, because MDR bundles the endpoint tooling with the 24/7 analysts who actually respond. Consider XDR when you have grown past the endpoint and need one platform correlating threats across identity, email, and cloud. The tool is the easy part. The humans watching it at 2 a.m. are what separates an alert from a contained breach.
EDR vs MDR vs XDR in One View
This is the three-way definition table. Everything else on this page expands one of these rows.
| EDR | MDR | XDR | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Endpoint tooling that records activity, detects threats, and can take response actions. | EDR tooling plus a 24/7 human SOC that investigates and remediates for you. | Detection and response extended across endpoint, identity, email, and cloud. |
| Who watches it | Your team, if you have one. | The provider's analysts, 24/7. | Your team or a provider, across more signal sources. |
| Typical price | ~$5 to $9 per endpoint/mo (tool only). | ~$9 to $75 per endpoint or user/mo (tool + SOC). | Platform license plus per-source fees; varies widely. |
| Best fit | Orgs with a security team to work alerts. | SMBs with no in-house SOC. | Larger orgs needing cross-domain correlation. |
Price ranges reflect published per-unit list pricing across common platforms (for example, SentinelOne Core at $5 to $7 per endpoint and Huntress Managed EDR at $8.99 per endpoint with a 24/7 SOC included), plus fuller managed programs that run $30 to $75 per user per month once identity and email coverage are added.
What EDR Actually Does (and What It Does Not)
Endpoint Detection and Response records what happens on your workstations and servers: process launches, network connections, file changes, credential use. It uses that telemetry to detect suspicious behavior and can take response actions like isolating a machine or killing a process. Modern EDR includes next-generation antivirus, so it is a superset of traditional AV, not a replacement question.
What EDR does not do is watch itself. A detection at 2 a.m. is only useful if a human sees it, decides it is real, and acts. Raw EDR without a staffed response function generates alerts that pile up in a queue nobody is working. That gap is the entire reason MDR exists.
What MDR Adds, and What It Costs
Managed Detection and Response wraps EDR tooling in a 24/7 Security Operations Center. Analysts triage every alert, investigate real threats, and remediate to evict the attacker, so you get outcomes instead of a dashboard. CrowdStrike defines MDR as a service that combines technology with human expertise to deliver round-the-clock monitoring, alert triage, threat hunting, and managed remediation.
On price: Huntress Managed EDR lists at $8.99 per endpoint per month with the 24/7 SOC and an 8-minute published mean time to respond included at no extra cost. A fuller managed cybersecurity program that layers in identity and email coverage typically runs $30 to $75 per user per month. Either way, MDR is a fraction of the cost of building the equivalent in-house (more on that below). For the tooling-versus-log-collection distinction, see our MDR vs SIEM comparison.
Where XDR Fits
Extended Detection and Response takes the endpoint model and stretches it across more of your attack surface: Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace identity, email, SaaS, and cloud workloads. The value is correlation. An isolated failed login and an isolated endpoint alert may each look benign, but together they can reveal an account takeover in progress. XDR is worth the added complexity when you have outgrown a pure-endpoint view. Many SMBs over-buy XDR before they have the security maturity to use the extra signal, which is why MDR is usually the right first move.
Tool Landscape: How the Major Names Map
The market blurs these categories together because most vendors sell across them. Here is how the common platforms map, each with a head-to-head breakdown if you are weighing two specifically. This blog defines the categories; the comparison pages settle the individual matchups.
- Huntress vs CrowdStrike — SMB-focused managed EDR against an enterprise EDR platform. Compare Huntress vs CrowdStrike.
- Huntress vs SentinelOne — managed SOC included versus autonomous-response EDR you operate. Compare Huntress vs SentinelOne.
- Microsoft Defender vs SentinelOne — the M365-bundled option against a dedicated EDR engine. Compare Defender vs SentinelOne.
- Huntress vs Sophos MDR — platform-agnostic MDR versus the Sophos endpoint stack's own MDR. Compare Huntress vs Sophos MDR.
- Huntress vs Arctic Wolf — lean, fast MDR against a broad security-operations platform. Compare Huntress vs Arctic Wolf.
- Huntress vs Rapid7 MDR — simple per-endpoint MDR versus SIEM-backed MDR on InsightIDR. Compare Huntress vs Rapid7 MDR.
- Huntress vs Blumira — human-led MDR against automated SIEM plus XDR. Compare Huntress vs Blumira.
- Huntress vs Todyl — focused MDR against an all-in-one SASE and security platform. Compare Huntress vs Todyl.
- Huntress vs ConnectWise SIEM — active response against log collection and compliance retention. Compare Huntress vs ConnectWise SIEM.
Is Microsoft Defender Enough?
This is the most common buyer question, because Microsoft Defender for Business is already included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium. Defender provides genuine endpoint detection and response features, and for a lot of small businesses it is a solid baseline. What it does not include is a human who investigates and acts on the alerts; Defender surfaces detections but does not staff a 24/7 response. The mature pattern is to keep Defender as the baseline and add MDR on top for the analyst-driven response. See Microsoft Defender vs Huntress: do you need both? for how the two layer together.
Build vs Buy: The Cost of a 24/7 SOC
The reason MDR wins for most businesses is the math on doing it yourself. Building an in-house Security Operations Center that runs 24/7 typically costs $1 million to $3 million per year, including 6 to 12 analysts, SIEM and EDR licensing, and facilities. Outsourced SOC-as-a-Service delivers equivalent monitoring for roughly $50,000 to $200,000 per year and stands up in weeks rather than the 6 to 12 months an in-house build takes. For the full breakdown, see SOC-as-a-Service vs an in-house SOC.
Decision Framework by Company Size
Match the layer to your size and staffing, not to the flashiest feature list.
| Company profile | Recommended layer | Why |
|---|---|---|
| ~10 employees, no IT staff | MDR (with Defender baseline) | You cannot staff alert triage. MDR gives you a 24/7 SOC for a per-endpoint fee. |
| ~50 employees, small IT team | MDR | Your IT team runs the business; a managed SOC handles nights, weekends, and remediation. |
| ~250 employees, some security maturity | MDR, then evaluate XDR | Add identity, email, and cloud correlation once you can act on the extra signal. |
How Unió Digital Fits
Unió Digital delivers human-led managed detection and response with 24/7/365 monitoring, an 8-minute mean response time, and under 1% false positives, with EDR on every workstation and server included. As an operator-led MSP, we can also license and deploy the platform for internal IT teams who want to keep the console and self-manage day to day. Start with our managed cybersecurity service or the broader cybersecurity overview, and see how the whole layered model comes together on the security services hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is antivirus the same as EDR?
No. Traditional antivirus blocks known malware by signature. EDR records endpoint behavior, detects suspicious activity that has no known signature, and enables investigation and response. Modern EDR includes next-generation antivirus plus the telemetry and response layer that AV alone lacks.
Do I need both EDR and MDR?
Not as separate purchases. MDR already includes EDR tooling plus the 24/7 analysts who work the alerts. Buying raw EDR and adding a managed service later is common, but most businesses under 500 employees should buy MDR (tooling plus SOC) from the start rather than EDR alone.
What does MDR cost per endpoint?
Managed detection and response typically runs $9 to $75 per endpoint or user per month depending on scope. Huntress Managed EDR with a 24/7 SOC lists at $8.99 per endpoint per month; a fuller managed program that adds identity and email coverage runs $30 to $75 per user per month.
Is Microsoft Defender an EDR?
Yes. Defender for Business, included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium, provides endpoint detection and response features. What it does not include is a staffed human response. Adding MDR on top gives you the 24/7 analysts who investigate and remediate, while Defender remains your baseline.
What is the difference between EDR and SIEM?
EDR detects and responds to threats on endpoints. SIEM collects and correlates logs across your systems for search and compliance retention, but it does not respond on its own. Many businesses pair MDR for response with a managed SIEM for log retention. See our MDR vs SIEM breakdown.
Not Sure Which Layer You Need?
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