In short
The best EDR solution is the one that covers all your operating systems, gives clear detections your team can act on, offers a vendor-run managed service if nobody watches alerts out of hours, and fits your Microsoft 365 setup and budget. Platforms we supply include CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, ThreatDown, Bitdefender, WatchGuard, Sophos, Check Point and TrendAI.
Get a quote for an EDR solution
Tell us roughly how many users or sites you have and we will reply by email with options and a quote.
Why we do not publish a ranking
Search for the best EDR solutions and you will find plenty of league tables. We do not publish one, for two reasons. First, every platform we supply is a serious product used by organisations of all sizes, and the differences that matter are about fit, not a single score. Second, a ranking from a supplier is not independent, and we would rather show you how to decide.
What follows is the framework we use when we recommend a platform, then a factual comparison of what each vendor offers, using the vendors' own product names. If you want us to apply it to your estate, contact us and we can recommend what fits, confirmed at quote.
How to choose: eight questions
- Does it cover every operating system you run? Windows, macOS and Linux are covered by all the platforms below, but check versions, older servers, virtual desktops and any specialist systems. Mobile coverage varies more.
- Who will respond to alerts? This is the most important question. If nobody can watch the console in the evening and at weekends, choose a platform whose vendor runs a managed detection and response service, and budget for it.
- How clear are the detections? A small IT team needs alerts that say what happened, on which device, under which account and what to do next. Ask to see real incidents in a trial.
- Can it roll back ransomware damage? Some platforms can reverse file changes or restore encrypted files on supported systems. Rollback is not a substitute for backup, but it shortens recovery.
- How much history does it keep? Searchable telemetry retention varies by product and tier. Longer retention helps investigations and some insurers expect it.
- How well does it fit Microsoft 365? If you already license Microsoft Defender through Microsoft 365, compare that honestly. If you choose another platform, check how it deploys through Microsoft Intune or your management tool and whether it can take identity or Microsoft 365 signals.
- Does it integrate with what you have? Firewalls, identity, email security, a SIEM or a ticketing system. This is where extended detection and response comes in.
- How is it licensed? Per device or per user, monthly or annual terms, and which features sit in which tier. Ask us for a quote rather than relying on list prices.
EDR solutions comparison
A factual summary of the detection and response offerings of the platforms we supply. It is not a ranking, and features change, so we confirm details for your estate at quote.
| Platform | EDR offering | Response and investigation | Rollback | Vendor-run managed option | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CrowdStrike | Falcon Insight XDR (supplied through the Falcon Defend bundles; features confirmed at quote) | Real Time Response, Falcon Fusion SOAR, Charlotte AI-assisted investigation, MITRE ATT&CK mapping | - | Adversary OverWatch threat hunting, Falcon Complete Next-Gen MDR | Falcon Insight XDR, CrowdStrike Falcon |
| SentinelOne | Singularity Complete | Storylines, Deep Visibility search, remote shell, Purple AI | Yes, on supported systems | Wayfinder MDR (formerly Vigilance) on SentinelOne's Commercial and Enterprise packages, Wayfinder Threat Hunting | Vigilance MDR, SentinelOne Singularity |
| ThreatDown | ThreatDown EDR | Explained detections, network, process and desktop isolation, guided remediation | Yes, up to seven days back | ThreatDown MDR, Managed Threat Hunting | ThreatDown |
| Bitdefender | GravityZone EDR | Cross-endpoint correlation, attack-chain view, Historical and Live Search | - | Bitdefender MDR | GravityZone XDR, Bitdefender GravityZone |
| WatchGuard | Endpoint Security Prime, 360, Elite | Isolation, root cause analysis, ThreatSync XDR; Elite adds advanced investigation tools | - | Core, Total and Open MDR | WatchGuard EPDR, WatchGuard MDR |
| Sophos | Sophos EDR | MITRE ATT&CK-mapped detections, Live Response, AI search, isolation | - | Sophos MDR | Sophos EDR |
| Check Point | Harmony Endpoint (Check Point Endpoint Security) | Automated forensics, MITRE ATT&CK mapping, threat hunting | Anti-ransomware with file restoration | Check Point MDR | Harmony Endpoint |
| TrendAI | Vision One Endpoint Security Essentials | XDR for Endpoints sensor investigated in TrendAI Vision One | - | TrendAI MDR services | TrendAI Vision One |
A dash means rollback is not a headline feature in the material we checked, not that the platform cannot help you recover. Licensing detail for many of these products is on our EDR software pages.
Not sure which bundle fits? Ask us
Tell us what you need and we will recommend the right bundle for your organisation, with a quote.
Which platforms tend to suit which situations
These are starting points, not rules, and the final recommendation depends on your devices and team:
- You want the vendor to do the watching and the fixing. CrowdStrike Falcon Complete, SentinelOne Wayfinder MDR, ThreatDown MDR, Bitdefender MDR, WatchGuard MDR, Sophos MDR and Check Point MDR are all vendor-run services on their own platforms.
- Ransomware recovery is the priority. Look closely at ThreatDown's seven-day rollback, SentinelOne rollback and Check Point's anti-ransomware file restoration, and pair any of them with good backups.
- You already run WatchGuard Fireboxes. WatchGuard Endpoint Security feeds ThreatSync alongside your firewalls, and Total MDR can take in Firebox and other sources.
- You already license Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. WatchGuard Core MDR for Microsoft and Open MDR are designed to monitor Defender for Endpoint, so you can keep tools you already own; our Cloud Security site covers Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.
- You want deep investigation in-house. Platforms with strong search and live response, such as SentinelOne Singularity Complete, CrowdStrike Falcon Insight XDR, WatchGuard Endpoint Security Elite and Sophos EDR.
- You need detection beyond endpoints. Compare the XDR options on our extended detection and response page.
How to run a fair trial
A proof of concept tells you more than any datasheet. To make it fair:
- Pick a pilot group that reflects your estate: a few laptops, a server and a machine running your awkward line-of-business software.
- Run each product in detect-only mode first, then with prevention on, and note any conflicts or false positives.
- Look at real detections: are they clear, and could your team act on them?
- Test response: isolate a test device, release it, and try a rollback on a test machine if the product offers it.
- If you are considering a managed service, ask how escalation, pre-approved actions and reporting would work for you.
Our EDR deployment guide includes a requirements checklist you can use for the evaluation.
Is an EDR solution the right fit for you?
We will check it against your systems and requirements and recommend the right option.
How we help
We are vendor-independent: we supply and support several endpoint security platforms, so we can recommend the one that fits rather than the one we happen to sell. We can help you shortlist, set up trials, compare the results with you and arrange licensing, with pricing confirmed at quote. If you are a smaller organisation, read EDR for small business too.
Contact us to compare EDR solutions for your organisation.
How Forever Systems helps with endpoint security
We are an independent UK IT and cyber security provider. We supply and support endpoint security from several vendors, so we can recommend what fits your devices, your people and your budget rather than one vendor's answer to everything.
- Start with what you have: we can review your current antivirus, EDR and Microsoft 365 licences before suggesting anything new
- Vendor-aware advice on EDR, XDR and managed detection and response, including CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, WatchGuard, Bitdefender, Sophos and Check Point Harmony
- Deployment help: planning a rollout, replacing an existing product and setting sensible policies for device control, encryption and patching
- Policies and compliance: we help you map your controls to Cyber Essentials and the NCSC's device guidance
- Ongoing support options, such as policy tuning, renewals and regular reviews, agreed and confirmed at quote
We work with businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations. Tell us about your devices and we will suggest a sensible next step.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best EDR solution?
There is no single best EDR. The right choice depends on your operating systems, how clear the detections are for your team, whether you need a vendor-run managed service, your Microsoft 365 licensing and your budget. We supply several platforms and can recommend what fits, confirmed at quote.
What are examples of EDR solutions?
Examples include CrowdStrike Falcon Insight XDR, SentinelOne Singularity Complete, ThreatDown EDR, Bitdefender GravityZone EDR, WatchGuard Endpoint Security, Sophos EDR, Check Point Harmony Endpoint and TrendAI Vision One Endpoint Security.
How do I compare EDR vendors?
Check operating system coverage, clarity of detections, response actions and rollback, telemetry retention, managed service options, integrations with your other tools, Microsoft 365 fit and the licensing model. Then run a short trial on a representative pilot group.
Is Microsoft Defender good enough as an EDR?
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a capable EDR and may already be in your Microsoft 365 licences. Whether it is enough depends on who will watch its alerts and how it fits the rest of your estate. We can compare it honestly with the alternatives.
Should we choose EDR or MDR?
If someone in your organisation can triage alerts and respond, including out of hours, EDR may be enough. If not, a managed detection and response service from the EDR vendor adds analysts who monitor and respond within a policy you agree.
Still have a question about an EDR solution?
Ask us and a member of our team will reply by email.