EDR vs MDR vs XDR: What Your SMB Actually Needs

The security industry has a naming problem. EDR, MDR, XDR — three acronyms that sound interchangeable and are priced very differently. Here's what each actually means, and how to decide.

EDR — the tool

Endpoint Detection & Response is software installed on your computers and servers. It watches for malicious behavior — not just known virus signatures, but suspicious patterns — and can isolate a machine or kill a process. EDR is the modern replacement for traditional antivirus.

What EDR doesn't do: watch itself. It raises alerts. Someone has to read them, judge them, and act — at 2 PM and at 2 AM.

At CyberOM, standalone EDR is $3.50 per endpoint per month.

XDR — the wider tool

Extended Detection & Response broadens the lens beyond endpoints: it correlates signals across email, identity, and network sources, so an attack that touches several systems shows up as one story instead of five disconnected alerts.

At CyberOM, XDR is $4.50 per endpoint per month.

Same caveat as EDR: it's still a tool. The alerts still need humans.

MDR — the humans

Managed Detection & Response is the service layer: a 24/7 security operations team that monitors the tools, investigates the alerts, dismisses the noise, and responds to the real threats. MDR is what turns "we have security software" into "someone is actually defending us."

This is the layer most SMBs are missing — not because they don't have tools, but because nobody is watching them.

The honest decision guide

You have an IT person who genuinely watches security alerts daily, including nights and weekends: EDR or XDR alone might be enough. (Be honest about the nights-and-weekends part.)

You have an EDR already, but nobody is really watching it: This is the most common SMB situation. SOC & Response at $9.20/endpoint/month adds the 24/7 human layer on top of the EDR you already own — that's the BYOE (Bring Your Own EDR) model.

You want deeper response coverage: SOC & Extended Response at $15.00/endpoint/month, also BYOE.

You have nothing and want one decision, not five: Full Cyber Stack at $35.00/endpoint/month includes Acronis EDR plus the full managed service — one package, one price.

FAQ

Can I combine my existing EDR with your SOC?

Yes — that's exactly what the BYOE packages are for.

Is XDR "better" than EDR?

It's wider, not better. The right question is whether anyone is responding to what either of them finds.

How do I buy?

Browse the packages, submit a request, and our team responds within 24 hours to plan the installation.

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