Key takeaways
- EDR Choice Affects Protection: MSPs depend on EDR to detect ransomware, contain threats, and protect SMB clients from advanced attacks.
- Unified Security Is Increasingly Important: Standalone EDR no longer covers attacks spanning endpoints, identities, email, and cloud apps.
- Guardz Combines EDR with MDR: Guardz embeds SentinelOne EDR into a unified MSP platform with identity, email, and cloud security controls.
- Multi-Tenant Visibility Matters: Essential EDR capabilities include tenant isolation, automated response, integrations, and 24/7 MDR coverage.
Many MSPs no longer view choosing an endpoint detection and response (EDR) solution as a purely technical procurement decision. The EDR platform they pick directly affects how quickly client environments can detect ransomware and other malware, contain compromised endpoints, and stop lateral movement.
With SMBs increasingly facing enterprise-grade attacks without dedicated in-house security teams, MSPs are expected to deliver enterprise-grade protection across their SMB client environments. This guide walks through the seven best EDR tools for MSPs in 2026 and how to evaluate them against multi-tenant client realities.
Why Choosing the Right EDR Matters for MSPs in 2026
Choosing the right EDR platform matters because MSPs must protect SMB clients, who often face advanced cyberattacks without large in-house security teams. SMBs are increasingly targeted by sophisticated endpoint-focused attacks, with one industry report finding ransomware involved in 39% of breaches at large organizations, compared with 88% at SMBs.
Standalone EDR also no longer covers the full attack surface. Attacks can span endpoints, identities, email, cloud apps, and remote access tools. For MSPs, fragmented security stacks drain time and margins, making integrated, multi-tenant EDR essential for scalable detection, response, and client protection.
Top EDR for MSPs: TL;DR
Choosing the right EDR platform involves more than feature comparisons. The table below maps the seven tools across key strengths and pricing so you can quickly identify which platforms align with your stack, budget, and client requirements:
| Tool | Key Strengths | Starting Price |
| Guardz | SentinelOne Singularity EDR embedded in a unified, identity-centric MSP platform with 24/7 AI + human-led MDR. | Contact for pricing; 14 day free trial available. |
| CrowdStrike Falcon Insight XDR | AI-powered EDR with cross-domain XDR visibility across endpoint, identity, cloud, and mobile. | Contact for pricing. |
| ThreatDown by Malwarebytes | Behavioral detection, ransomware rollback, multi-tenant Nebula console, optional 24/7 MDR at Elite and Ultimate tiers. | Core from approximately $69 per endpoint per year; free trial available. |
| Microsoft Defender for Endpoint | Automated investigation, attack disruption, and M365 Lighthouse multi-tenant visibility. | From $3 per user per month (Defender for Business, up to 300 users, billed annually); free trial available via Microsoft Security trials page. |
| Bitdefender GravityZone EDR | Prevention-first EDR with cross-endpoint correlation, HyperDetect tunable ML, and Sandbox Analyzer. | Contact for pricing. |
| ESET PROTECT | Lightweight agent with ESET Inspect XDR, 800+ MITRE-mapped detection rules, and MSP daily billing. | Contact for pricing. |
| Trend Micro Worry-Free with Co-Managed XDR | MSP-only co-managed XDR with 24/7 threat experts, cross-customer analysis, and monthly billing. | Contact for pricing. |
7 Best EDR Solutions for MSPs in 2026
These seven platforms represent the range of what MSPs can deploy in 2026, from AI-native investigation and unified MDR to standalone EDR with deep behavioral detection. Each stands out in at least one dimension that matters for multi-tenant, SMB-focused operations.
No Slack account needed.
1. Guardz
Guardz is an MSP-first unified cybersecurity platform where enterprise-grade EDR is built in, not bolted on. The EDR layer is powered by SentinelOne Singularity, embedded and optimized natively inside Guardz alongside ITDR, managed antivirus with Windows Defender, AI-native email security powered by Check Point, cloud data protection, security awareness training, phishing simulations, and external footprint scanning.
The practical difference for MSPs is straightforward: choosing Guardz delivers SentinelOne-grade endpoint detection without managing a separate SentinelOne license, console, or vendor relationship. In the Ultimate plan, SentinelOne EDR is bundled with Guardz MDR, with behavioral AI detecting threats in real time while 24/7 experts step in to neutralize incidents. EDR is one control inside a unified stack rather than an isolated product, with endpoint signals correlating to identity and email events through Guardz MDR.
2. CrowdStrike Falcon Insight XDR
CrowdStrike Falcon Insight XDR is CrowdStrike’s EDR and extended detection and response capability, built on the Falcon platform. It delivers AI-powered endpoint detection enriched with adversary threat intelligence, producing context-rich detections with minimal false positives.
Charlotte AI automates investigation leads and alert triage, compressing hours of analyst work into minutes. Real Time Response enables direct remote access to affected systems for rapid containment, while native Falcon Fusion SOAR automates response workflows at scale. Falcon Insight XDR also extends visibility beyond the endpoint to identity, cloud, and mobile at no additional cost.
3. ThreatDown by Malwarebytes
ThreatDown is Malwarebytes’s business endpoint security platform built for MSPs and the SMBs they protect. It combines next-generation antivirus, behavioral detection, EDR, ransomware rollback, and optional 24/7 managed detection and response across a cloud-managed Nebula console that supports multi-tenant client management. ThreatDown is designed for teams that need centralized visibility, policy management, and active endpoint response across multiple client environments.
The platform offers tiered plans: Core (next-gen antivirus with incident response), Advanced (adds EDR and 7-day ransomware rollback), Elite (adds 24/7 analyst support and threat hunting), and Ultimate (full MDR). ThreatDown integrates with ConnectWise, Kaseya, and other common MSP RMM and PSA platforms.
4. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Microsoft offers two endpoint products relevant to MSPs. Microsoft Defender for Business targets organizations with up to 300 users at $3 per user per month. It includes EDR, automated investigation and remediation, automatic attack disruption, next-generation antivirus, and vulnerability management.
It integrates with Microsoft 365 Lighthouse, letting MSP cloud solution providers view security incidents and alerts across customer tenants from one portal. Defender for Endpoint Plan 2, in Microsoft 365 E5, adds advanced hunting, threat intelligence, and sandbox analysis for larger enterprises. Both suit Microsoft-stack environments.
5. Bitdefender GravityZone Endpoint Detection and Response
Bitdefender GravityZone EDR is a standalone EDR product built on a prevention-first foundation within the GravityZone platform. It combines automated cross-endpoint correlation, HyperDetect tunable machine learning, Fileless Attack Defense, Cloud Sandbox Analyzer, and real-time attack visualization to identify threats bypassing other layers.
A key differentiator is automatic consolidation of related incidents across endpoints into one unified incident, accelerating response and streamlining workflows. GravityZone EDR Cloud uses standalone monthly MSP licensing and integrates with ConnectWise, Kaseya, Datto, and HaloPSA.
6. ESET PROTECT
ESET PROTECT is a tiered endpoint security platform whose MSP appeal is its lightweight agent, broad OS coverage, and a dedicated MSP program with daily billing and monthly invoicing.
ESET Inspect, the XDR-enabling component of the ESET PROTECT Platform, delivers breach prevention and remediation through 800+ detection rules, MITRE ATT&CK-mapped detections, root cause analysis, one-click endpoint isolation, and a REST API for SIEM and SOAR integration. ESET Inspect is included in the Elite and MDR tiers. ESET Remote Administrator provides a multi-tenant web console with RMM plugins for Kaseya, ConnectWise, and Autotask.
7. Trend Micro Worry-Free with Co-Managed XDR
Trend Micro Worry-Free with Co-Managed XDR is an MSP-only detection and response service co-managed by Trend Micro and the MSP. Built on the Worry-Free XDR foundation, it adds 24/7 threat experts who monitor customers’ deployments, investigate critical events, correlate alerts across endpoints and email via the Trend Micro Smart Protection Network, and execute mitigation actions if authorized.
Cross-customer and cross-partner analysis means MSPs no longer need to log into each customer console individually. Monthly reports and pay-as-you-go billing with no upfront commitment complete the MSP-centric model.
EDR for MSPs Comparison Overview
The comparison table below distills how each tool stacks up on the criteria MSPs use most when shortlisting endpoint platforms.
| Tool | AI Capabilities | Integration Fit | Best For |
| Guardz | AI-driven detection across endpoint, identity, email, and cloud, with AI + human-led MDR | Native integration with ITDR, email, cloud data, and external footprint in one MSP platform | MSPs wanting unified, identity-centric security with SentinelOne EDR built in |
| CrowdStrike Falcon Insight XDR | AI-powered EDR with Charlotte AI triage and native XDR at no extra cost | Falcon platform; extends to identity, cloud, and mobile; available via Falcon Complete for MSPs | MSPs wanting enterprise-grade EDR with automated investigation and XDR |
| ThreatDown by Malwarebytes | Behavioral AI detection with anomaly matching, application hardening, and ransomware rollback across managed endpoints | Multi-tenant Nebula console; ConnectWise, Kaseya, and PSA integrations | MSPs wanting layered endpoint protection with optional MDR and proven ransomware rollback for SMB clients |
| Microsoft Defender for Endpoint | AI-powered EDR with automatic attack disruption and XDR-level alert correlation | Native fit for Microsoft 365 estates; Lighthouse gives MSPs multi-tenant visibility | Microsoft-aligned SMB clients (Defender for Business) or enterprise (Plan 2) |
| Bitdefender GravityZone EDR | HyperDetect tunable ML, Fileless Attack Defense, cross-endpoint correlation, Cloud Sandbox Analyzer | Standalone monthly MSP licensing; Integrates with ConnectWise, Kaseya, Datto, HaloPSA | Prevention-first EDR with automated cross-endpoint correlation |
| ESET PROTECT | ML coupled with LiveSense multilayered security technologies | Multi-tenant ESET Remote Administrator; Kaseya, ConnectWise, Autotask RMM plugins | Mixed-OS fleets needing lightweight agents and MSP-native billing |
| Trend Micro Worry-Free with Co-Managed XDR | AI-powered XDR across email and endpoints | Cross-customer and cross-partner analysis; Remote Manager | MSPs wanting co-managed XDR with expert-backed detection across their customer base |
Key EDR Features MSPs Cannot Afford to Skip
Modern MSPs are expected to secure increasingly complex client environments while operating with limited security personnel and growing cyber threat exposure. The right solution must reduce operational overhead, improve response speed, and provide visibility across distributed customer environments without overwhelming MSP teams.
- Multi-Tenant Management and Per-Client Isolation: MSPs need a console that aggregates risk across clients while segmenting each tenant’s data. Without this, every new client adds linear operational load.
- AI-Native Behavioral Detection: Signature-based detection cannot keep pace with fileless attacks, living-off-the-land techniques, and ransomware variants. According to IBM’s 2025 Cost of a Data Breach Report, organizations using AI and automation extensively identified and contained breaches within a mean time of 241 days, the lowest in nine years, compared to those without these tools.
- Automated Containment and Rollback: When ransomware activates, manual response is too slow. Look for one-click isolation, process termination, quarantine, and rollback to pre-attack state.
- Integration with Identity and Email Controls: Endpoint compromise rarely starts at the endpoint. The Verizon 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report found credential abuse responsible for 22% of breaches, and ransomware present in 44%. EDR that does not correlate with identity and email signals misses the attack chain.
- 24/7 MDR Coverage for After-Hours Response: Most MSPs cannot staff a 24/7 SOC. EDR layered with MDR keeps client environments monitored when teams are offline.
How to Choose the Right EDR for Your MSP
Use these four checkpoints to filter candidates against the operational realities of running a multi-tenant practice.
- Verify True Multi-Tenant Architecture: Confirm the console aggregates and segments client data natively. Multi-instance workarounds increase overhead.
- Check Integration with Your Existing Stack: The EDR should connect to your PSA, RMM, and existing identity, email, and cloud security tools so signals do not stay siloed.
- Confirm MDR Coverage Availability: If the vendor offers MDR or integrates with a managed partner, after-hours and weekend coverage is materially easier to deliver.
- Review Per-Endpoint Pricing and Scalability: Confirm whether pricing is per device, per user, or per endpoint, and whether it scales linearly. Watch for caps that force costly transitions as clients grow.
Conclusion
The right EDR for an MSP in 2026 is not the one with the longest feature list. It is the one that fits a unified, identity-centric, multi-tenant stack and connects endpoint signals to identity and email events. MSPs that pick an EDR in isolation end up with another console and another set of alerts to triage. A platform that connects EDR to the rest of the stack pays off in faster detections and stronger client outcomes. Explore the Guardz platform and unified MDR to see how it comes together.
