As industry leaders in endpoint detection and response, CrowdStrike and Sophos deliver high-quality EDR for organizations of all sizes. Choosing between the two EDR tools can be difficult due to their similar features and reputation within the industry.
SEE: 10 cybersecurity myths you shouldn't believe (TechRepublic Premium)
CrowdStrike Falcon XDR and Sophos Intercept
In this comparison, we explain which EDR solution is best for you and your organization.
ESET PROTECT Advanced
Employees by company size
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1000-4999), Business (5000+)
Any size of company
Any size of company
Characteristics
Advanced threat defense, full disk encryption, modern endpoint protection, and more
Safety in Heimdal
Employees by company size
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1000-4999), Business (5000+)
Small (50-249 employees), Medium (250-999 employees), Large (1000-4999 employees), Enterprise (5000+ employees)
Small, medium, large, company
Characteristics
Antivirus, Monitoring, Patch Management
ManageEngine Desktop Central
Employees by company size
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1000-4999), Business (5000+)
Any size of company
Any size of company
Characteristics
Activity monitoring, antivirus, dashboard and more
Feature Comparison: CrowdStrike vs Sophos
| Characteristic | ||
|---|---|---|
| Deep learning | ||
| Malware identification | ||
| Behavior analysis | ||
| Data loss prevention | ||
| Automated remediation | ||
| Terminal insulation | ||
| Supported platforms | ||
| Free Trial | ||
| starting price | ||
|
|
CrowdStrike vs. Sophos Pricing
In terms of prices, Crowdstrike EDR and XDR It can be accessed through your Falcon Enterprise or Falcon Elite subscription. While both tiers have CrowdStrike's EDR solution, they differ in the additional security features included in the license.
Below is a summary of the inclusions and prices of both:
- Falcon Company: $184.99 per device; includes antivirus, EDR, XDR, and managed threat hunting.
- Elite Falcon: Contact sales for a quote; includes EDR, XDR, integrated identity and endpoint protection, and threat hunting.
On the other hand, Sophos EDR and XDR products Prices can be obtained after answering a short online form. I would have preferred Sophos to provide both these form-based prices and reference prices to give businesses an idea of the prices they could expect.
SEE: CrowdStrike vs McAfee: EDR Software Comparison (TechRepublic)
Fortunately, Both CrowdStrike and Sophos offer free trials. for your endpoint protection products. This allows organizations to test their software solutions without spending on an initial subscription or license.
Head to Head Comparison: CrowdStrike vs Sophos
API and extensions
CrowdStrike maintains an extensive inventory of extensions, along with a robust API, to further integrate its EDR/XDR solution with an organization's existing technology stack. These integrations make it easy for an organization to create a robust, comprehensive security landscape while including important cloud-based solutions like AWS Security Hub and Amazon Workspaces.
Sophos also offers integrations with partners, although not as many. Sophos custom integrations are intended to extend the functionality of existing systems, improving automation and easing administrative burden.
Accuracy
CrowdStrike was named a “Leader” in the most recent Forrester Wave Endpoint Security report, Q4 2023. Forrester highlighted CrowdStrike as a “dominant endpoint” solution, citing its “superior insight” and minimal impact on device performance. final point.
In that same Forrester report, Sophos' Endpoint software performed well, but didn't score as highly as CrowdStrike. In particular, Sophos scored medium in terms of strategy, market presence, and the strength of its current security offerings. This indicates that, at least according to Forrester's evaluations, CrowdStrike performed noticeably better.
System coverage
CrowdStrike provides broad system coverage for all common operating systems on a wide range of potential endpoints, including Windows, Mac, and Linux. This is true across the board for CrowdStrike's current range of security products.
SEE: Microsoft Defender vs CrowdStrike: Compare EDR software (TechRepublic)
Forrester notes that Sophos has below-average operating system coverage. Sophos offers complete coverage for Windows and MacOS. While Linux is supported, not all Sophos features translate to the Linux environment. However, Sophos supports Android and iOS mobile platforms.
Performance
CrowdStrike is designed to be lightweight and easy to deploy. Not only can it be deployed for immediate use, but it has little impact on the system. Comparatively, some users have found Sophos to be resource-intensive, which could have an impact on an organization's efficiency and performance.
Visibility
Both CrowdStrike and Sophos are designed to provide 100% visibility into your organization's network and endpoints. These options provide real-time and historical visibility across the entire cloud architecture, plus high-fidelity event data. Users note that CrowdStrike provides an extensive and rich registry.
Product Set
Many security products are not used in isolation, but are included within a broader set of products. CrowdStrike offers a wide range of product offerings, ranging from endpoint security options to managed services. Some Falcon products are packages of other granular sets, while others are stand-alone. However, CrowdStrike's wide range of products may be overwhelming for some users.
Sophos products include Sophos Firewall, Sophos Managed Threat Response and Sophos Central Management Console, which further integrates with Sophos Server, Sophos Switch, Sophos Mobile, Sophos Encryption and more. These products can create a complete Sophos security ecosystem and the product line even extends to personal home security.
Pros and cons of CrowdStrike
Advantages
- Easy to implement and manage.
- Accurate threat detection and response.
- Light compared to other customers.
Cons
- Highest price.
- Customer service can be improved.
Pros and cons of Sophos
Advantages
- Customizable integrations.
- Convenient centralized administration console.
- Quality protection against zero-day threats.
Cons
- You need to contact Sophos for pricing.
- Some users consider it to be resource-intensive.
Should your organization use CrowdStrike or Sophos?
In terms of customer experience and product capabilities, as measured by Gartner user reviews and ratings, CrowdStrike Falcon XDR narrowly beats Sophos Intercept X.
That said, both EDR/XDR solutions are incredibly robust and offer similar feature sets. For most businesses, it will all come down to cost. MITER testers noted that CrowdStrike Falcon On the other hand, Sophos Intercept X with XDR achieved a 99% detection rate of adversarial behavior in the same test.
While the performance ratings for both systems are exceptional, CrowdStrike scores higher overall. However, keep in mind that CrowdStrike also has a relatively higher price.
Because of that trade-off, CrowdStrike Falcon XDR is probably the best option for enterprise organizations that can afford it, while Sophos Intercept X is a great solution for more budget-conscious businesses.
Methodology
My comparison between CrowdStrike and Sophos' EDR and XDR solutions involved a comprehensive look at their respective security features, pricing, and overall value to businesses.
Specifically, I looked at essential EDR features such as threat detection accuracy, performance, API extensions and integration, deployment process, and real-time visibility, among others.
The analysis of both solutions was carried out through an exhaustive investigation of the official documentation of each product, the included features and the possible use cases for various types of organizations. We also took into account feedback from real users and third-party reviews from reputable review sites to complete our final analysis and recommendations.
