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Binary Defense MDR vs Field Effect MDR comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 3, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Binary Defense MDR
Ranking in Managed Detection and Response (MDR)
14th
Average Rating
9.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
16
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Field Effect MDR
Ranking in Managed Detection and Response (MDR)
5th
Average Rating
9.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
31
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Managed Detection and Response (MDR) category, the mindshare of Binary Defense MDR is 1.3%, up from 0.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Field Effect MDR is 1.6%, down from 3.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Managed Detection and Response (MDR) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Field Effect MDR1.6%
Binary Defense MDR1.3%
Other97.1%
Managed Detection and Response (MDR)
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer2588769 - PeerSpot reviewer
Cybersecurity Architect, Information Technology Division at a healthcare company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Phenomenal response time and good handling of context in our diverse environment
We are going to have a meeting with them the following Monday. It will be our first quarterly business review. Half of it is going to be looking at new products and new functions that they are bringing out. So far, I do not have anything negative or a concern. There were two small mistakes that the technician made, and they were remedied immediately. Once we brought them to their attention, they were remedied. I do not have any complaints. They were just simple mistakes that anybody could make, and their response was a positive response. So far, I have not had anything negative to say. The only area for improvement that I can think of relates to statistical analysis for SLAs. They are in the middle of moving to a new product called D3 which is going to do some backend work for them. I know they are working to improve some of the help desk statistics, such as the time the tickets open and the time they are closed. They are working on that function. It is going to be resolved in the next month or two. We have service level agreements with them, but they can use improved statistics for service level agreements. This is the only point of improvement I can identify.
reviewer2753850 - PeerSpot reviewer
Owner at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Customer security is enhanced with software and update detection while licensing process needs improvement
A quick specific example of how I use Field Effect MDR to keep my customers secure is that it helps me identify computers that need updates, even when I believe they are already updated. Field Effect MDR finds software and Windows updates that aren't being completed, which I find very valuable.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"Binary Defense's most valuable feature is the 24/7 monitoring and threat hunting. Their team checks the latest breaches and how they're done."
"Our mean time to response has gone down. We're much faster with direct response and have more investigative capabilities than we did before."
"The case interface is Binary Defense MDR's most valuable feature."
"The customization has been the most valuable aspect and was really the reason we ended up selecting Binary Defense. They worked with us to provide exactly the level of support, features, response, and collaboration we needed."
"With Binary Defense, we don't just get an alert, but also a detailed rundown of why they're alerting us on it. They tell us what was executed, or the username, script, or IP. That way, we're not wasting time investigating."
"One of the main benefits of Binary Defense MDR is the ability to easily meet with their support team to discuss any issues we encounter."
"Binary Defense has a human service department that provides live monitoring for our systems."
"Binary Defense is comprehensive. We see most of the questionable activity. Once you see things a couple of times and are familiar with the processes, you know what those are. The level of activity is definitely favorable."
"Unlike previous solutions, where we were solely informed of security incidents, Covalence's MDR allows for real-time incident prevention."
"The automated response feature is incredibly effective."
"The most valuable features are Action Recommendations of Observations, which keep us informed about existing vulnerabilities so we can proactively update our endpoints and those of our customers against potential threats."
"The most valuable aspect of Field Effect Covalence is its ability to continuously monitor for and identify potential threats."
"It provides valuable insights into our IT environment, enabling us to improve reselling, upgrades, and customer management."
"The standout feature is its continuous 24/7 monitoring of all network traffic, providing unparalleled vigilance."
"I like how comprehensive Field Effect Covalence is."
"Hackers are trying to breach a business when they least expect it - that's often at night, weekends, and holidays. Covalence never sleeps or misses a second of monitoring."
 

Cons

"It's hard to think of anything that they need to improve on, but just to point out something, I would like to see them provide advanced XDR."
"The only area I see for improvement with Binary Defense is their service portal. It could benefit from some enhancements."
"I don't find any downside to them, but if I have to put one, it would be consistent manpower or staffing. The only area where the solution can be improved is going to be with people. As they grow, they are struggling with the same thing that every other company is, which is getting talent and getting that talent to stay, but they've just revised their tiering system to go from a flat analyst and manager to a three-tier solution where it goes through two or three before it gets elevated. That seems to have worked out well, so if one level misses it, the next one picks it up, and it works out fine."
"It's sometimes difficult to know when to engage Binary Defense or TrustedSec, their sister company. TrustedSec is more focused on offensive security, as opposed to the defensive security that the MDR solution provides. It would be awesome if there were a better bridge between that relationship for when we need to get more proactive services or when we need to do a penetration test."
"If I were shopping for an MDR solution today, I would not only look for a company that has the ability to alert, detect, and remediate, but also the ability to integrate vulnerability management. That's a big thing that they're lacking today."
"I would like to see more frequent check-ins with our security status."
"I would like to get more reports from Binary Defense about what they're blocking."
"Binary Defense MDR could be even better with additional features, like automatic scans and file quarantine."
"The ConnectWise PSA integration is two-way but does not send our comments back to the Field Effect portal."
"In my experience, Field Effect MDR is somewhat stable. However, I have one situation where it has been two months trying to resolve an installation issue on a server, which has consumed a significant amount of time."
"While it's essential to stay informed about potential issues, the recurring notifications about past vulnerabilities can lead to confusion and may detract from our focus on current threats."
"It would be greatly beneficial to integrate compliance-related reporting directly into the portal."
"They put too much detail into the emails."
"While the reporting is good, I would like more of a white-label option with my company's name at the top and a clean look for the report."
"I'd suggest that Field Effect focus more on including things like phishing simulation and cybersecurity training."
"I would like Covalence to include patching."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing is on target. Working with their sales team on pricing negotiations was a pleasant process. They were very respectful of the constraints we had and I feel that we're paying a fair price."
"The solution's price is spot on; if anything, it's slightly below the norm for most services. Compared to building the same team internally, it would cost more to create the same amount of capability than what we get from an external team. Price-wise, Binary Defense is in a great spot."
"The pricing isn't that bad, it's very competitive. I don't feel that it's over-priced and I don't feel that it's under-priced."
"It's valued at the right price. Even with the number of endpoints we have, we don't feel that it's a lot more than any competitor. In fact, it might be less expensive when you look at the fact that you're getting a full flex SOC out of it along with the tools."
"After we acquired this platform, we met with a number of different vendors. Binary Defense came in with a proposal that was surprisingly affordable. In fact, we were able to recoup the cost of their services within a short period of time. This is because Binary Defense is able to provide the same level of security as a team of two or three in-house analysts but at a fraction of the cost. As a result, Binary Defense is saving us an estimated $250,000 to $300,000 per year."
"The pricing is very good. They are definitely competitive and they were lower at the time that we went with them."
"Binary Defense has changed its pricing model from being primarily based on the volume of data to one based on escalations and incidents they handle."
"Binary Defense MDR is priced competitively and may be slightly lower than CrowdStrike."
"A top-tier competitor to Field Effect in Magic Quadrant that we had been using until our switch to Field Effect was a great product, but each capability had an additional charge. We had to license modules separately, and each of those add-ons had to be added onto its own consumption and agreement. It was a nightmare from a billing perspective because we had multiple agreements, and each one had a jagged anniversary or a renewal anniversary. It was a nightmare, whereas Field Effect MDR is one product."
"It is a little pricey. It is a little on the high end, but we are continuing to use it. We signed the contract and have not canceled, so we find value in having it."
"The cost of the solution is high."
"While the contract duration might change, the pricing remains highly attractive."
"It is on the high end, but it is worth it for the service that you get from them."
"Covalence is cost-effective."
"The pricing is comparable to what else is out there."
"Field Effect is fairly priced from my perspective. You get a lot of bang for the buck with this and a level of visibility that provides you with greater peace of mind knowing that the system is carefully monitored. You also have automated responses for known malicious behavior at any time of the day. Someone could have their Office 365 mailbox compromised at 2 in the morning on a Saturday when most people are asleep or not paying attention, and the system can prevent an issue in an automated way."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Insurance Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Healthcare Company
6%
Computer Software Company
32%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Outsourcing Company
8%
Retailer
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business5
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise7
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business32
Midsize Enterprise3
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Binary Defense MDR?
It has been good. We have saved money, and we have a better product. We are a company that has become an enterprise from a small medium business in two years. Our company passed a certain dollar ma...
What needs improvement with Binary Defense MDR?
We are going to have a meeting with them the following Monday. It will be our first quarterly business review. Half of it is going to be looking at new products and new functions that they are brin...
What is your primary use case for Binary Defense MDR?
They co-manage our Sentinel SIEM instance, and they provide a Security Operations Center (SOC) with 24/7 coverage. They perform research and remediation. They have a separate team for phishing. Tha...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Field Effect Covalence?
Pricing was initially a concern, but the recent updates have resolved that by offering a more accessible buying cost.
What needs improvement with Field Effect Covalence?
One way Field Effect MDR can be improved is through its licensing process, which is not ideal. The licensing process is difficult because I have to access a separate website to complete it.
What is your primary use case for Field Effect Covalence?
My main use case for Field Effect MDR is keeping my customers secure.
 

Also Known As

Binary Defense Vision, Binary Defense Managed Detection and Response, Binary Defense Managed Detection & Response
Field Effect Covalence
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Securitas USA, Black Hills Energy, Lincoln Electric,The J.M. Smuckers Company, New York Community Bank, State of Connecticut, NCR
Field Effect MDR is widely adopted by managed service providers (MSPs) and organizations with lean IT teams. It is used to monitor, detect, and respond to threats across distributed environments, helping businesses strengthen their cybersecurity posture while maintaining operational efficiency. Organizations rely on Field Effect MDR to protect hybrid infrastructures, secure cloud applications, and defend against modern threats, including increasingly automated and AI-driven attacks, while maintaining compliance and resilience in a rapidly evolving threat landscape.
Find out what your peers are saying about Binary Defense MDR vs. Field Effect MDR and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.
900,644 professionals have used our research since 2012.