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Armature Systems Resources
May 01, 2025
MDR Pricing Explained: How It Compares to Building Your Own SOC
Table of Contents
Should you build a full-fledged Security Operations Center (SOC) in-house, or outsource detection and response to a trusted partner? That question is at the heart of understanding MDR pricing and the value you receive in return.
We built our SOC Cost Calculator to help you see what those numbers actually look like—and how they stack up against our Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services. Whether you’re a scaling startup or an enterprise reevaluating your stack, this guide will break down the trade-offs, the hidden costs, and how to make the smartest decision for your business.
The Real Cost of Building a SOC
In many cases, organizations find themselves paying over $1 million annually, and depending on the number of users, that number can climb even higher. But this doesn’t even account for burnout, talent churn, and the cost of constantly onboarding new team members.
Standing up your own Security Operations Center isn’t just a technology project—it’s a long-term operational commitment. It requires significant investment in tooling, infrastructure, and specialized personnel.
Here’s what that typically includes:
-
Security Tools Expenses
- SIEM (Security Information and Event Management)
- SOAR Platform
- Threat Intelligence Feeds
- Cloud Compute
- Data Pipeline Management
- Ticketing & Workflow Platform
- Miscellaneous Licenses
-
Personnel Expenses
- Security Analysts
- SOC Manager
- Security Engineers
- Threat Researchers
Why Most MDR Providers Still Fall Short
Some MDR providers offer cheaper upfront packages—but they come with compromises. You’re often locked into a preselected set of tools that may not align with your environment and worse, many providers simply notify you of an issue and hand it back for your team to resolve. When you pay for a MDR service, you expect the problem to be solved—not just pointed out. That’s why active remediation matters.
MDR Pricing: How Armature Systems Is Different
We built our MDR service to fill the gaps that others leave behind.
With Active Response & Mitigation™ (ARM), our analysts actively handle and remediate issues on your behalf. That means we resolve over 90% of all incidents without requiring your team’s intervention—whether it’s validating users, contacting internal teams, or fully closing out tickets.
You don’t just get alerts. You get answers, outcomes, and fewer headaches.
Here’s what else sets us apart:
Flexibility Without Lock-In
Many providers force you into their ecosystem. Armature Systems is vendor-agnostic meaning that we work with your tools. If you have already invested in a SIEM, EDR, or SOAR platform, we can integrate without forcing a full migration or disrupting what already works.
This kind of flexibility isn’t just a technical detail—it’s a long-term business advantage. As your stack evolves, you don’t need to change providers or rebuild your cybersecurity strategy from scratch.
Scaling Smart: The SOC Maturity Challenge
Here’s the hidden truth: building a SOC isn’t a one-time cost—it’s a living, growing operation.
As your company grows, so do the demands on your SOC. More users = more endpoints, more logs, more noise, more risk. That means:
- Hiring more analysts
- Expanding log ingestion and storage
- Rewriting detection rules
- Rebuilding automation workflows
That $1 million a year can quickly become $2 million+.
With MDR, your cost scales more efficiently. As your organization grows, your investment increases at a fraction of what it would cost to build and staff your own SOC—while still giving you access to top-tier protection.
The Staffing Shortage Problem
According to the 2024 ISC2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study, the global cybersecurity workforce gap now stands at over 4.76 million and demand continues to outpace supply. Even well-resourced organizations struggle to find and retain skilled analysts, engineers, and threat hunters.
The result? Burnout, delays in triage, and security blind spots. MDR solves that. With Armature Systems, you’re instantly backed by an experienced team that’s trained, certified and knows your environment.
The SOC Cost Calculator: Try It Yourself
We launched our SOC Cost Calculator to make this decision easier. Plug in your company size, and the tool shows you side-by-side annual cost estimates for building a SOC vs. using our MDR service.
Here’s what you’ll see:
- A breakdown of tooling and licensing costs
- Personnel salary estimates based on roles and headcount
- The total in-house cost
- An estimated Armature Systems MDR cost for your organization
Use this to validate your current spending, build a business case, get a read on MDR pricing, or just better understand where your money is going.
Rethinking the SOC Investment
Making the right security decision isn’t just about budget—it’s about how you allocate time, talent, and attention.
Owning a SOC gives you total control. But it also comes with long-term commitments—hiring, training, tooling, and constant oversight. For many organizations, that level of ownership becomes a distraction from their core mission.
A modern approach to cybersecurity doesn’t mean compromising on quality. It means optimizing for effectiveness. That’s what managed detection and response—when done right—offers.
With Armature Systems, you gain a dedicated team that becomes an extension of your business. You stay agile, protected, and focused, without having to absorb the operational drag of building everything yourself.
Try the SOC Cost Calculator now and see how MDR pricing stacks up for your team.
FAQs
Q: Can I still use my existing security tools with Armature Systems MDR?
A: Absolutely. We’re vendor agnostic, meaning we integrate with your current tools—no need to rip and replace.
Q: Is 24/7 monitoring really included?
A: Yes. Our team provides round-the-clock monitoring and response, so you don’t need to staff in shifts.
Q: What kind of businesses benefit most from Armature Systems MDR?
A: Growing organizations that need high-quality protection without the cost and complexity of an in-house SOC.
Q: What makes your service different from other MDRs?
A: Active remediation. We don’t just alert you—we fix problems. Over 90% of incidents are resolved without needing your team to step in.
