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Cortex Xpanse vs Darktrace comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 3, 2026

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

Cortex Xpanse
Ranking in Attack Surface Management (ASM)
6th
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Darktrace
Ranking in Attack Surface Management (ASM)
4th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
84
Ranking in other categories
Email Security (10th), Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) (2nd), Network Traffic Analysis (NTA) (1st), Network Detection and Response (NDR) (1st), Extended Detection and Response (XDR) (7th), Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) (10th), Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) (9th), AI-Powered Cybersecurity Platforms (5th), AI Observability (6th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Attack Surface Management (ASM) category, the mindshare of Cortex Xpanse is 2.8%, down from 4.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Darktrace is 4.3%, down from 10.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Attack Surface Management (ASM) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Darktrace4.3%
Cortex Xpanse2.8%
Other92.9%
Attack Surface Management (ASM)
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer1442496 - PeerSpot reviewer
System Administrator at a retailer with 5,001-10,000 employees
Ensures robust security management with seamless integration
We work with the cloud version of Cortex Xpanse. We are working with Palo Alto products right at the moment. We have Cortex and GlobalProtect that we are using. I'm not sure if we utilize Cortex Xpanse's capability to identify internet-facing assets. I'm not sure about the automated threat assessment of Cortex helping prioritize vulnerabilities. I would assess the integration capabilities of Cortex Xpanse as good; no issues so far with integration with other tools from different vendors. Cortex Xpanse supports our organization's regulatory compliance efforts 100%, and it's what we need from it. Right now, I am working only with Palo Alto for security. I am not planning to work with some other vendors. On a scale of one to ten, I rate Cortex Xpanse a nine.
Pasan Jayarathna - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Security Engineer at Cyberwell Solution
Monitoring has improved data loss detection and now spots abnormal internal file transfers quickly
In my understanding, the best feature Darktrace offers is the identification of copying files, which acts as a DLP, and it is a main concern for companies because users sometimes copy data outside without knowing, especially those without a technical background. When I mention the DLP-like feature and file copying detection, the alerts have been very timely, as we get an alert within a couple of minutes, which is excellent. Even if some developers are working after hours and copying files, our SOC team detects this, and most of the time they call us so we can identify the users. The alerts are quite accurate and proactive.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most valuable features of the solution are its firewall and antivirus."
"As an attack surface manager, I highly recommend Cortex Xpanse, especially if there are many services exposed publicly on the internet."
"The most valuable aspect is its ability to catch trojans and malware."
"Cortex Xpanse has an easy-to-use user interface."
"Cortex Xpanse is a strong solution for attack surface management, including digital brand protection and continuous monitoring."
"The best feature of the product is that it's easy to manage when we have set it up, and the beneficial impact of Cortex Xpanse for the company is security."
"When there is an alert from Cortex Xpanse regarding a certificate or surface, it prompts us to take immediate action."
"Darktrace impacts my organization positively by providing us with a better understanding of abnormal activities detected among users."
"Darktrace's most valuable features are that it understands the network environment and is able to trace the traffic and alert on anomalies."
"Darktrace is a good product and it can be implemented on premises."
"It is a stable solution without downtime."
"Because of unsupervised machine learning, its detection capability is quite good."
"The autonomous response is also highly designed in Darktrace."
"It is a very simple product to use."
"A very useful feature in Darktrace for real-time threat analysis is the packet inspection that analyzes the packet traffic in real time."
 

Cons

"It's challenging to confirm the absolute coverage and penetration of Cortex Xpanse into the Dark Web. The solution lacks comprehensive intelligence on adversaries and risks, which other competitors might provide."
"Regarding technical support, I would rate it as a seven."
"Cortex Xpanse should offer better customization and configuration options on its dashboard."
"Some improvements are needed in the user interface. It may require more enhancements."
"There is an issue with the old versions of Cortex, and so when we have an older one with Windows or any OS, we have a problem with its connectivity with the cloud."
"Cortex Xpanse needs to add dark-web scanning."
"The product doesn't have an endpoint agent that can react to triggers set on the device,"
"The initial setup is a bit complex."
"Darktrace needs to simplify most of the positive reports. We have to field all the positive reports, false positives, too."
"Block attack capabilities or integration with other SIEM solutions such as IBM QRadar."
"I would like for the product to work on the endpoints as well. I would like to see enhanced visibility into the endpoints and network but this solution only sits on the network itself."
"Upper management wasn't sold on the value proposition."
"The dashboard and reporting for this solution could be improved as it is currently complex. The GUI for this solution could also be improved."
"The solution's user interface and stability could be improved."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The tool's cost is too high."
"Cortex Xpanse is cheaper than other solutions."
"The price of the solution is not cheap. It is not a one-time purchase, there is a subscription that needs to be paid every one to five years depending on your choice. It is expensive but you can reduce the price by only using the services that you want."
"Darktrace is expensive. You can pay for the license yearly."
"It was $3,600 a month or $2,000 plus or so. I am not sure. Its licensing is pretty simple."
"They are too expensive compared with other vendors."
"The pricing is expensive. It costs over $100,000 a year."
"The cost of the solution is expensive for smaller businesses. They will not be able to afford it or might not need this type of security solution."
"The pricing is a little high compared to the competition."
"Darktrace is quite an expensive solution."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
12%
Computer Software Company
10%
Government
10%
Performing Arts
8%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Computer Software Company
9%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business44
Midsize Enterprise20
Large Enterprise29
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cortex Xpanse?
I don't know the licensing or setup cost; I have no idea about the cost.
What needs improvement with Cortex Xpanse?
I'm not sure right now; I have nothing to comment on regarding what could be improved in the product. We are using it and we are satisfied. I have nothing to comment right now on what other feature...
What is your primary use case for Cortex Xpanse?
Cortex Xpanse is usually used for security from clients.
How does Crowdstrike Falcon compare with Darktrace?
Both of these products perform similarly and have many outstanding attributes. CrowdStrike Falcon offers an amazing user interface that makes setup easy and seamless. CrowdStrike Falcon offers a cl...
Which is better - SentinelOne or Darktrace?
Which solution is better depends on which is more suitable specifically for your company. Darktrace, for example, is meant for smaller to medium-sized businesses. It is also a good option for organ...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Darktrace?
Concerning pricing for the product, I would say it is somewhat expensive.
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Irwin Mitchell, Open Energi, Wellcome Trust, FirstGroup plc, Virgin Trains, Drax, QUI! Group, DNK, CreaCard, Macrosynergy, Sisley, William Hill plc, Toyota Canada, Royal British Legion, Vitol, Allianz, KKR, AIRBUS, dpd, Billabong, Mclaren Group.
Find out what your peers are saying about Cortex Xpanse vs. Darktrace and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.
900,747 professionals have used our research since 2012.