Darktrace stock got hammered this week on the heels of a scathing analyst report from Peel Hunt, as widely reported in business press, including Bloomberg (Darktrace Plunges After Peel Hunt Forecasts 50% Downside).
We typically wouldn’t comment on an analyst report about a competitor. But at the core of this report are two points that are super relevant to anyone choosing a threat detection and response vendor:
- Darktrace is a sales & marketing engine, not a technology innovator
- 91% of customers who consider both Darktrace and Vectra choose Vectra
The two themes are directly related. You can’t pick up The Economist, go to any security event, or watch an F1 race without seeing Darktrace. In total, they spent 87% of revenue on sales & marketing in FY21. In the same period, Darktrace spent a paltry 10% on R&D. For reference, publicly traded cybersecurity companies known for innovation, e.g. CrowdStrike and Palo Alto Networks, spend north of 25% on R&D.
A sales & marketing engine, not a technology innovator.
By sharp contrast, Vectra has consistently spent over 40% of revenue on R&D. Innovation is in our DNA, and we know that innovation requires sustained spending on our product.
What do you get for 4x the R&D spend?
- An AI platform built from the ground up. This equals AI with precisely the right data it needs to run advanced AI at speed—even for large enterprises.
- A solution that constantly pushes the boundaries of what’s possible with AI at the heart of the product. This all starts with a large team of security researchers and Ph.D. data scientists who have the tools, resources, and methodology to fully unleash their skills. One small indicator: Vectra has 12 patents referenced in the MITRE D3FEND framework. (Darktrace has 0. Yes, we’re counting.)
- A UX that makes life easier for analysts. Every detection page and feature is carefully designed with that goal. Yes, our demo is less flashy than Darktrace’s (no spinning globes here!)—Vectra prioritizes substance over hype.
Listen, Darktrace’s marketing is great. No doubt. But sometimes it’s tough to pierce through that façade to get to the reality.
Starting next week, we’ll begin a series of blogs and videos from me and my colleagues at the heart of our product team. We will explain exactly what we do—disclose the secret sauce, so to speak—and contrast that with Darktrace’s approach.
We believe that you deserve to know exactly what you’re getting from any vendor that you choose to protect your most critical assets. And that as you make the choice, you’ll consider which attributes matter to you:
- Technology innovation, or marketing muscle?
- Day-to-day usability, or flashy demos?
- Ransomware protection, or F1 sponsorships?
When faced with this choice, 91% have chosen Vectra.
See why these customers chose Vectra over Darktrace.
