Comparison guide
Vectra AI vs. Darktrace
Choose the platform built to protect modern networks from modern attacks with advanced AI.
Why choose Vectra AI over Darktrace?
With 12 AI patents and more references in MITRE D3FEND than any other vendor, Vectra AI finds attacks others can’t.
85%+ alert fidelity
Unlike Darktrace’s “Self-Learning AI,” which requires constant tuning, Vectra AI provides targeted attacker behavior models across network, identity, and cloud to reduce alert noise 85% or more.
Product innovation
While Darktrace chases anomalies, Vectra AI advances signal intelligence with patented AI agents to triage, stitch, and prioritize attacker behaviors for unmatched signal clarity and speed.
24x7x365 support
Darktrace customers are on their own, and the platform requires a lot of human tuning to work as advertised. With Vectra MDR, skilled analyst reinforcements can completely offload detection, investigation, and response.
Industry-leading NDR
Analysts and peers agree — the Vectra AI Platform is the leading solution for network detection and response.
COMPARE VECTRA AI TO DARKTRACE
Darktrace floods you with alerts. Vectra AI cuts through the noise
Nine in ten customers choose Vectra AI over Darktrace for focused, high-confidence detections that surface real attacks.
Darktrace
1
AI that understands attackers
Self-tuning AI with targeted models to detect attacker behaviors across the entire cyber kill chain including network, identity, and cloud into single incidents. The result is clear, prioritized detections to stop attacks fast.
Darktrace
AI that focuses on unusual
“Self-Learning AI” provides broad coverage of unusual patterns across endpoints, IoT, and cloud. But models can drift and create high volumes of noise, requiring significant analyst interpretation.
2
Visibility that closes blind spots
Identity-first visibility for either machine or human across AD, Entra ID, and SaaS detects service-account abuse, MFA bypass, and OAuth misuse.
Darktrace
Anomalies without context
Detects user behavior anomalies but provides limited identity and SaaS-specific attack detection.
3
Forensics without the friction
Enriches SIEM metadata to provide months of searchable forensic visibility with lower storage costs and faster investigations.
Darktrace
Reliance on external feeds
Relies on alert feeds and packet mirroring, and forensic depth depends on external data lakes and SIEM.
4
Unified hybrid-cloud coverage
Provides native cloud coverage for AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform, and M365 SaaS enriched with identity correlation.
Darktrace
Cloud confusion
Anomaly-driven detections for AWS, Azure, and SaaS create excessive alert noise and complex workflows that delay response and increase risk in fast-moving cloud environments.
5
Fast, clear investigations
Automatically correlates detections for accelerated triage and 5-minute threat hunts.
Darktrace
Manual hunting required
Deeper investigations depend on analyst interpretation and cross-correlation in SIEM.
6
SOC efficiency
Delivers actionable, prioritized incidents mapped to MITRE ATT&CK techniques, improving SOC efficiency 40%.
Darktrace
SOC overwhelm
“Immune System” AI can overwhelm SOCs with non-prioritized anomalies.
CUSTOMERS
91% of customers who consider both Vectra AI and Darktrace choose Vectra AI
2,000+ security teams rely on Vectra AI to see and stop attacks others can’t.
Find out why
Featured Report
Vectra AI Signal vs. Darktrace AI Noise
See how Vectra AI stacks up against Darktrace in real-world threat detection and response.
BETTER COVERAGE, CLARITY AND CONTROL
See how else Vectra AI beats Darktrace
| Vectra AI | Darktrace | |
|---|---|---|
| Network | Limited | |
| Public Cloud | ||
| Identity | ||
| SaaS | ||
| Endpoint |
Attack coverage
Only Vectra AI provides complete visibility for the entire hybrid cloud attack surface by breaking down silos between data sources. It scales to 300,000 users and includes bidirectional endpoint integrations to optimize existing investments in EDR.
| Vectra AI | Darktrace | |
|---|---|---|
| Prioritize what is urgent | Limited | |
| Triage what is irrelevant | ||
| Detect attacker behavior | ||
| Managed extended detection with full-time analysts |
Signal Clarity
Only Vectra AI delivers AI-driven Attack Signal Intelligence and MXDR to alleviate security team analysts of the burden of tuning detections, and triaging and prioritizing events.
| Vectra AI | Darktrace | |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated Investigation with threat context | Limited | |
| Native Targeted Response / Containment | Limited | |
| Integrated Targeted Response / Containment | Limited | |
| Extended managed response / Containment services |
Intelligent Control
Only Vectra AI-enabled Operations provides the intelligent controls and flexibility security team analysts need to investigate and stop attacks at any stage of attack progression.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Vectra AI differ from Darktrace?
Darktrace flags anomalies without attacker context, often creating unnecessary noise and fatigue. In contrast, Vectra AI provides purpose-built attacker behavior models correlated across network, identity, and cloud to deliver clear, prioritized detections that map to real-world adversary techniques.
How does Vectra AI recognize and prioritize real threats?
Vectra AI looks for malicious intent, not just anomalies. Our attacker behavior models map directly to MITRE ATT&CK techniques, enriching every detection with context and risk scoring so analysts can focus on what truly matters — fast, confident response. Our detections must meet at least an 80% risk prioritization scoring threshold, unlike Darktrace’s much lower threshold, which causes more work and more alerts to sift through.
How does Vectra AI improve SOC efficiency?
Vectra AI’s unified detection fabric correlates network, cloud, and identity signals in real time, cutting alert noise and automating triage. By streaming security-enriched cloud and network metadata through Recall and Stream, the Vectra AI Platform gives analysts the instant, forensic depth needed to find and stop attacks in real time.
How does Vectra AI help with compliance and audit readiness?
Vectra AI provides forensic-grade data retention and traceable detection logic, helping organizations meet mandates like HIPAA, PCI, DSS, and GDPR. Analysts get defensible visibility, while leadership gains measurable proof of reduced dwell time and improved resilience. According to IDC research, this unique approach helps SOC teams detect 52% more high-risk threats 37% faster, and increase efficiency 40%.
How does Vectra AI protect hybrid and OT environments?
Vectra AI applies the same AI-driven behavioral analytics across IT, cloud, and OT networks — detecting lateral movement, credential abuse, and privilege escalation without adding silos or disrupting operations.
What makes the Vectra AI Platform different from other NDR vendors?
A Leader in the 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for NDR, the Vectra AI Platform delivers the coverage, clarity and control customers need to protect the modern network from modern attacks.
- AI detections provide full coverage, connecting the dots across network, identity, cloud.
- AI Agents provide clarity by triaging, stitching, and prioritizing real attacks.
- AI enabled analysts automate discovery, hunting, and investigations, putting SOC teams in control to stop attacks early.
What support does Vectra AI offer outside the U.S.?
Vectra AI provides comprehensive service and support globally, with regional teams offering localized assistance. Our follow-the-sun support model ensures 24x7 availability to address customer needs promptly. This approach guarantees customers worldwide receive timely and effective support, regardless of location.
See for yourself why Vectra AI beats Darktrace
Let us show you how you can find and stop attacks fast, across your entire network.
2024 Gartner® Peer Insights Voice of the Customer for Network Detection and Response, By Peer contributors, August 2024
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