Report:
The Forrester Wave™: Extended Detection And Response Platforms, Q2 2026
How does Forrester define the Extended Detection And Response Platforms market in 2026?
Extended Detection and Response (XDR) platforms unify telemetry across multiple detection surfaces (endpoints, identities, cloud, email, network) to correlate data, detect threats, and enable response. While AI dominates vendor vision statements, true differentiation remains in core capabilities: endpoint agent management, native detection across domains, and response automation. The market shows varied approaches from highly structured analyst experiences to deeply customizable platforms. Key evaluation factors include coverage of additional domains beyond endpoints, balance between flexibility and required effort/expertise, and credible AI with proper testing/validation frameworks. Organizations must assess domain coverage criticality, resource availability for customization, and whether MDR augmentation is needed.
Key Facts for The Forrester Wave™: Extended Detection And Response Platforms, Q2 2026 in 2026
- Publication Date: 23-Jun-2026
- Document ID: d648fb68
- Summary: In our evaluation of extended detection and response (XDR) platform providers, we identified the most significant ones and researched, analyzed, and scored them. This report shows how each provider measures up and helps you select the right one for your needs.
- Authors: Allie Mellen
How did the Extended Detection And Response Platforms market evolve in 2026?
- AI dominates vendor vision, but true value remains in core detection and response capabilities
- Core capabilities like endpoint agent management, endpoint detection, and response automation remain key differentiators
- XDR vendors prioritize different strengths, especially in native detection capabilities
- Coverage of additional domains (cloud, identity) varies significantly across vendors
- XDR platforms range from highly structured analyst experiences to deeply customizable approaches
- Buyers must balance flexibility desired versus engineering effort and expertise required
- Real AI differentiation shows up in practical use cases, especially triage and investigation automation
- Testing and validation harnesses around AI capabilities are critical differentiators
- Seven providers were evaluated: Microsoft, CrowdStrike, Palo Alto Networks, Elastic, SentinelOne, Bitdefender, and TrendAI
- MDR services may be part of the conversation to augment XDR platforms
What product features are required to be included in this year's evaluation?
- Broad, enterprise-level support. The vendor natively provides all core functions for the XDR platforms market and has a demonstrated track record for supporting large enterprises.
- A substantial enterprise customer base in the market. The vendor has had at least 1,000 customers using its XDR platform product in the past four quarters.
- Its basis in EDR. The offering is a cloud-delivered product that supports multitenancy and has its basis in endpoint detection and response (EDR).
- Product focus. The vendor delivers the offering primarily as a product, as opposed to a managed service like MDR.
- Geographic focus. The vendor has a geographic focus on North America greater than 15%, with additional focus on other regions including EMEA or APAC.
- Mindshare among Forrester's enterprise clients. Forrester clients frequently mention the product as one they are considering prior to a purchase.
What are the common features of top products in the Extended Detection And Response Platforms space?
No common features specified.
Scope Exclusions
- Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services - vendors must deliver primarily as product
- Vendors without endpoint detection and response (EDR) foundation
- Vendors with fewer than 1,000 enterprise XDR customers in past four quarters
- Vendors without cloud-delivered, multitenant architecture
- Vendors with less than 15% North America geographic focus
- Vendors lacking demonstrated enterprise-level support capabilities
- Vendors without significant mindshare among Forrester enterprise clients
Inclusion Criteria
Vendors must, among other requirements:
- Broad, enterprise-level support with all core XDR functions and track record for large enterprises
- At least 1,000 enterprise customers using XDR platform in past four quarters
- Cloud-delivered product with multitenancy, based in endpoint detection and response (EDR)
- Delivered primarily as a product (not managed service like MDR)
- Geographic focus on North America >15%, plus EMEA or APAC
- Strong mindshare among Forrester enterprise clients
Offering Strengths — Relative Weighting
- Native detection surface: endpoint — 10%
- Detection surface: identity — 5%
- Detection surface: cloud — 5%
- SIEM replacement — 5%
- Incident management — 10%
- Threat intelligence — 5%
- Investigation — 5%
- Response — 10%
- Threat hunting — 5%
- Administrative controls — 8%
- Endpoint protection — 2%
- Analyst experience — 5%
- Machine learning — 2%
- AI agents and agentic systems — 10%
- Customer support — 5%
- Training — 8%
Strategy Strength — Relative Weighting
- Vision — 20%
- Innovation — 15%
- Roadmap — 20%
- Partner ecosystem — 20%
- Pricing flexibility and transparency — 5%
- Community — 20%
FAQs
Q: What does this research cover?
A: This research evaluates the seven most significant XDR platform providers across current offering capabilities and strategic vision. The evaluation covers native detection surface coverage (endpoint, identity, cloud), incident management, investigation and response capabilities, threat intelligence, AI and automation features, SIEM-replacement capabilities, analyst experience, and vendor strategy including vision, innovation, roadmap, partner ecosystem, and pricing.
Q: Who should use this research?
A: XDR customers should use this research to inform purchase decisions by understanding how vendors compare across key capabilities. Security and risk professionals can use this evaluation to assess vendor strengths and weaknesses against their specific requirements, including coverage of additional detection domains, balance between flexibility and effort, and credibility of AI capabilities. The research helps buyers match vendor positioning (Leaders, Strong Performers, Contenders) with their organizational needs and priorities.
Q: What are the mandatory features of vendors included in this market?
A: Cloud-delivered platform with multitenancy support,Foundation in endpoint detection and response (EDR),All core XDR functions provided natively (detection, correlation, investigation, response),Support for multiple detection surfaces beyond endpoints,Incident management capabilities,Response automation features,Threat intelligence integration,Investigation and threat hunting capabilities,Administrative controls and role-based access,Demonstrated ability to support large enterprise deployments
Q: What are some reasons for not being included in this report?
A:
- Vendor delivers offering primarily as managed service (MDR) rather than product
- Insufficient enterprise customer base (less than 1,000 XDR customers)
- Lack of EDR foundation for the platform
- Not cloud-delivered or lacks multitenancy support
- Insufficient geographic presence (less than 15% North America focus)
- Limited mindshare among Forrester enterprise clients
- Unable to demonstrate enterprise-level support capabilities
- Does not natively provide all core XDR platform functions
Q: What should buyers consider when evaluating products in this market?
A:
- Coverage of additional domains: Assess depth of visibility and detection across cloud service provider control planes vs. runtime, and raw identity telemetry vs. limited visibility. Criticality of visibility, correlation, and detection should guide domain coverage decisions.
- Balance between flexibility and effort: Evaluate trade-offs between highly structured analyst experiences that guide users versus deeply customizable approaches. Consider available engineering resources, tuning expertise, and whether MDR augmentation is needed.
- Credible AI applied to security operations: Look beyond AI messaging to practical use cases, especially triage and investigation automation. Critically evaluate the testing and validation harness vendors have built around AI to ensure accurate outputs versus false positives.
Q: How has the Extended Detection And Response Platforms market evolved in 2026?
A:
- AI messaging is pervasive across all vendors, but real differentiation appears in practical use cases like triage and investigation automation
- Core capabilities (endpoint agent management, endpoint detection, response automation) remain key differentiators despite AI hype
- XDR vendors prioritize cloud and identity detection for understanding full attack scope, but coverage varies significantly
- Market spans wide range from highly structured analyst experiences to deeply customizable platforms
- Testing and validation frameworks for AI outputs are becoming critical differentiators
- Integration between vendor ecosystems and bundling strategies increasingly drive lock-in decisions
- Balance between flexibility and required expertise/effort is a key decision factor for buyers
Q: What differentiates Strength of Offering vs. Strength of Strategy?
A: Strength of Offering evaluates current product capabilities across detection surfaces (endpoint, identity, cloud), core XDR functions (incident management, investigation, response, threat hunting), user experience, AI/ML features, and support. It focuses on what the platform delivers today. Strength of Strategy assesses forward-looking elements including the vendor's vision for XDR's future, innovation commitment, product roadmap, partner ecosystem strength, pricing approach, and community engagement. Strategy indicates where the vendor is headed, while Offering measures current execution.
Reference
- Forrester, The Forrester Wave™: Extended Detection And Response Platforms, Q2 2026, 23-Jun-2026, ID d648fb68
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