Head to head · Checked against vendor sites, September 2026
CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian vs Onyx Security: AI agent security compared
The verdict
CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian scores higher overall on our weights (7.7 vs 7.4 out of 10). CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian scores higher on visibility, footprint, identity and audit and maturity; Onyx Security scores higher on policy. They tie on tool-call control and breadth. Neither publishes list prices.
CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian
Owner: CrowdStrike
Best for CrowdStrike Falcon customers
How do CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian and Onyx Security compare on each criterion?
| Criterion | Weight | CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian | Onyx Security | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 22% | 8 | 7 | CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian |
Why these scoresCrowdStrike Falcon Guardian: Discovers shadow AI agents, including token consumption, on supported Windows, macOS and Linux endpoints, and ties prompts, skill use, tool calls and MCP servers to what runs next. Onyx Security: Discovers AI agents across SaaS, cloud, endpoint and code; endpoint inventory detail is lighter than endpoint-first tools. | ||||
| Tool-call control | 20% | 8 | 8 | Tie |
Why these scoresCrowdStrike Falcon Guardian: Connects to Claude Code's hook events to check and block prompts and tool activity as they happen, and returns allow or block before a Copilot Studio agent runs a tool. Onyx Security: Inspects every prompt, tool call and model response inline. | ||||
| Policy | 15% | 6 | 8 | Onyx Security |
Why these scoresCrowdStrike Falcon Guardian: Sets which supported AI agent types may run on managed endpoints, with policy assigned through Falcon host groups; ask, warn or simulate actions are not described on the pages we read. Onyx Security: Five enforcement actions: alert, block, mask, steer, or ask a human. | ||||
| Identity and audit | 12% | 8 | 7 | CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian |
Why these scoresCrowdStrike Falcon Guardian: Ties Claude Code events to a specific session and user in Falcon Next-Gen SIEM, and links prompts and tool calls to identity and downstream execution for supported agents. Onyx Security: Agent identity and access governance is a named solution. | ||||
| Footprint | 13% | 7 | 6 | CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian |
Why these scoresCrowdStrike Falcon Guardian: Delivered through the Falcon sensor; Claude Code coverage is a settings-file entry with no extra agent to install. A third-party report (SACR) adds browser extensions, gateway integrations, an SDK and an MCP proxy, and says prompt-layer telemetry needs network connectivity. Onyx Security: Works across endpoint agents, browser extensions, APIs and gateways; the endpoint component is a resident agent or extension. | ||||
| Breadth | 8% | 9 | 9 | Tie |
Why these scoresCrowdStrike Falcon Guardian: Covers AI agents from endpoint to cloud and SaaS, including Copilot Studio agents, with Falcon Adversary OverWatch threat hunting extended to AI agents; the AI gateway is listed as coming soon. Onyx Security: Browser AI, coding assistants, desktop agents, cloud workloads and MCP servers, plus agentic red teaming. | ||||
| Maturity | 10% | 8 | 7 | CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian |
Why these scoresCrowdStrike Falcon Guardian: Part of the CrowdStrike Falcon platform, with a documentation site and earlier releases as Falcon AIDR; Falcon Guardian pricing is not on CrowdStrike's pricing page, and the 99% efficacy and 100 ms figures come from CrowdStrike's internal benchmark testing. Onyx Security: $113M Series B announced 29 July 2026; SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 listed; pricing not published. | ||||
| Total | 100% | 7.7 | 7.4 | CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian |
How do they deploy, and what do they cost?
| Attribute | CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian | Onyx Security |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | CrowdStrike | Not acquired |
| How it reaches devices | Falcon sensor; Claude Code via hooks | Endpoint agent, browser extension, API, gateway |
| Deployment detail | Delivered through the Falcon sensor. Claude Code coverage is a settings-file entry with no extra agent to install. A third-party report (SACR) adds browser extensions, gateway integrations, an SDK and an MCP proxy, and says prompt-layer telemetry needs network connectivity. For Falcon customers it adds AI agent controls inside the EDR they already run. | Onyx says it needs no SDK changes and works across endpoint agents, browser extensions, APIs and gateways. It integrates with Okta, Entra, Splunk and CrowdStrike. On devices this means a resident component, which is why it scores lower on footprint than tools that deploy through EDR or MDM. |
| Pricing | Contact sales. Falcon Guardian pricing is not on CrowdStrike's pricing page. | Contact sales. Onyx Security does not publish pricing. |
Source: CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian (AIDR) product page · CrowdStrike blog: Falcon Guardian (1 Sep 2026) · CrowdStrike blog: Falcon AIDR for Copilot Studio and Claude Code (30 Jul 2026) · CrowdStrike pricing · onyx.security · Onyx AI security · Onyx Series B · Reviewed Sep 2026
Which should you choose?
Choose CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian if
- Your priority matches our designation for CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian: best for CrowdStrike Falcon customers.
- You need a fleet-wide inventory of AI agents, MCP servers, extensions and credentials on devices: CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian scores 8 to 7.
- You want a light rollout with published deployment detail, ideally through existing EDR or MDM: CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian scores 7 to 6.
Choose Onyx Security if
- Your priority matches our designation for Onyx Security: best for inline control across many AI surfaces.
- You want context-aware rules and answers beyond allow and block: Onyx Security scores 8 to 6.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian or Onyx Security?
CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian scores higher overall on our weights (7.7 vs 7.4 out of 10). CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian scores higher on visibility, footprint, identity and audit and maturity; Onyx Security scores higher on policy. They tie on tool-call control and breadth. Scores are editorial assessments from public vendor material, reviewed September 2026.
Do CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian and Onyx Security publish prices?
No. Neither publishes list prices, so ask both for a quote.
Do CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian or Onyx Security replace EDR?
No. The tools in this guide add control over AI agent actions and work alongside EDR. CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian: Falcon sensor; Claude Code via hooks. Onyx Security: Endpoint agent, browser extension, API, gateway.
Related
Sources
- CrowdStrike Falcon Guardian (AIDR) product page · Reviewed Sep 2026
- CrowdStrike blog: Falcon Guardian (1 Sep 2026) · Reviewed Sep 2026
- CrowdStrike blog: Falcon AIDR for Copilot Studio and Claude Code (30 Jul 2026) · Reviewed Sep 2026
- CrowdStrike pricing · Reviewed Sep 2026
- onyx.security · Reviewed Sep 2026
- Onyx AI security · Reviewed Sep 2026
- Onyx Series B · Reviewed Sep 2026