Introduction

Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) represents the next evolutionary step in the modern Security Operations Center (SOC). While a SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) acts as the “eyes” by collecting and analyzing logs, SOAR acts as the “hands.” It is a stack of compatible software programs that allow an organization to collect data about security threats and respond to low-level security events without human assistance. By integrating various security tools—firewalls, endpoint scanners, and threat intelligence feeds—into a single interface, SOAR platforms allow teams to define incident response “playbooks” that execute complex tasks in seconds.

The importance of SOAR stems from two main challenges: the global cybersecurity skills shortage and the sheer volume of security alerts. Human analysts cannot keep up with the thousands of alerts generated daily; SOAR fixes this by automating the repetitive tasks, such as checking an IP address against a blacklist or resetting a compromised user’s password. Key real-world use cases include automated phishing investigation, vulnerability management, and case management. When choosing a SOAR tool, evaluation criteria should include the breadth of its integration library, the ease of its visual playbook builder, and its ability to handle complex conditional logic.

Best for: SOAR is ideal for mid-to-large enterprises and Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) that handle high alert volumes. It is a critical tool for SOC Managers, Security Engineers, and Incident Responders in high-compliance industries like finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure.

Not ideal for: Organizations without a mature security stack or a dedicated security team. If you do not have existing tools (like SIEM or EDR) to orchestrate, a SOAR platform will be an empty shell. Small businesses should focus on Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services rather than building their own automation workflows.

Top 10 Security Orchestration Automation & Response (SOAR) Tools

1 — Splunk SOAR (formerly Phantom)

Splunk SOAR is one of the most recognized names in the industry, focusing on high-speed execution and a massive library of third-party integrations. It is designed for elite security teams that need to scale their response capabilities.

• Key Features:
  • Visual Playbook Editor: A drag-and-drop interface for building automation without writing code.
  • Action-Based Execution: Over 2,100 APIs and 350+ apps to connect with other security tools.
  • Mission Control: A unified experience that brings together SIEM and SOAR workflows.
  • Mobile App Support: Allows analysts to approve or block actions from their phones.
  • Multi-Tenant Architecture: Built to support large global enterprises and MSSPs.
• Pros:
  • Exceptional speed; it can execute thousands of actions per minute.
  • Powerful community-driven “Splunkbase” for pre-built apps.
• Cons:
  • High technical barrier for entry; advanced playbooks often require Python knowledge.
  • Licensing can be expensive when paired with the core Splunk SIEM.
• Security & Compliance: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and GDPR compliant.
• Support & Community: Extensive documentation, a global partner network, and a highly active user community (Splunk Answers).

2 — Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR

Cortex XSOAR (formerly Demisto) is the market leader in terms of feature depth. It uniquely combines orchestration, case management, and a real-time “War Room” for collaborative incident response.

• Key Features:
  • War Room: A collaborative interface for analysts to chat and run commands in real-time during a breach.
  • Marketplace: A built-in store to download pre-made playbooks and integrations from hundreds of vendors.
  • Indicator Lifecycle Management: Advanced tracking of malicious IPs and URLs.
  • ML-Driven Suggestions: Suggests playbooks and analysts based on incident history.
  • Forensic Auditing: Automatically logs every action taken during an investigation for audit trails.
• Pros:
  • The most comprehensive case management system on the market.
  • The “War Room” feature dramatically improves teamwork during high-pressure events.
• Cons:
  • The interface can be overwhelming for junior analysts due to its complexity.
  • Significant administrative overhead to keep the platform updated and tuned.
• Security & Compliance: SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, and FedRAMP (Cloud version) compliant.
• Support & Community: Top-tier enterprise support and a massive “Live Community” of security professionals.

3 — Google Chronicle SOAR (formerly Siemplify)

Google’s acquisition of Siemplify has resulted in a SOAR that focuses on a “threat-centric” approach, grouping related alerts into distinct cases to reduce analyst fatigue.

• Key Features:
  • Contextual Alert Grouping: Clusters related events into a single case, reducing the number of alerts to review.
  • Visual Investigation: Graphs that show how different entities (users, IPs, files) are connected.
  • Playbook Lifecycle Management: Tools to version-control and test playbooks before deployment.
  • Native Chronicle Integration: Deeply integrated with Google’s hyperscale security analytics.
  • Custom Dashboarding: Highly flexible reporting for both technical and executive audiences.
• Pros:
  • Excellent at reducing “alert noise” through smart case grouping.
  • More intuitive and user-friendly than many legacy SOAR platforms.
• Cons:
  • Integration ecosystem is growing but still smaller than Splunk or Palo Alto.
  • Best value is locked behind the Google Cloud Security stack.
• Security & Compliance: Varies / Cloud compliance via Google Cloud Platform (SOC 1, 2, 3, ISO 27001).
• Support & Community: Backed by Google Cloud’s enterprise support and extensive technical documentation.

4 — IBM Security QRadar SOAR

QRadar SOAR (formerly Resilient) is designed for organizations that prioritize compliance and regulatory requirements alongside technical automation.

• Key Features:
  • Dynamic Playbooks: Workflows that adapt in real-time as new information is discovered.
  • Privacy Module: Pre-built templates for 170+ global privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA, etc.).
  • Visual Workflow BPMN: Uses standard Business Process Model and Notation for playbook design.
  • Artifact Visualization: Maps out the relationship between different malicious indicators.
  • Incident Response Simulation: Tools to run “fire drills” to test team readiness.
• Pros:
  • The best tool for ensuring compliance with international data breach laws.
  • Very stable and mature platform with deep IBM research backing.
• Cons:
  • Playbook design can feel rigid compared to more modern, cloud-native tools.
  • Deployment is typically slower and requires more professional services.
• Security & Compliance: ISO 27001, SOC 2, HIPAA, and GDPR compliant.
• Support & Community: Global IBM X-Force threat intelligence and enterprise-level support.

5 — Fortinet FortiSOAR

FortiSOAR is a high-performance orchestration tool that focuses on ease of deployment and a highly customizable user interface, particularly for MSSPs.

• Key Features:
  • Role-Based Dashboards: Custom views for different personas (CISO, Analyst, Engineer).
  • 300+ Pre-built Connectors: Large library of integrations with third-party vendors.
  • Field-Level Encryption: High-security data handling for multi-tenant environments.
  • Sophisticated Case Management: Robust tracking from alert to resolution.
  • FortiGuard Labs Integration: Direct feed of threat intelligence for automated lookups.
• Pros:
  • Highly flexible UI that allows teams to build the exact workspace they need.
  • Excellent value for money, especially for organizations already using Fortinet.
• Cons:
  • Documentation can be less detailed than the industry giants.
  • The community-shared playbook library is smaller than Cortex XSOAR.
• Security & Compliance: SOC 2, ISO 27001, and GDPR compliant.
• Support & Community: Strong technical support and integration with the Fortinet Security Fabric.

6 — Swimlane Turbine

Swimlane is a pioneer in “Low-Code” security automation, designed to go beyond the SOC and automate tasks across the entire IT organization.

• Key Features:
  • Low-Code Playbooks: Focuses on ease of use without sacrificing power.
  • Cloud-Scale Architecture: Built to handle massive data ingestion without performance lag.
  • Canvas UI: A wide-open workspace for designing complex, multi-step logic.
  • Remote Agents: Securely automate tasks on air-gapped or remote networks.
  • Extensible API: Every feature is accessible via API for advanced developers.
• Pros:
  • One of the most flexible tools for non-security automation (IT Ops, HR onboarding).
  • Very modern, snappy user interface that analysts enjoy using.
• Cons:
  • Smaller vendor compared to IBM or Google, which may impact brand trust.
  • Requires a proactive mindset to build automation from scratch.
• Security & Compliance: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and HIPAA compliant.
• Support & Community: High-touch customer success and a growing “Swimlane User Group.”

7 — Microsoft Sentinel (Automation Rules)

While technically a SIEM, Microsoft Sentinel includes deep SOAR capabilities through Logic Apps, making it the default choice for Azure-heavy environments.

• Key Features:
  • Logic App Playbooks: Over 500 connectors to Azure and 3rd-party services.
  • Automation Rules: Simplify management by applying logic to multiple incidents simultaneously.
  • Native Cloud Integration: Zero-latency response for Azure and Office 365 events.
  • Kusto Query Language (KQL): Use the same language for detection and automation.
  • Watchlists: Use external data to trigger automated response actions.
• Pros:
  • Most cost-effective solution if you are already invested in the Microsoft 365 E5 ecosystem.
  • Scales instantly without the need to manage backend servers.
• Cons:
  • Logic Apps can become expensive with high-volume usage.
  • Integrating with on-premise, non-Microsoft tools can be clunky.
• Security & Compliance: FedRAMP High, SOC 2, ISO 27001, and HIPAA compliant.
• Support & Community: Massive global community and extensive documentation on MS Learn.

8 — Tines

Tines is a unique entry in the SOAR world because it does not use traditional “connectors.” Instead, it focuses on direct API interaction, making it a favorite for highly technical engineering teams.

• Key Features:
  • Agentless Automation: Works with any tool that has an API, no “apps” required.
  • No-Code Interface: Uses bubbles and lines to map out data flows.
  • Direct Interaction: Allows for easy extraction and transformation of JSON data.
  • Public Templates: A library of hundreds of community-built stories.
  • Scalability: Built on modern web architecture for high reliability.
• Pros:
  • Extremely powerful for developers who are tired of broken, proprietary connectors.
  • Very fast time-to-value; no need to wait for a vendor to build a new integration.
• Cons:
  • Might be “too technical” for analysts who prefer pre-built buttons and apps.
  • Lacks the deep built-in “Case Management” found in Cortex or QRadar.
• Security & Compliance: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and GDPR compliant.
• Support & Community: Excellent support via Slack and direct engineering access.

9 — Rapid7 InsightConnect

InsightConnect is designed to be a “bridge” between the security team and the rest of the IT department, prioritizing communication and workflow.

• Key Features:
  • 200+ Plugins: Pre-made integrations for common IT and security tools.
  • Human-in-the-loop: Easy-to-configure “checkpoints” where a human must approve an action.
  • Insight Agent Integration: Direct access to endpoint data for automated investigation.
  • Visual Workflow: Clean, straightforward playbook design.
  • ChatOps Integration: Run commands and receive alerts via Slack or Microsoft Teams.
• Pros:
  • Very easy to learn for teams that are new to security automation.
  • Great for cross-departmental workflows (e.g., locking a laptop via IT).
• Cons:
  • Not as deep in terms of complex conditional logic as Splunk.
  • Best used when paired with other Rapid7 products (InsightIDR).
• Security & Compliance: SOC 2 Type II and GDPR compliant.
• Support & Community: Active user community and solid technical support.

10 — Torq

Torq is a modern, cloud-native SOAR platform that emphasizes “No-Code” automation for security teams at high-growth tech companies.

• Key Features:
  • Browser-Based Design: No thick clients or complex installations.
  • Parallel Execution: Can run multiple automation steps simultaneously for speed.
  • Extensive Template Library: Hundreds of ready-to-use workflows for common cloud threats.
  • Self-Healing Automation: Can detect if an integration fails and notify the admin.
  • Hyper-Scalability: Built for modern DevOps and Cloud-Security teams.
• Pros:
  • Possibly the fastest and most modern interface in the category.
  • Extremely easy to integrate with modern SaaS tools.
• Cons:
  • Less focus on traditional on-premise infrastructure.
  • Still a relatively young company compared to IBM or Microsoft.
• Security & Compliance: SOC 2 Type II and GDPR compliant.
• Support & Community: Very high-touch support and a proactive engineering team.

Comparison Table

Evaluation & Scoring of [Security Orchestration Automation & Response (SOAR)]

Evaluating a SOAR tool requires looking past the marketing fluff and testing how it handles real-world data flows. We use the following weighted scoring rubric to judge the tools in this category:

Which [Security Orchestration Automation & Response (SOAR)] Tool Is Right for You?

The “best” SOAR tool is the one that your team will actually use. Automation is hard, and a complex tool often ends up as “shelfware.”

Solo Users vs SMB vs Mid-market vs Enterprise

• SMBs: Look at Rapid7 InsightConnect or Microsoft Sentinel. These offer the lowest barrier to entry and provide pre-built logic that doesn’t require a full-time automation engineer.
• Mid-Market: Swimlane or Google SOAR are excellent for growing teams that need flexibility without the massive price tag of Splunk.
• Enterprise: Cortex XSOAR and Splunk SOAR are the standard for large-scale operations requiring complex case management and multi-tenant support.

Budget-conscious vs Premium Solutions

• Budget-conscious: If you are a Microsoft shop, Sentinel is almost always the cheapest route. For technical teams, Tines offers a very powerful free community edition.
• Premium: Cortex XSOAR and IBM QRadar SOAR are premium products with premium price tags, often requiring professional services for deployment.

Feature Depth vs Ease of Use

• If you want Power, go with Splunk or Tines. You can build almost anything, but you’ll need to know some code.
• If you want Usability, go with Torq or InsightConnect. They prioritize the user experience and visual design.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is SOAR the same as SIEM?

No. A SIEM collects and analyzes logs to find threats. A SOAR responds to those threats. Think of SIEM as the brain and SOAR as the hands.

2. Does SOAR replace security analysts?

No. SOAR replaces the repetitive work analysts do. It allows them to focus on high-level hunting and strategy rather than manually checking IP addresses all day.

3. Do I need to know how to code to use SOAR?

Most modern tools are “Low-Code,” but knowing a bit of Python or JSON is extremely helpful for building complex logic. Tools like Tines and Torq are making it easier for non-coders.

4. How long does it take to implement SOAR?

Installing the software is fast, but building playbooks takes time. Most organizations take 3 to 6 months to get their first five “high-value” playbooks running perfectly.

5. What is a “Playbook”?

A playbook is a set of instructions. For example: “If an email is reported as phishing, scan the link with VirusTotal. If it’s malicious, delete the email from all inboxes and reset the sender’s password.”

6. Can SOAR fix a breach automatically?

It can mitigate it. It can isolate an infected computer or block a malicious IP instantly, but a human will still need to investigate why the breach happened in the first place.

7. Is SOAR expensive?

It can be. Some vendors charge per “user,” some charge per “automation action,” and some charge per “incident.” Always ask for a clear breakdown of the licensing model.

8. What are the most common SOAR use cases?

The “Big Three” are Phishing Response, Vulnerability Management (prioritizing which patches to apply), and Failed Login Investigations.

9. Can I use SOAR for non-security tasks?

Yes. Modern “Low-Code” platforms like Swimlane are often used for IT tasks, like employee onboarding/offboarding or server provisioning.

10. What is “Human-in-the-loop”?

This is a safety feature where the automation pauses and asks a human for permission before doing something “scary,” like wiping a CEO’s laptop or shutting down a production server.

Conclusion

Building a self-healing security operations center is no longer a pipe dream—it is a necessity. Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) platforms have matured from niche tools for elite hackers into essential management layers for any serious security team.

The “best” tool depends entirely on your environment. If you are all-in on Microsoft, Sentinel is your home. If you have a diverse, high-pressure SOC, Cortex XSOAR is the gold standard. For those who want to build custom, engineering-heavy workflows, Tines is unrivaled. Regardless of which you choose, the goal is the same: stop fighting fires manually and start building a system that fights them for you.