Garde1 vs Secureframe Defense. A new tenant, their MDM, and a score you mark yourself.

A GCC High or Google Workspace tenant before anything unlocks, their MDM on every CUI device, and a score that credits only what you mark Implemented.

Secureframe Defense is the closest thing to Garde1, and it starts somewhere else: nothing unlocks until you connect a GCC High or Google Workspace Enterprise tenant. CUI devices run its Federal MDM at $15 a device a month, or an Azure Government desktop you pay for. The SPRS score credits whatever you mark Implemented.

“Secureframe quoted me $80k for 5 people handling CUI, 12 person company....”
A 12-person company · r/CMMC, April 2026

With Secureframe Defense Consultant recommendedWith Garde1 No consultant needed

Who does the workDone for you: scope the boundary, policies and SSP, collect evidence, watch after you pass.Started for you: fix the gaps. Yours: grade readiness.Done for you: scope the boundary, policies and SSP, collect evidence, grade readiness, watch after you pass.Started for you: fix the gaps.

First year, all inNot published.Federal MDM is $15 a device a month on top. If you are not already on GCC High, the tenant it requires is $66.10 a user a month at list. One 12-person shop reported an $80,000 quote.$23,988.Published: Starter $1,999 a month, Level 1 $1,800 a year. No readiness firm to pay, no seats resold; background checks are billed by Checkr at cost. Separate: the C3PAO, which DoD models at $31,234 for a small business (89 FR 83207), and the workspace licences you already pay for.

Firms you payThree or more.Secureframe, Microsoft and Azure, a partner C3PAO for the mock, then the C3PAO.One.Garde1, then the C3PAO.

What you typeMark each of the 320 objectives Implemented yourself, accept the drafted statements, obtain the tenant.Corrections to a draft.

Step by step

StepWith Secureframe DefenseWith Garde1

Onboard

CostNot published. Federal MDM is $15 a device a month and virtual desktops bill through Azure Government. If you are not already on GCC High, the tenant it requires is $66.10 a user a month at list, annual only. One 12-person shop reported an $80,000 quote.Starter $1,999 a month, published.No seats to buy from us, no desktops, no device fee.

Where CUI livesDecided first.“You need one to continue”: GCC High or Google Workspace Enterprise Standard, in a tenant you obtain. Training, background checks and policies unlock only after it is connected.Decided from evidence.Garde1 reads the tenants you connect and the CUI you hold, and tells you whether that pushes you to GCC High (export-controlled CUI needs a government partition with US-person handling) before you buy anything.

Your devicesTwo choices for CUI endpoints: Secureframe Federal MDM, which “does not register devices as compliant in Microsoft Entra today,” or Azure Government virtual desktops.Jamf Pro, NinjaOne and Kandji connect read-only. Chromebook management is not on the supported list.The MDM you already run.Garde1 reads Intune, Google Workspace for ChromeOS, Jamf Pro and NinjaOne, writes your policies from what they report, and applies supported hardening in Intune, Jamf Pro and Google Workspace once you approve (Professional and up). Subject to the vendor’s API availability.

Operate

Policies and SSPImplementation statements generated from your scoping answers and connected technology; you accept proposals “individually or in bulk,” edit what does not match, and export to Word.Policy content covers the enclave technology; other integrations appear as conditional sections you write yourself.14 policies and the SSP written from your environment, with any fact Garde1 cannot find marked for you rather than drafted around.

EvidenceFederal connections to GCC High, Azure Government, Intune, Entra and Google Workspace, plus upload tests.“Do not expect Azure sync alone to clear every remaining failure.”23 connectors, including the commercial tenants most small contractors actually run, each item filed under the objective it proves.

Measure and remediate

Fixing gapsA one-time enclave setup: Secureframe configures GCC High, can add nine Intune policies, or sets up Google Workspace.After that, “open each failing test and follow its remediation guidance.” Automatic remediation exists only on Federal MDM devices.Every gap arrives with its fix, for as long as you run Garde1.Supported fixes are applied in Entra, Intune, Google Workspace, AWS, Azure, GCP or Jamf once you approve them (Professional and up), in the tenant you already have. Subject to the vendor’s API availability.

Are we ready?You mark each of the 320 objectives Implemented, Not Implemented or Not Applicable; the SPRS score follows your marks, not the tests.A graded mock means a partner C3PAO, Coalfire Federal.A mock assessment of all 320 objectives, scored against collected evidence, as often as you want it.No self-marking, no override, no second firm.

Prove

After certificationAutomated tests flag drift and expired uploads are flagged, not archived.Federal MDM devices still do not count as compliant for GCC High conditional access.Expired evidence and changed settings pull you back only when something breaks, with the fix attached.

“Secureframe only credits requirements you have marked Implemented or Not Applicable.”
In their words: Secureframe help center, understanding your SPRS score

What contractors say.

“Secureframe defense is a new product coming out in a couple months that preconfigures gcch for you which is similar to something like cuick trac but even those have their challenges as orgs have to agree to do something exactly as they are setting it up.”

A CMMC Certified Professional · r/CMMC, April 2026

“The tool helps organize the pain, it does not remove the pain.”

On GRC tooling for CMMC · r/sysadmin, June 2026

“Level 2 wasn’t too difficult considering how many third-party tools we use. Since certification, they’ve been good in helping maintain compliance - standards shift A LOT.”

A certified Secureframe customer · r/ITManagers, May 2025

“Used Secureframe to get L2. ~$30K if I remember correctly. Would do again.”

A contractor who certified with Secureframe · r/CMMC, January 2026

Quoted verbatim from public threads; individual users, not Garde1 customers.

When Secureframe Defense is the better fit

If you have already decided on a GCC High estate and want one vendor to provision it, Secureframe configures the tenant, adds its Intune policies without overwriting yours, and includes built-in training, a KnowBe4 import and Checkr background checks. An independent reviewer called its refusal to store CUI “correct CMMC architecture, stated out loud.”

Checked October 6, 2026: Secureframe: Defense Navigator · Secureframe: CUI enclave setup · Secureframe: FAQs, scope and evidence · Secureframe: Federal MDM · Secureframe: supported MDMs · Secureframe: Intune configuration for GCC High · Secureframe: policies in Defense Navigator · Secureframe: building the SSP · Secureframe: your SPRS score · Secureframe: virtual desktop prerequisites · Secureframe: G3 GCC High · Secureframe: Coalfire Federal · The Defense Compliance Report. All alternatives side by side, or: Garde1 vs A CMMC consultant · Garde1 vs Vanta · Garde1 vs FutureFeed · Garde1 vs Delve · Garde1 vs Drata · Garde1 vs PreVeil.

Step by step

What contractors say.

When Secureframe Defense is the better fit

See your SPRS score this week.