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CyberCX vs Telstra Purple: Which MSP is Better? | The MSP Playbook

Article 2026-06-12

CyberCX vs Telstra Purple

A detailed comparison of two major Australian Managed Service Providers.

Feature CyberCX Telstra Purple
Overall Score3.23.5
TypeSecurity / Private EquityTelco / Enterprise
Employees500-10005000-10000
Founded20192017
HeadquartersMelbourne, VICSydney, NSW
RevenuePrivatePrivate
Salary Range$80,000 - $165,000$80,000 - $170,000
SpecialtiesCybersecurity, Penetration Testing, SOC, Incident ResponseManaged Infrastructure, Cloud Services, Cybersecurity, Consulting
CertificationsISO 27001, CREST, SOC 2, PCI DSSMicrosoft Partner, AWS Partner, Cisco Partner, ServiceNow Partner
Green FlagsCybersecurity focus is high-demand
Good technology exposure
Growing rapidly
Telstra brand provides stability and scale
ASX-listed benefits structure
Strong telecommunications backbone
Good vendor partnerships
Red FlagsRapid acquisition strategy creates integration challenges
Below-market salaries at senior levels
Cultural inconsistency across acquired companies
550 roles cut in July 2025 — largest restructure in years
Telco culture dominates — IT services are secondary
Contractor dependency creates inconsistency
Bureaucratic decision-making slows everything down
Legacy telco culture persists in some divisions
Worker ProsCybersecurity focus
Good tech exposure
Growing
Telstra compensation structure is genuinely good
ASX-listed stability — won't be sold or acquired
Access to Telstra's network and enterprise relationships
Brand recognition opens doors
Worker ConsAcquisition chaos
Below-market pay
Cultural inconsistency
550 roles cut in 2025 — even Telstra isn't immune
IT services are secondary to the telco business
Bureaucratic culture slows innovation
Contractor dependency creates quality inconsistency
Career progression limited unless you're in the telco side

Which MSP Should You Choose?

Both Security / Private Equity and Telco / Enterprise have strengths and weaknesses. Your choice depends on your priorities — whether that's career growth, salary, work-life balance, or technical exposure.

Use the side-by-side comparison tool for a deeper look, or check out individual profiles for detailed employee reviews.