Cybersecurity · head to head
Drata vs Microsoft Sentinel
Drata
Cybersecurity
Agentic trust management with compliance automation.
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Microsoft Sentinel has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Drata no published pricing for any tier; requires contacting sales team for quotes; Microsoft Sentinel billing is driven by the volume of log data ingested per day, so cost scales with log noise rather than with users or protected assets
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Drata and Microsoft Sentinel actually diverge.
| Attribute | Drata | Microsoft Sentinel |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | usage-based |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Founded | Unknown | 1975 |
Identical on both: platforms (Web, API), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Drata
Nothing recorded that Microsoft Sentinel does not also cover.
Only in Microsoft Sentinel
- AI-powered analytics
- Fusion detection
- UEBA
- Automated response playbooks
- Threat intelligence
- Hunting queries
- Workbooks
- Incident management
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Drata
- SaaS companies automating SOC 2 certification for enterprise salesnot Microsoft Sentinel
- Organisations managing multi-framework compliance simultaneouslynot Microsoft Sentinel
- Vendor management programmes requiring third-party security assessmentsnot Microsoft Sentinel
- Enterprises implementing AI governance and monitoring AI systemsnot Microsoft Sentinel
- Organisations seeking continuous compliance monitoring rather than point-in-time auditsnot Microsoft Sentinel
Microsoft Sentinel
- Cloud-based security information and event management (SIEM)not Drata
- Extended detection and response (XDR) across enterprise infrastructurenot Drata
- Data ingestion and long-term security analyticsnot Drata
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Drata
- No published pricing for any tier; requires contacting sales team for quotes
- Solution tiers (Startup, Growth, Enterprise) are marketing categories with no corresponding published prices or feature differentiation
- No transparency on cost per framework, per user, or based on organisational size
- AI questionnaire automation claims 375+ hours saved annually but does not publish per-questionnaire costs or limits
- Compared directly with Vanta by customers, but pricing opaque for cost-benefit analysis
Microsoft Sentinel
- Billing is driven by the volume of log data ingested per day, so cost scales with log noise rather than with users or protected assets
- Commitment tier discounts require reserving daily ingestion capacity in advance, and a tier cannot be downgraded until 31 days have passed
- Commitment tiers start at 100 GB per day, above what smaller estates ingest
- Charges for Log Analytics, Logic Apps and Machine Learning are billed separately on top of Sentinel itself
- The free allowance is only up to 5 MB per user per day for selected Microsoft 365 security logs
- Promotional commitment pricing is time limited and locks in only until a stated end date
Pricing, plan by plan
Drata
On request- Startup$undefined/variable
- 'Launch Trust Fast' with automated evidence collection
- SOC 2 and other framework support
- Basic compliance automation
- Growth$undefined/variable
- 'Accelerate Trust Smoothly' as teams expand
- Multi-framework compliance
- Enhanced AI automation
- Enterprise$undefined/variable
- 'Command Trust at Scale' for complex needs
- Advanced GRC capabilities
- Dedicated support
Microsoft Sentinel
Free- Pay-As-You-Go$2.46/day
- Per GB ingested
- 90-day retention
- First 31 days free for new workspaces
- Commitment TiersFree
- 100GB to 50TB tiers
- Up to 65% discount
- Predictable billing
- Microsoft 365 E5Free
- Free data ingestion for M365 logs
- Bundled with E5 license
Which should you pick?
Choose Microsoft Sentinel if
- You need ai-powered analytics.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want fusion detection.
Questions people ask
- Is Drata or Microsoft Sentinel better?
- Neither clearly leads. Drata starts at On request and Microsoft Sentinel at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Drata or Microsoft Sentinel?
- Microsoft Sentinel has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Drata and Free for Microsoft Sentinel.
- Does Drata or Microsoft Sentinel run on more platforms?
- Drata runs on Web, API. Microsoft Sentinel runs on Web, Api.
- Can I use Microsoft Sentinel for free?
- Yes. Microsoft Sentinel has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Drata starts at On request.
- What is Drata best used for?
- Drata is most often used for saas companies automating soc 2 certification for enterprise sales, organisations managing multi-framework compliance simultaneously, vendor management programmes requiring third-party security assessments, enterprises implementing ai governance and monitoring ai systems. Of those, saas companies automating soc 2 certification for enterprise sales and organisations managing multi-framework compliance simultaneously are not what Microsoft Sentinel is typically brought in for.
- What can Drata do that Microsoft Sentinel cannot?
- Microsoft Sentinel covers AI-powered analytics, Fusion detection, UEBA, Automated response playbooks.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Drata: What compliance frameworks does Drata support?
Drata supports multiple frameworks including SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS and others, with multi-framework management capabilities.
SourceMicrosoft Sentinel: How is Microsoft Sentinel pricing calculated?
Microsoft Sentinel uses a pay-as-you-go usage-based model where you pay only for data ingested, stored, and consumed. Flexible commitment tiers are available to reduce total cost of ownership, with specific rates not published on the public pricing page. Source: https://www.microsoft.com/security/business/siem-and-xdr/microsoft-sentinel/
SourceDrata: Does Drata automate questionnaires?
Yes. Drata's AI uses approved content to draft consistent responses, automating questionnaire completion and saving claimed 375+ hours per year.
SourceMicrosoft Sentinel: Does Microsoft Sentinel require an Azure subscription?
Yes, Microsoft Sentinel requires a Microsoft Azure subscription to operate. Pricing is handled through Azure and varies based on data consumption and the commitment tier you select. Source: https://www.microsoft.com/security/business/siem-and-xdr/microsoft-sentinel/
SourceDrata: How many customers does Drata have?
Drata serves 8,500+ global customers ranging from startups to enterprises, with a 4.8/5.0 rating on G2.
SourceRelated pages
More on Microsoft Sentinel
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