Cybersecurity · head to head
DTiQ vs Microsoft Sentinel
DTiQ
Cybersecurity
Managed video loss prevention with human auditors for restaurants, convenience stores and retail
- 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: DTiQ you are buying labour, so the cost per site is far higher than a self-service video licence and it does not fall as camera prices do.; 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
- They diverge on capability: DTiQ covers SmartAudit, Microsoft Sentinel covers AI-powered analytics.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which DTiQ and Microsoft Sentinel actually diverge.
| Attribute | DTiQ | Microsoft Sentinel |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | quote | usage-based |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, Api |
| Founded | Unknown | 1975 |
Identical on both: 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 DTiQ
- SmartAudit
- POS transaction linking
- 360iQ platform
- Exception alerting
- Drive-through timing
- Food safety and compliance checks
- Managed installation
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.
DTiQ
- A multi-unit quick service franchisee who has no one available to review video across fifteen storesnot Microsoft Sentinel
- A convenience store chain investigating till fraud by matching voids to what actually happened at the counternot Microsoft Sentinel
- An operator enforcing drive-through service time standards across locations from evidence rather than anecdotenot Microsoft Sentinel
- A brand auditing food safety and cleanliness compliance at franchise sites without sending a field managernot Microsoft Sentinel
Microsoft Sentinel
- Cloud-based security information and event management (SIEM)not DTiQ
- Extended detection and response (XDR) across enterprise infrastructurenot DTiQ
- Data ingestion and long-term security analyticsnot DTiQ
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
DTiQ
- You are buying labour, so the cost per site is far higher than a self-service video licence and it does not fall as camera prices do.
- Audits are sampled, not continuous, so a problem outside the reviewed window is invisible and the score is a statistical impression rather than a complete record.
- Nothing is published on price and the commercial shape is a multi-year managed service agreement, which is harder to exit than a software subscription and typically involves bundled hardware you do not own.
- Ownership changed in a $200 million Digital Alpha led investment tied to a Cisco Meraki partnership, so the hardware and network roadmap may shift under an existing estate.
- It is built around restaurant, convenience and retail operating models, so an organisation outside those verticals gets a generic video product and pays for an audit methodology that does not fit its work.
Microsoft Sentinel
- Billing is driven by the volume of log data ingested per day, so cost scales with log noise rather than with users or protected assets
- Commitment tier discounts require reserving daily ingestion capacity in advance, and a tier cannot be downgraded until 31 days have passed
- Commitment tiers start at 100 GB per day, above what smaller estates ingest
- Charges for Log Analytics, Logic Apps and Machine Learning are billed separately on top of Sentinel itself
- The free allowance is only up to 5 MB per user per day for selected Microsoft 365 security logs
- Promotional commitment pricing is time limited and locks in only until a stated end date
Pricing, plan by plan
DTiQ
On request- DTiQ managed service$undefined/month
- Priced per location as a managed service, not per camera
- Audit frequency and scope determine the rate
- Hardware and installation bundled into the service agreement
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 DTiQ if
- You need smartaudit.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want pos transaction linking.
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 DTiQ or Microsoft Sentinel better?
- Neither clearly leads. DTiQ 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, DTiQ or Microsoft Sentinel?
- Microsoft Sentinel has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for DTiQ and Free for Microsoft Sentinel.
- Does DTiQ or Microsoft Sentinel run on more platforms?
- DTiQ runs on Web, iOS, Android. 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. DTiQ starts at On request.
- What is DTiQ best used for?
- DTiQ is most often used for a multi-unit quick service franchisee who has no one available to review video across fifteen stores, a convenience store chain investigating till fraud by matching voids to what actually happened at the counter, an operator enforcing drive-through service time standards across locations from evidence rather than anecdote, a brand auditing food safety and cleanliness compliance at franchise sites without sending a field manager. Of those, a multi-unit quick service franchisee who has no one available to review video across fifteen stores and a convenience store chain investigating till fraud by matching voids to what actually happened at the counter are not what Microsoft Sentinel is typically brought in for.
- What can DTiQ do that Microsoft Sentinel cannot?
- DTiQ covers SmartAudit, POS transaction linking, 360iQ platform, Exception alerting. Microsoft Sentinel covers AI-powered analytics, Fusion detection, UEBA, Automated response playbooks.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
DTiQ: Is DTiQ a video management system?
Not primarily. It is a managed service where human auditors review your footage and deliver scored reports. The platform exists to support that service.
Microsoft 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/
SourceDTiQ: How is it priced?
Per location as a managed service, based on audit scope and frequency, with hardware and installation bundled. Nothing is published.
Microsoft 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/
SourceDTiQ: Who owns DTiQ?
Digital Alpha holds a majority stake following a $200 million investment that bought out Bain Capital, BV Investment Partners and others, alongside a Cisco Meraki partnership.
DTiQ: Does it integrate with my POS?
Yes, with major restaurant and convenience store point of sale systems, which is what allows transaction exceptions to be replayed on video.
Related pages
More on Microsoft Sentinel
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