Cybersecurity · head to head
ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Microsoft Sentinel
ESET NOD32 Antivirus
Cybersecurity
Essential antivirus protection
- From
- $39.99/year
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Microsoft Sentinel has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: ESET NOD32 Antivirus the advertised price applies to the first term only, and renewal reverts to the official list price; 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: ESET NOD32 Antivirus covers Antivirus & Antispyware, Microsoft Sentinel covers AI-powered analytics.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which ESET NOD32 Antivirus and Microsoft Sentinel actually diverge.
| Attribute | ESET NOD32 Antivirus | Microsoft Sentinel |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $39.99/year | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | usage-based |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Desktop | Web, Api |
| Founded | 1992 | 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 ESET NOD32 Antivirus
- Antivirus & Antispyware
- Exploit Blocker
- Advanced Machine Learning
- Anti-Phishing
- UEFI Scanner
- Script-Based Attack Protection
- Ransomware Shield
- Gamer Mode
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.
ESET NOD32 Antivirus
- Antivirus and anti malware protection for home Windows, macOS and Android devicesnot Microsoft Sentinel
- Blocking phishing and ransomware on personal computersnot Microsoft Sentinel
Microsoft Sentinel
- Cloud-based security information and event management (SIEM)not ESET NOD32 Antivirus
- Extended detection and response (XDR) across enterprise infrastructurenot ESET NOD32 Antivirus
- Data ingestion and long-term security analyticsnot ESET NOD32 Antivirus
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
ESET NOD32 Antivirus
- The advertised price applies to the first term only, and renewal reverts to the official list price
- Any saving shown is the difference between the introductory price and that list price rather than an ongoing discount
- Device coverage is chosen at purchase and priced accordingly, so protecting another machine means changing the licence
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
ESET NOD32 Antivirus
$39.99/year- NOD32 Antivirus$39.99/year
- 1 Device
- Antivirus & Antispyware
- Anti-Phishing
- Internet Security$49.99/year
- 1 Device
- All NOD32 features
- Firewall
- Smart Security Premium$59.99/year
- 1 Device
- All Internet Security features
- Password Manager
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 ESET NOD32 Antivirus if
- You need antivirus & antispyware.
- You work on Desktop.
- You also want exploit blocker.
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 ESET NOD32 Antivirus or Microsoft Sentinel better?
- Neither clearly leads. ESET NOD32 Antivirus starts at $39.99/year and Microsoft Sentinel at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, ESET NOD32 Antivirus or Microsoft Sentinel?
- Microsoft Sentinel has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $39.99/year for ESET NOD32 Antivirus and Free for Microsoft Sentinel.
- Does ESET NOD32 Antivirus or Microsoft Sentinel run on more platforms?
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus runs on Desktop. 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. ESET NOD32 Antivirus starts at $39.99/year.
- What is ESET NOD32 Antivirus best used for?
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus is most often used for antivirus and anti malware protection for home windows, macos and android devices, blocking phishing and ransomware on personal computers. Of those, antivirus and anti malware protection for home windows, macos and android devices and blocking phishing and ransomware on personal computers are not what Microsoft Sentinel is typically brought in for.
- What can ESET NOD32 Antivirus do that Microsoft Sentinel cannot?
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus covers Antivirus & Antispyware, Exploit Blocker, Advanced Machine Learning, Anti-Phishing. Microsoft Sentinel covers AI-powered analytics, Fusion detection, UEBA, Automated response playbooks.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
ESET NOD32 Antivirus: Does ESET offer a free trial, and what do I get access to?
ESET offers a free 30-day trial with no credit card required. The trial includes full access to all features in the tier you choose before you commit to a paid subscription.
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/
SourceESET NOD32 Antivirus: What subscription contract lengths are available?
ESET offers subscription terms ranging from 1 to 10 years depending on the tier. Home Security Essential and Premium plans support 1-10 years, while Ultimate requires 5-10 years. Business plans also support multi-year terms.
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/
SourceESET NOD32 Antivirus: Will my renewal price change after the first year?
ESET states that the advertised price is valid for the first term only. They send advance notification via email before renewal price increases occur, allowing you to decide whether to continue.
SourceESET NOD32 Antivirus: How many devices can I protect on a single subscription?
You can customize the number of protected devices from 1-10 on most plans. Premium and Ultimate tiers include VPN access that varies by device count: Essential/Premium include 3-5 VPN devices, while Ultimate covers 10-25 VPN devices depending on total plan size.
SourceESET NOD32 Antivirus: Is there an extra charge to protect Android devices?
Android protection is available as an optional add-on at $5 per year per device, in addition to your main subscription cost.
SourceRelated pages
More on ESET NOD32 Antivirus
More on Microsoft Sentinel
Other head to heads
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Norton 360
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Kaspersky Total Security
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Bitdefender Total Security
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs 1Password
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs LastPass
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Avast One
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs McAfee Total Protection
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Malwarebytes
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Surfshark
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Sophos Intercept X
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs WireGuard
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Akeyless
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs IBM QRadar
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Jamf Pro
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Keeper Password Manager
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Keygen
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs KnowBe4
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Legit Security
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs LogRhythm SIEM
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs CrowdStrike Falcon
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Splunk Enterprise Security
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs SentinelOne Singularity
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Sysdig
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Endor Labs
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Proton Mail
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Veriff
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Brave Browser
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs March Networks
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Salient CompleteView
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Sumsub
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Norton 360
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Kaspersky Total Security
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Bitdefender Total Security
- Microsoft Sentinel vs 1Password
- Microsoft Sentinel vs LastPass
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Avast One
- Microsoft Sentinel vs McAfee Total Protection
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Malwarebytes
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Surfshark
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Sophos Intercept X
- Microsoft Sentinel vs WireGuard
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Akeyless
- Microsoft Sentinel vs IBM QRadar
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Jamf Pro
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Keeper Password Manager
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Keygen
- Microsoft Sentinel vs KnowBe4
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Legit Security
- Microsoft Sentinel vs LogRhythm SIEM
- Microsoft Sentinel vs CrowdStrike Falcon
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Splunk Enterprise Security
- Microsoft Sentinel vs SentinelOne Singularity
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Sysdig
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Endor Labs
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Proton Mail
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Veriff
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Brave Browser
- Microsoft Sentinel vs March Networks
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Salient CompleteView
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Sumsub