Developer Tools · head to head
Keycloak vs Microsoft Sentinel
Keycloak
Developer Tools
Open-source identity and access management server.
- From
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
Microsoft Sentinel
Cybersecurity
Cloud-native SIEM and SOAR solution
- From
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Keycloak requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain; 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 Keycloak and Microsoft Sentinel actually diverge.
| Attribute | Keycloak | Microsoft Sentinel |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | open-source | usage-based |
| Platforms | Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API | Web, Api |
| Category | Developer Tools | Cybersecurity |
| Founded | Unknown | 1975 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).
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 Keycloak
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.
Keycloak
- Organisations requiring self-hosted identity infrastructure for compliance or data residencynot Microsoft Sentinel
- Companies with existing LDAP/Active Directory systems needing federated authenticationnot Microsoft Sentinel
- Open-source projects and communities requiring free IAM without licensing costsnot Microsoft Sentinel
- Enterprises building custom identity workflows requiring fine-grained authorisationnot Microsoft Sentinel
- Teams with sufficient operational expertise to manage infrastructurenot Microsoft Sentinel
Microsoft Sentinel
- Cloud-based security information and event management (SIEM)not Keycloak
- Extended detection and response (XDR) across enterprise infrastructurenot Keycloak
- Data ingestion and long-term security analyticsnot Keycloak
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Keycloak
- Requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain
- No managed cloud option provided by Red Hat; organisations must operate infrastructure themselves or use third-party distributions
- Clustering and high-availability configurations require additional operational knowledge
- Community support only; commercial support requires third-party vendors or distributions
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
Keycloak
Free- Open-sourceFree
- Full platform functionality
- Self-hosted deployment
- Community 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 Keycloak if
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API.
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 Keycloak or Microsoft Sentinel better?
- Neither clearly leads. Keycloak starts at Free and Microsoft Sentinel at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Keycloak or Microsoft Sentinel?
- Keycloak starts at Free and Microsoft Sentinel at Free.
- Does Keycloak or Microsoft Sentinel run on more platforms?
- Keycloak runs on Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API. Microsoft Sentinel runs on Web, Api.
- Can I use Keycloak for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Keycloak best used for?
- Keycloak is most often used for organisations requiring self-hosted identity infrastructure for compliance or data residency, companies with existing ldap/active directory systems needing federated authentication, open-source projects and communities requiring free iam without licensing costs, enterprises building custom identity workflows requiring fine-grained authorisation. Of those, organisations requiring self-hosted identity infrastructure for compliance or data residency and companies with existing ldap/active directory systems needing federated authentication are not what Microsoft Sentinel is typically brought in for.
- What can Keycloak do that Microsoft Sentinel cannot?
- Microsoft Sentinel covers AI-powered analytics, Fusion detection, UEBA, Automated response playbooks.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Keycloak: What protocols does Keycloak support?
Keycloak supports OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0 and SAML 2.0 protocols for authentication and authorisation.
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/
SourceKeycloak: Can Keycloak integrate with existing user directories?
Yes. Keycloak supports user federation with LDAP and Active Directory systems, allowing organisations to leverage existing user directories.
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/
SourceKeycloak: Is Keycloak free?
Yes. Keycloak is fully open-source and free to deploy and use. No licensing fees are required.
SourceRelated pages
More on Microsoft Sentinel
Other head to heads
- Keycloak vs Penpot
- Keycloak vs Soketi
- Keycloak vs Ansible
- Keycloak vs Atlantis
- Keycloak vs Vite
- Keycloak vs Depot
- Keycloak vs Pants Build
- Keycloak vs Buildkite
- Keycloak vs Coder
- Keycloak vs Jitsu
- Keycloak vs Bitbucket
- Keycloak vs Sweep
- Keycloak vs Azure DevOps
- Keycloak vs Backstage
- Keycloak vs Claude Code
- Keycloak vs Cloud Native Buildpacks
- Keycloak vs Cody
- Keycloak vs Bitdefender Total Security
- Keycloak vs Norton 360
- Keycloak vs 1Password
- Keycloak vs LastPass
- Keycloak vs LogRhythm SIEM
- Keycloak vs IBM QRadar
- Keycloak vs CrowdStrike Falcon
- Keycloak vs Splunk Enterprise Security
- Keycloak vs SentinelOne Singularity
- Keycloak vs Legit Security
- Keycloak vs Sysdig
- Keycloak vs Endor Labs
- Keycloak vs Proton Mail
- Keycloak vs Veriff
- Keycloak vs Brave Browser
- Keycloak vs March Networks
- Keycloak vs Salient CompleteView
- Keycloak vs Sumsub
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Penpot
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Soketi
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Ansible
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Atlantis
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Vite
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Depot
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Pants Build
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Buildkite
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Coder
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Jitsu
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Bitbucket
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Sweep
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Azure DevOps
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Backstage
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Claude Code
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Cloud Native Buildpacks
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Cody
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Bitdefender Total Security
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Norton 360
- Microsoft Sentinel vs 1Password
- Microsoft Sentinel vs LastPass
- Microsoft Sentinel vs LogRhythm SIEM
- Microsoft Sentinel vs IBM QRadar
- Microsoft Sentinel vs CrowdStrike Falcon
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Splunk Enterprise Security
- Microsoft Sentinel vs SentinelOne Singularity
- Microsoft Sentinel vs Legit Security
- 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