Cybersecurity · head to head
Microsoft Intune vs Microsoft Sentinel
Microsoft Intune
Cybersecurity
Manage and protect cloud-connected endpoints across device platforms, apps and operating systems
- From
- $8/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Microsoft Sentinel has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Microsoft Intune individual add-ons at $2-5/user/month can become expensive when deploying multiple modules; 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 Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Sentinel actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Intune | Microsoft Sentinel |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $8/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | usage-based |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web | 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 Microsoft Intune
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.
Microsoft Intune
- Mobile device and endpoint managementnot Microsoft Sentinel
- Enterprise device compliancenot Microsoft Sentinel
- Privilege access managementnot Microsoft Sentinel
- Remote device supportnot Microsoft Sentinel
Microsoft Sentinel
- Cloud-based security information and event management (SIEM)not Microsoft Intune
- Extended detection and response (XDR) across enterprise infrastructurenot Microsoft Intune
- Data ingestion and long-term security analyticsnot Microsoft Intune
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Microsoft Intune
- Individual add-ons at $2-5/user/month can become expensive when deploying multiple modules
- Full Intune Suite at $10/user/month becomes better value when deploying two or more modules
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
Microsoft Intune
$8/month- Microsoft Intune Plan 1$8/month
- Device management
- Mobile device management
- Basic compliance policies
- Intune Suite (Full)$10/month
- Endpoint Privilege Management
- Enterprise Application Management
- Advanced Analytics
- Intune Suite Add-on: Remote Help$2/month
- Remote device support
- Intune Suite Add-on: Endpoint Privilege Management$2/month
- Privilege access control
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 Intune if
Nothing in the data separates Microsoft Intune from Microsoft Sentinel on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
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 Microsoft Intune or Microsoft Sentinel better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Intune starts at $8/month and Microsoft Sentinel at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Intune or Microsoft Sentinel?
- Microsoft Sentinel has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $8/month for Microsoft Intune and Free for Microsoft Sentinel.
- Does Microsoft Intune or Microsoft Sentinel run on more platforms?
- Microsoft Intune runs on Web. 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. Microsoft Intune starts at $8/month.
- What is Microsoft Intune best used for?
- Microsoft Intune is most often used for mobile device and endpoint management, enterprise device compliance, privilege access management, remote device support. Of those, mobile device and endpoint management and enterprise device compliance are not what Microsoft Sentinel is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft Intune do that Microsoft Sentinel cannot?
- Microsoft Sentinel covers AI-powered analytics, Fusion detection, UEBA, Automated response playbooks.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Microsoft Intune: How much does Microsoft Intune cost?
Microsoft Intune Plan 1 costs $8/user/month for basic device management. The full Intune Suite costs $10/user/month including endpoint privilege management, enterprise application management, advanced analytics, remote help, Intune Plan 2, and Microsoft Cloud PKI.
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/
SourceMicrosoft Intune: What add-ons are available for Microsoft Intune?
Individual Intune Suite add-ons range from $2-5/user/month and include Endpoint Privilege Management, Enterprise Application Management, Advanced Analytics, Remote Help, Intune Plan 2, and Microsoft Cloud PKI. Microsoft recommends the full Intune Suite at $10/user/month when deploying two or more modules for better value.
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/
SourceMicrosoft Intune: Is Intune included in Microsoft 365 E5?
Starting in CY26 Q3, Intune Suite capabilities are included with Microsoft 365 E5 and E7 subscriptions, with select capabilities also in Microsoft 365 E3. These bundled versions do not have separate additional pricing.
SourceRelated pages
More on Microsoft Intune
More on Microsoft Sentinel
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