Cybersecurity · head to head
Microsoft Sentinel vs Private Internet Access
P
Private Internet Access
Cybersecurity
Long-standing VPN service with a large server network and flexible multi-year plans
- From
- $11.99/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 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; Private Internet Access monthly plan is priced noticeably higher than the discounted multi-year commitments, penalizing short-term users.
- They diverge on capability: Microsoft Sentinel covers AI-powered analytics, Private Internet Access covers Split tunneling.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Sentinel and Private Internet Access actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Sentinel | Private Internet Access |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $11.99/month |
| Pricing model | usage-based | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Api | windows, mac, linux, ios, android |
| Founded | 1975 | Unknown |
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 Sentinel
- AI-powered analytics
- Fusion detection
- UEBA
- Automated response playbooks
- Threat intelligence
- Hunting queries
- Workbooks
- Incident management
Only in Private Internet Access
- Split tunneling
- Kill switch
- Ad and tracker blocking
- Dedicated IP add-on
- Bundled antivirus add-on
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Microsoft Sentinel
- Cloud-based security information and event management (SIEM)not Private Internet Access
- Extended detection and response (XDR) across enterprise infrastructurenot Private Internet Access
- Data ingestion and long-term security analyticsnot Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access
- Encrypting traffic on public Wi-Fi with a kill switchnot Microsoft Sentinel
- Blocking ads and trackers network-wide via MACEnot Microsoft Sentinel
- Maintaining a consistent connection identity with a dedicated IP add-onnot Microsoft Sentinel
- Committing to a long-term plan for a lower effective monthly ratenot Microsoft Sentinel
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Private Internet Access
- Monthly plan is priced noticeably higher than the discounted multi-year commitments, penalizing short-term users.
- Dedicated IP and antivirus are paid add-ons rather than included features.
- Headquartered in a jurisdiction whose privacy reputation some competitors market against, despite audited no-logs claims.
- App interface is less streamlined than some higher-priced premium VPN competitors.
Pricing, plan by plan
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
Private Internet Access
$11.99/month- Monthly$11.99/month
- Billed month to month
- Full server network access
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- 1-Year$3.1/month
- Billed annually at $37.19
- Full server network access
- 2-Year$2.19/month
- Lowest advertised rate, billed every 2 years
- Full server network access
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.
Choose Private Internet Access if
- You need split tunneling.
- You work on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
- You also want kill switch.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Sentinel or Private Internet Access better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Sentinel starts at Free and Private Internet Access at $11.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Sentinel or Private Internet Access?
- Microsoft Sentinel has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Sentinel and $11.99/month for Private Internet Access.
- Does Microsoft Sentinel or Private Internet Access run on more platforms?
- Microsoft Sentinel runs on Web, Api. Private Internet Access runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
- Can I use Microsoft Sentinel for free?
- Yes. Microsoft Sentinel has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Private Internet Access starts at $11.99/month.
- What is Microsoft Sentinel best used for?
- Microsoft Sentinel is most often used for cloud-based security information and event management (siem), extended detection and response (xdr) across enterprise infrastructure, data ingestion and long-term security analytics. Of those, cloud-based security information and event management (siem) and extended detection and response (xdr) across enterprise infrastructure are not what Private Internet Access is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft Sentinel do that Private Internet Access cannot?
- Microsoft Sentinel covers AI-powered analytics, Fusion detection, UEBA, Automated response playbooks. Private Internet Access covers Split tunneling, Kill switch, Ad and tracker blocking, Dedicated IP add-on.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
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/
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/
SourceRelated pages
More on Microsoft Sentinel
More on Private Internet Access
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- Private Internet Access vs Enpass
- Private Internet Access vs Surfshark
- Private Internet Access vs BigID
- Private Internet Access vs Infisical
- Private Internet Access vs JumpCloud
- Private Internet Access vs McAfee Total Protection
- Private Internet Access vs NICE Actimize
- Private Internet Access vs Semgrep
- Private Internet Access vs Spot AI
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