Cybersecurity · head to head
Microsoft Sentinel vs Recorded Future
Recorded Future
Cybersecurity
Intelligence-driven cybersecurity
- From
- $25000/year
- 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; Recorded Future no pricing published; all three tiers (Core, Professional, Elite) require sales contact for quotes
- They diverge on capability: Microsoft Sentinel covers AI-powered analytics, Recorded Future covers Real-time threat intelligence.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Sentinel and Recorded Future actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Sentinel | Recorded Future |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $25000/year |
| Pricing model | usage-based | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Api | Web, Api, Cloud |
| Founded | 1975 | 2009 |
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 Recorded Future
- Real-time threat intelligence
- Vulnerability intelligence
- Internet-wide data analysis
- Insikt group intelligence
- Brand intelligence
- API-first platform
- Alert and notification system
- Custom reporting
Both cover
- ServiceNow
- ISO 27001
- FedRAMP
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 Recorded Future
- Extended detection and response (XDR) across enterprise infrastructurenot Recorded Future
- Data ingestion and long-term security analyticsnot Recorded Future
Recorded Future
- Threat intelligence and monitoringnot Microsoft Sentinel
- Dark web monitoring and brand protectionnot Microsoft Sentinel
- Third-party risk managementnot Microsoft Sentinel
- Security operations and incident responsenot 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
Recorded Future
- No pricing published; all three tiers (Core, Professional, Elite) require sales contact for quotes
- Pricing depends on organization size, usage levels, and services in addition to tier selection
- API usage limits vary by package but limits not specified on pricing page
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
Recorded Future
$25000/year- Threat Intelligence$25000/year
- Threat feeds
- IP reputation
- Domain analysis
- Vulnerability Intelligence$35000/year
- CVE monitoring
- Patch intelligence
- Vulnerability trending
- Complete Intelligence$50000/year
- All features
- Analyst access
- Dedicated feed
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 Recorded Future if
- You need real-time threat intelligence.
- You work on Web, Api, Cloud.
- You also want vulnerability intelligence.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Sentinel or Recorded Future better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Sentinel starts at Free and Recorded Future at $25000/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Sentinel or Recorded Future?
- Microsoft Sentinel has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Sentinel and $25000/year for Recorded Future.
- Does Microsoft Sentinel or Recorded Future run on more platforms?
- Microsoft Sentinel runs on Web, Api. Recorded Future runs on Web, Api, Cloud.
- Can I use Microsoft Sentinel for free?
- Yes. Microsoft Sentinel has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Recorded Future starts at $25000/year.
- 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 Recorded Future is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft Sentinel do that Recorded Future cannot?
- Microsoft Sentinel covers AI-powered analytics, Fusion detection, UEBA, Automated response playbooks. Recorded Future covers Real-time threat intelligence, Vulnerability intelligence, Internet-wide data analysis, Insikt group intelligence. Both handle ServiceNow, ISO 27001, FedRAMP.
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/
SourceRecorded Future: What are the main pricing tiers offered by Recorded Future?
Recorded Future offers three tiers: Core (foundational intelligence), Professional (marked most-popular with automation and autonomous threat hunts), and Elite (comprehensive coverage including third-party risk assessment). Specific pricing requires contacting sales.
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/
SourceRecorded Future: What is included in Recorded Future's Core pricing tier?
Core tier includes cyber operations monitoring with threat and malware insights, digital risk protection covering dark web monitoring and credential detection, and the new digital risk hub. Exact cost depends on organization size and usage.
SourceRecorded Future: What features does Recorded Future Professional tier add?
Professional tier adds autonomous threat hunts, continuous threat monitoring, automated threat preventions, external intelligence ingestion, and external asset discovery. Pricing is custom-quoted based on organization size and services.
SourceRecorded Future: How does Recorded Future handle user limits and API access?
Recorded Future does not limit the number of platform users or integrations across any tier. API usage limits vary by package tier but exact limits are not specified on the public pricing page.
SourceRelated pages
More on Microsoft Sentinel
More on Recorded Future
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