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Cybersecurity · head to head

Microsoft Sentinel vs SentinelOne

Microsoft Sentinel logo

Microsoft Sentinel

Cybersecurity

Cloud-native SIEM and SOAR solution

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SentinelOne logo

SentinelOne

Cybersecurity

Autonomous endpoint protection and response

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; SentinelOne enterprise pricing requires contacting sales
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Sentinel covers AI-powered analytics, SentinelOne covers AI-powered detection.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Microsoft Sentinel and SentinelOne actually diverge.

Attributes where Microsoft Sentinel and SentinelOne differ
AttributeMicrosoft SentinelSentinelOne
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, ApiWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android
Founded19752013

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 SentinelOne

  • AI-powered detection
  • Autonomous response
  • Behavioral threat intelligence
  • Root cause analysis
  • Threat hunting automation
  • Ransomware protection
  • Container security
  • Mobile endpoint protection

Both cover

  • CrowdStrike
  • ServiceNow
  • ISO 27001

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 SentinelOne
  • Extended detection and response (XDR) across enterprise infrastructurenot SentinelOne
  • Data ingestion and long-term security analyticsnot SentinelOne

SentinelOne

  • Endpoint detection and responsenot Microsoft Sentinel
  • AI-powered threat huntingnot Microsoft Sentinel
  • Cloud workload securitynot 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

SentinelOne

  • Enterprise pricing requires contacting sales
  • Prices shown for 5-100 workstations may differ for larger deployments
  • Purchases must be made through authorized third-party partners

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

SentinelOne

On request
  • Singularity Complete$179.99/year
    • Per endpoint pricing
    • AI-driven endpoint and cloud workload protection
    • Real-time threat detection and response
  • Singularity Commercial$229.99/year
    • Per endpoint pricing
    • All Complete features plus Identity Detection and Response
    • 90-day data retention
  • Singularity Enterprise$null/custom
    • Per endpoint pricing
    • All Commercial features plus Agentic AI SOC Analyst
    • Full Visibility and Forensics

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.
Microsoft Sentinel review

Choose SentinelOne if

  • You need ai-powered detection.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
  • You also want autonomous response.
SentinelOne review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Sentinel or SentinelOne better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Sentinel starts at Free and SentinelOne at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Sentinel or SentinelOne?
Microsoft Sentinel has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Sentinel and On request for SentinelOne.
Does Microsoft Sentinel or SentinelOne run on more platforms?
Microsoft Sentinel runs on Web, Api. SentinelOne runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
Can I use Microsoft Sentinel for free?
Yes. Microsoft Sentinel has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SentinelOne starts at On request.
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 SentinelOne is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Sentinel do that SentinelOne cannot?
Microsoft Sentinel covers AI-powered analytics, Fusion detection, UEBA, Automated response playbooks. SentinelOne covers AI-powered detection, Autonomous response, Behavioral threat intelligence, Root cause analysis. Both handle CrowdStrike, ServiceNow, ISO 27001.

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/

Source
SentinelOne: What is SentinelOne Singularity Complete pricing?

Singularity Complete costs $179.99 per endpoint per year and includes AI-driven endpoint and cloud workload protection, real-time threat detection and response, 14-day data retention, and AI Security Assistant. Pricing shown for 5-100 workstations.

Source
Microsoft 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/

Source
SentinelOne: What features distinguish SentinelOne Commercial from Complete?

Singularity Commercial costs $229.99 per endpoint per year (versus $179.99 for Complete) and adds Identity Detection and Response, 90-day data retention (compared to 14-day), and Managed Threat Hunting services.

Source
SentinelOne: How does partner pricing affect SentinelOne costs?

All SentinelOne purchases are made through authorized third-party partners, and partner pricing may differ from published rates. Customers should verify pricing with their authorized reseller.

Source
SentinelOne: What does SentinelOne Enterprise include?

Singularity Enterprise (custom pricing, contact sales) adds Agentic AI SOC Analyst and Full Visibility and Forensics capabilities to all Commercial features, plus expert-led onboarding and training.

Source
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