Cybersecurity · head to head
Microsoft Sentinel vs Signicat
Signicat
Cybersecurity
European digital identity hub connecting national eID schemes
- From
- On request
- 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; Signicat national eID scheme fees are passed through on top of Signicat's own charge, so a single-country business almost always pays less by integrating with the scheme directly.
- They diverge on capability: Microsoft Sentinel covers AI-powered analytics, Signicat covers eID scheme brokering.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Sentinel and Signicat actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Sentinel | Signicat |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | usage-based | quote |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Api | Web, 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 Signicat
- eID scheme brokering
- Qualified electronic signatures
- Document verification
- AML screening
- Authentication
- Digital onboarding flows
- eIDAS compliance
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 Signicat
- Extended detection and response (XDR) across enterprise infrastructurenot Signicat
- Data ingestion and long-term security analyticsnot Signicat
Signicat
- A lender expanding from Norway into Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands without four separate eID integrationsnot Microsoft Sentinel
- An insurer needing eIDAS qualified signatures on policy documents that will hold up in a European courtnot Microsoft Sentinel
- A bank that wants customers to onboard with their existing national bank ID rather than photographing a passportnot Microsoft Sentinel
- A public sector body needing cross-border recognition of notified eID schemes under eIDASnot 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
Signicat
- National eID scheme fees are passed through on top of Signicat's own charge, so a single-country business almost always pays less by integrating with the scheme directly.
- Value is concentrated in Northern and Western Europe, and coverage in Southern and Eastern Europe is thinner, so a pan-European rollout still hits gaps requiring document fallback.
- Pricing is per transaction and quoted, and because scheme rates vary by country the cost per onboarded customer differs materially between markets in ways that complicate unit economics.
- Each eID scheme connection typically carries its own setup fee and approval process, so adding a country is a project with a lead time rather than a configuration change.
- Availability is tied to the national schemes, meaning an outage at BankID or MitID stops your onboarding entirely and there is no vendor-side mitigation for it.
Pricing, plan by plan
Microsoft Sentinel
Free- Pay-As-You-Go$2.46/day
- Per GB ingested
- 90-day retention
- First 31 days free for new workspaces
- Commitment TiersFree
- 100GB to 50TB tiers
- Up to 65% discount
- Predictable billing
- Microsoft 365 E5Free
- Free data ingestion for M365 logs
- Bundled with E5 license
Signicat
On request- Signicat Platform$undefined/year
- Priced per transaction with national scheme fees passed through
- Signature and verification products licensed separately
- Setup fee per eID scheme connected
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 Signicat if
- You need eid scheme brokering.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want qualified electronic signatures.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Sentinel or Signicat better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Sentinel starts at Free and Signicat at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Sentinel or Signicat?
- Microsoft Sentinel has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Sentinel and On request for Signicat.
- Does Microsoft Sentinel or Signicat run on more platforms?
- Microsoft Sentinel runs on Web, Api. Signicat runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Microsoft Sentinel for free?
- Yes. Microsoft Sentinel has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Signicat 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 Signicat is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft Sentinel do that Signicat cannot?
- Microsoft Sentinel covers AI-powered analytics, Fusion detection, UEBA, Automated response playbooks. Signicat covers eID scheme brokering, Qualified electronic signatures, Document verification, AML screening.
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/
SourceSignicat: Is this an alternative to a document verification vendor?
Only where national eID exists. In markets with a mature bank ID scheme it is better; elsewhere you fall back to document checks, which Signicat also provides.
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/
SourceSignicat: Do we still pay the eID schemes?
Yes. Scheme fees are passed through in addition to Signicat charges. Ask for the split when comparing to a direct integration.
Signicat: Are signatures legally qualified?
Signicat supports eIDAS qualified electronic signatures, which carry the highest legal standing in the EU, as well as advanced signatures.
Related pages
More on Microsoft Sentinel
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