Cybersecurity · head to head
Microsoft Sentinel vs Splunk Enterprise Security
Splunk Enterprise Security
Cybersecurity
The platform for operational intelligence
- 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; Splunk Enterprise Security splunk Enterprise Security is licensed separately from the Splunk platform, so a SIEM deployment needs both
- They diverge on capability: Microsoft Sentinel covers AI-powered analytics, Splunk Enterprise Security covers Security monitoring.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Sentinel and Splunk Enterprise Security actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Sentinel | Splunk Enterprise Security |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | usage-based | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Founded | 1975 | 2003 |
Identical on both: platforms (Web, Api), 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
- Hunting queries
- Workbooks
- Incident management
- Microsoft 365
Only in Splunk Enterprise Security
- Security monitoring
- Incident review
- Risk-based alerting
- Investigation workbench
- MITRE ATT&CK mapping
- Automated response
- Compliance reporting
- Azure
Both cover
- Threat intelligence
- AWS
- Google Cloud
- CrowdStrike
- Palo Alto
- Cisco
- 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 Splunk Enterprise Security
- Extended detection and response (XDR) across enterprise infrastructurenot Splunk Enterprise Security
- Data ingestion and long-term security analyticsnot Splunk Enterprise Security
Splunk Enterprise Security
- Running a security operations centre on Splunk indexed log datanot Microsoft Sentinel
- Correlation searches, risk based alerting and incident investigationnot Microsoft Sentinel
- Compliance reporting from pooled security telemetrynot 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
Splunk Enterprise Security
- Splunk Enterprise Security is licensed separately from the Splunk platform, so a SIEM deployment needs both
- Splunk publishes no rate for Enterprise Security and directs buyers to contact a pricing expert
- UEBA, SOAR and automated threat analysis require the Premier edition rather than Essentials
- The platform underneath can be billed by ingest volume, workload or activity, so the total cost depends on a pricing model chosen at contract time rather than a list price
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
Splunk Enterprise Security
On request- Workload PricingFree
- Pay per compute
- Flexible scaling
- All features
- Ingest PricingFree
- Pay per GB ingested
- Predictable costs
- All features
- Entity PricingFree
- Pay per monitored entity
- Security focused
- All features
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 Splunk Enterprise Security if
- You need security monitoring.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want incident review.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Sentinel or Splunk Enterprise Security better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Sentinel starts at Free and Splunk Enterprise Security at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Sentinel or Splunk Enterprise Security?
- Microsoft Sentinel has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Sentinel and On request for Splunk Enterprise Security.
- Does Microsoft Sentinel or Splunk Enterprise Security run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Microsoft Sentinel for free?
- Yes. Microsoft Sentinel has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Splunk Enterprise Security 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 Splunk Enterprise Security is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft Sentinel do that Splunk Enterprise Security cannot?
- Microsoft Sentinel covers AI-powered analytics, Fusion detection, UEBA, Automated response playbooks. Splunk Enterprise Security covers Security monitoring, Incident review, Risk-based alerting, Investigation workbench. Both handle Threat intelligence, AWS, Google Cloud, CrowdStrike.
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/
SourceSplunk Enterprise Security: How much does Splunk Enterprise Security cost?
Splunk Enterprise Security pricing is not published. The product is available in Essentials Edition with threat detection, investigation, and response capabilities, and Premier Edition with UEBA, SOAR, and Automated Threat Analysis. Customers must contact Splunk sales for pricing quotes on either edition.
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/
SourceSplunk Enterprise Security: What editions of Splunk Enterprise Security are available?
Splunk Enterprise Security offers Essentials Edition with threat detection, investigation, and response capabilities, and Premier Edition which adds UEBA (User and Entity Behavior Analytics), SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation and Response), and Automated Threat Analysis.
SourceRelated pages
More on Microsoft Sentinel
More on Splunk Enterprise Security
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