Best SIEM Software · 2026

Microsoft Sentinel logoMicrosoft Sentinel vs Wazuh logoWazuh

Microsoft Sentinel vs Wazuh: on our data-weighted scoring, Wazuh edges ahead (8.3 vs 8.1/10). Microsoft Sentinel starts at $4.3/GB ingested (PAYG, East US) and is best for microsoft-centric orgs wanting a cloud-native siem with deep entra/defender integration; Wazuh starts at $571/mo (Cloud, up to 100 agents) and is best for teams wanting a free, open-source siem/xdr they can self-host (or run as managed cloud). Choose Wazuh for the stronger overall track record; consider Microsoft Sentinel if its pricing model or fit matches your environment better. Side-by-side table below.

Our pick

Microsoft Sentinel

8.7/10
MSP Compared score
Starting price
$4.3/GB ingested (PAYG, East US)
Reviews
4.4/5 (~289 G2 reviews)
Free trial
31 days
Deployment
Cloud
Best for
Microsoft-centric orgs wanting a cloud-native SIEM with deep Entra/Defender integration
Visit Microsoft Sentinel →

Wazuh

8.3/10
MSP Compared score
Starting price
$571/mo (Cloud, up to 100 agents)
Reviews
4.5/5 (~59 G2 reviews)
Free trial
Free tier + 14 days
Deployment
Cloud + self-host
Best for
Teams wanting a free, open-source SIEM/XDR they can self-host (or run as managed cloud)
Visit Wazuh →

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Strengths at a glance

Six criteria, each scored 0–10 on the same scale from real review data, public pricing and feature coverage. See our methodology →

EditorialUser reviewsAdoptionAffordabilityFeature breadthEase of trial
Microsoft SentinelWazuh
CriterionMicrosoft SentinelWazuh
Editorial 8.1 8.3
User reviews 8.8 9.0
Adoption 6.5 4.7
Affordability 7.0 9.5
Feature breadth 6.0 7.0
Ease of trial 6.0 10.0

Microsoft Sentinel vs Wazuh: head-to-head

Microsoft Sentinel vs Wazuh — specs and pricing
Microsoft SentinelWazuh
Starting price $4.3/GB ingested (PAYG, East US) $571/mo (Cloud, up to 100 agents)
Pricing model per gb per agent
Free trial / tier 31 days Free tier + 14 days
Best for Microsoft-centric orgs wanting a cloud-native SIEM with deep Entra/Defender integration Teams wanting a free, open-source SIEM/XDR they can self-host (or run as managed cloud)
Deployment Cloud Cloud + self-host
G2 rating 4.4/5 (289) 4.5/5 (59)
Capterra rating
Our score 8.1 8.3

Choose Microsoft Sentinel if…

You need microsoft-centric orgs wanting a cloud-native siem with deep entra/defender integration.

Pros

  • Deep Microsoft ecosystem integration
  • No infrastructure to manage
  • Strong automation + hunting

Cons

  • Per-GB ingestion costs scale fast
  • Azure-centric (multi-cloud weaker)
  • KQL learning curve

Microsoft Sentinel pricing · review

Choose Wazuh if…

You need teams wanting a free, open-source siem/xdr they can self-host (or run as managed cloud).

Pros

  • Zero licensing cost
  • Unified SIEM + XDR
  • Active community + frequent updates

Cons

  • Self-host carries real labor/infra TCO
  • No native AI/UEBA
  • Steeper setup than SaaS SIEMs

Wazuh pricing · review

In depth

Pricing: Wazuh vs Microsoft Sentinel

Wazuh bills on a per agent model from $571/mo (Cloud, up to 100 agents) (free tier available), while Microsoft Sentinel uses a per gb model from $4.3/GB ingested (PAYG, East US) (31 days trial). Because the models differ, the cheaper option flips depending on your fleet size — model both at your seat/endpoint count.

Features & deployment

Wazuh ships 7 headline capabilities (Open-source SIEM + XDR, Log analysis + file integrity monitoring, Vulnerability detection, Regulatory compliance (PCI) and deploys Cloud + self-host. Microsoft Sentinel ships 6 (Cloud-native SIEM + SOAR, Native Entra ID + Defender + M365 connectors, KQL hunting + analytics rules, UEBA + ML anomaly detection), deploying Cloud.

Ratings & verdict

Wazuh holds 4.5/5 (~59 G2 reviews); Microsoft Sentinel holds 4.4/5 (~289 G2 reviews). On our data-weighted score, Wazuh edges ahead (8.3 vs 8.1/10). Pick Microsoft Sentinel instead when microsoft-centric orgs wanting a cloud-native siem with deep entra/defender integration. See Wazuh alternatives or Microsoft Sentinel alternatives.

Frequently asked questions

Microsoft Sentinel vs Wazuh: which is better?
Microsoft Sentinel vs Wazuh: on our data-weighted scoring, Wazuh edges ahead (8.3 vs 8.1/10). Microsoft Sentinel starts at $4.3/GB ingested (PAYG, East US) and is best for microsoft-centric orgs wanting a cloud-native siem with deep entra/defender integration; Wazuh starts at $571/mo (Cloud, up to 100 agents) and is best for teams wanting a free, open-source siem/xdr they can self-host (or run as managed cloud).
Is Microsoft Sentinel cheaper than Wazuh?
Microsoft Sentinel starts at $4.3/GB ingested (PAYG, East US) and Wazuh starts at $571/mo (Cloud, up to 100 agents) (see the pricing rows for models and limits).
Data as of June 16, 2026. Sources: azure.microsoft.com, wazuh.com. Figures are pulled from public vendor and security data and refreshed automatically.