Microsoft Sentinel vs Elastic Security

Elastic Security and Microsoft Sentinel are both open source siem solutions. Elastic Security open-source SIEM and security analytics built on the ELK Stack, while Microsoft Sentinel cloud-native Azure SIEM with AI-powered detection and automated response. The best choice depends on your organization's size, technical requirements, and budget.

Updated Feb 2026
How we compare:This comparison is based on official documentation, public pricing, community discussions, and aggregated user feedback, not hands-on testing by our team. We organize what real users and practitioners are saying across the web.

The Bottom Line

Choose Elastic Security if open-source core with no ingest-based pricing is your priority and teams wanting open-source flexibility with enterprise SIEM capabilities and no per-GB ingest pricing. Choose Microsoft Sentinel if deep native integration with Microsoft ecosystem matters most and microsoft-centric organizations wanting a cloud-native SIEM with deep M365 and Azure integration.

Choose Microsoft Sentinel if:

  • You value open-source core with no ingest-based pricing
  • You value scales massively with Elasticsearch
  • You value unified SIEM, EDR, and cloud security
  • You want to avoid per-GB costs can spike with non-Microsoft data sources
  • You want to avoid kQL learning curve for teams used to other query languages

Choose Elastic Security if:

  • You value deep native integration with Microsoft ecosystem
  • You value cloud-native with no infrastructure to manage
  • You value free data ingestion for Microsoft 365 and Azure logs
  • You want to avoid complex cluster management at scale
  • You want to avoid advanced features require paid subscription

Feature Comparison

FeatureMicrosoft SentinelElastic Security
PricingFree (basic) / From $95/month (Cloud) / Enterprise customFrom $2.46/GB ingested (pay-as-you-go) / Commitment tiers available
Pricing ModelResource-based (nodes/capacity)Per-GB ingested (with commitment tier discounts)
Open SourceYesNo
DeploymentCloud, Self-HostedCloud
Best ForTeams wanting open-source flexibility with enterprise SIEM capabilities and no per-GB ingest pricingMicrosoft-centric organizations wanting a cloud-native SIEM with deep M365 and Azure integration
SIEM with detection engine and rulesSupportedNot available
Endpoint detection and response (EDR)SupportedNot available
MITRE ATT&CK-aligned detection rulesSupportedNot available

Sources

Related

Microsoft Sentinel AlternativesElastic Security AlternativesMicrosoft Sentinel OverviewElastic Security Overview