IBM QRadar vs Microsoft Sentinel
SIEM pricing comparison · 2026
IBM QRadar pricing ranges from $5000–$250000/annual enterprise, while Microsoft Sentinel ranges from $2.46–$5.20/GB ingested. Microsoft Sentinel is typically 100% more affordable, though your actual cost depends on tier and team size.
IBM QRadar
IBM QRadar is an enterprise-grade SIEM platform trusted by government agencies and Fortune
verified 3mo ago
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Estimated license cost
at 25 seats
List price × seats. Click a tier below to lock it.
Pricing model unknown
Pricing model unknown
no public list price found
Usage-based
Custom rates
see vendor pricing for volume tiers
What buyers actually pay
median, annual
Vendr deal-flow data. The real benchmark, not list price.
No Vendr data
—
Not in Vendr's deal flow
Median annual
$692/yr
Vendr · n=12
REF · 01
Sources & confidence
Every dollar amount and contract clause below traces back to a sourced fact. We don't manufacture composite scores.
Where this data comes from
Vendr · TrustRadius · Reddit · BBB · official docs
Sources
12 sourced facts
8 hidden-cost · 3 contract · 1 review platform
Last verified
3mo ago
Confidence
High confidence
Sources
13 sourced facts
9 hidden-cost · 1 contract · Vendr median · 2 review platforms
Last verified
3mo ago
Confidence
High confidence
REF · 02
Plans at a glance
Every tier per product. Lock one to drive the cost row above and reveal a tier-specific outbound CTA.
Tier ladder
Click a tier to lock the cost row to it. Locking surfaces a tier-specific Visit CTA.
REF · 04
Contract terms
The fine print, surfaced. Green = buyer-friendly. Each clause backed by a quoted source.
IBM
Microsoft
Auto-renewal
—
—
Cancellation
30, 60, or 90 days
—
Commitment
Some Enterprise License Agreements (ELAs) may include minimum spend commitments.
Commitment tiers require daily volume commitments; Pay-As-You-Go has no minimum commitment
Price escalation
3-5% per year, sometimes 5-10%
Users report ~10% annual price increases on Azure services; tier restructuring has caused effective 30% cost increases through deprecation of lower-cost tiers
Can downgrade
—
—
REF · 05
What users say
Aggregated, with sample sizes. We use whichever review platform has data.
User reviews
TrustRadius · Trustpilot · G2
Decide
Get a quote from each vendor
Each link opens the vendor's pricing page in a new tab.
License cost is computed from publicly listed plans (real math, list price × seats).
Median annual cost is from Vendr's deal flow when available — see source badges.
Hidden costs and contract terms each cite their own sources. We do not invent composite scores.
VS
IBM QRadar and Microsoft Sentinel both operate in the siem category. This page compares their list pricing.
Plan-by-Plan Pricing
| Plan | IBM QRadar | Microsoft Sentinel |
|---|---|---|
| Events per Second (EPS) Model | Custom | $5.20 /per GB ingested |
| Flows per Minute (FPM) Model | Custom | $2.96 /per GB with commitment |
| Managed Virtual Servers (MVS) | Custom | $2.46 /per GB with high-volume commitment |
| Enterprise Deployment | Custom | — |
Cost at Scale
Total cost of ownership — licenses, implementation, and hidden costs included.
IBM QRadar
3 scenarios$15,000
Small Enterprise (500 EPS)
$30,000/year for licensing + $25,000-$50,000 implementation
$75,000
Mid-Size Enterprise (5,000 EPS or 100 MVS)
$150,000/year for licensing + $75,000-$150,000 implementation and services
$250,000
Large Global Enterprise (Custom)
$500,000+/year with TAM, professional services, and premium support
Microsoft Sentinel
4 scenariosFirst month free, then $1,560/month ($5.20/GB × 10 GB × 30 days) PAYG
Small Business (10 GB/day)
$8,880/month ($2.96/GB × 100 GB × 30 days)
Mid-Size Enterprise (100 GB/day commitment)
with 43% savings vs PAYG
$36,900/month ($2.46/GB × 500 GB × 30 days)
Large Enterprise (500 GB/day commitment)
with 52% savings plus TAM support
Contract Terms
| Term | IBM QRadar | Microsoft Sentinel |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-renewal | — | — |
| Cancellation | 30, 60, or 90 days | — |
| Minimum commitment | Some Enterprise License Agreements (ELAs) may include minimum spend commitments. | Commitment tiers require daily volume commitments; Pay-As-You-Go has no minimum commitment |
| Price escalation | 3-5% per year, sometimes 5-10% | Users report ~10% annual price increases on Azure services; tier restructuring has caused effective 30% cost increases through deprecation of lower-cost tiers |