IBM QRadar vs Microsoft Sentinel Pricing (2026)

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–$5.2/GB ingested. Microsoft Sentinel is typically 100% more affordable, though your actual cost depends on tier and team size.

SIEM

IBM QRadar

$5000–$250000
/annual enterprise
4 plans
Full pricing breakdown →
VS
SIEM

Microsoft Sentinel

$2.46–$5.2
/GB ingested
3 plans
Full pricing breakdown →

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

3 scenarios
First 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

Hidden Costs

Beyond the sticker price — what catches buyers off guard.

IBM QRadar 4 hidden costs

high
High Hardware and Infrastructure Requirements 20-35% of license costs
critical
Significant Staffing Requirements $150,000-$300,000
high
Custom Log Source Integration Costs 10-25% of license costs
medium
Support Limitations and Troubleshooting Delays 5-15% of license costs
See all IBM QRadar hidden costs →

Microsoft Sentinel 3 hidden costs

high
Premium Support Required for Technical Assistance €99/month
medium
Unexpected Azure Platform Fees 10-20% of license costs
high
Data Retention and Log Analytics Workspace Costs 15-30% of license costs
See all Microsoft Sentinel hidden costs →