Alternative
The Alternative to Microsoft Sentinel Without Azure Lock-In
Sentinel is powerful within the Microsoft ecosystem but requires KQL expertise, Logic App playbooks, and per-GB billing that punishes cloud-scale log volumes. ManySignal is multi-cloud, agentic, and predictably priced.
Head-to-head breakdown
ManySignal vs Microsoft Sentinel
| Capability | ManySignal | Microsoft Sentinel |
|---|---|---|
| Agentic AI triage — auto-closes alerts with evidence ManySignal's agents render verdicts autonomously; Sentinel requires analyst review of every incident. | ||
| Ingestion cost predictability ManySignal prices per entity, not per GB. Sentinel's per-GB ingestion pricing creates unpredictable bills as cloud log volumes grow. | ||
| SOC-ready without KQL expertise ManySignal uses natural language search and ready-to-run detections. Sentinel is KQL-first. | ||
| Built-in SOAR automation ManySignal includes automation natively; Sentinel uses Logic Apps for playbooks, which require Azure and JSON/ARM expertise. | ||
| Multi-cloud detection (AWS, GCP, Azure) ManySignal has parity connectors for all three clouds. Sentinel is Azure-native with limited non-Azure integrations. | ||
| Vendor-neutral deployment ManySignal runs on any cloud or on-premises. Sentinel requires Azure and creates vendor lock-in. | ||
| Ready-to-deploy detection library ManySignal ships 600+ curated detections; Sentinel community rules vary in quality and require manual review. | ||
| Transparent AI decision reasoning ManySignal shows the evidence chain behind every verdict. Sentinel AI features do not expose reasoning. |
Migration path
Migrate from Microsoft Sentinel in 4 steps
- 1
Export Sentinel analytics rules
Use the Sentinel API or ARM templates to export your current analytics rules as JSON. ManySignal's migration tool parses these and maps them to equivalent Sigma-format detection rules.
- 2
Redirect log sources
Configure log sources to dual-ship to both Sentinel (Log Analytics) and ManySignal during the parallel period. Most sources support multiple outputs natively.
- 3
Run parallel for 30 days
Compare detection quality and analyst experience side by side. ManySignal's AI verdict layer immediately reduces the volume of manual alert reviews required.
- 4
Cut over and reduce Sentinel costs
Redirect ingestion exclusively to ManySignal. Optionally retain Sentinel in a reduced-ingestion mode for compliance log archival, significantly reducing the combined cost.
"Sentinel was costing us $28k/month in ingestion alone. ManySignal is a third of that and closes 80% of our alerts without a human touching them."
ManySignal vs Microsoft Sentinel: frequently asked questions
Why would we choose ManySignal over Microsoft Sentinel?
Sentinel is a log management and detection platform that requires significant KQL expertise and manual analyst workflows. ManySignal adds agentic AI triage that autonomously closes alerts, multi-cloud parity beyond Azure, and predictable entity-based pricing that scales without per-GB billing surprises.
Can we use both Sentinel and ManySignal together?
Yes. Many organisations run ManySignal as the primary SOC triage layer while retaining Sentinel for compliance log retention or Azure-native security integrations. ManySignal has a native Sentinel connector that ingests Sentinel incidents and raw Log Analytics data.
How does ManySignal pricing compare to Sentinel?
Sentinel charges per GB ingested plus workspace fees. At cloud scale, this frequently results in six-figure annual bills that grow faster than security value. ManySignal charges per protected entity — predictable and decoupled from log volume growth.
What happens to our existing KQL analytics rules?
ManySignal's migration service converts KQL analytics rules to Sigma-compatible format. The automated converter handles standard rule patterns; complex KQL with advanced functions is reviewed by ManySignal detection engineers.
Does ManySignal have the same Azure native integrations as Sentinel?
ManySignal has comprehensive Azure connectors: Azure Activity Logs, Entra ID, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Microsoft 365, Azure Key Vault, and more. Non-Azure sources (AWS, GCP, Okta, CrowdStrike) have significantly better coverage in ManySignal than in Sentinel.
Is ManySignal suitable for organisations with Microsoft E5 licences that include Sentinel?
Yes. E5 licences include Sentinel workspace access but not the full ingestion capacity. ManySignal provides the agentic SOC layer that makes the Defender/Sentinel investment more effective, or can replace Sentinel entirely for organisations seeking cost reduction.
How does ManySignal handle Logic App playbooks from Sentinel?
Sentinel Logic App playbooks are Azure-native workflows. ManySignal's automation layer uses a vendor-neutral workflow engine. Playbooks need to be recreated in ManySignal's workflow builder, which has comparable functionality without Azure dependency.
Does ManySignal support Microsoft Defender alerts?
Yes. ManySignal ingests Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Defender for Office 365, Defender for Identity, and Defender for Cloud alerts as first-class data sources. These alerts are correlated with other signals in ManySignal's entity graph.
Can ManySignal replace the Sentinel cost analysis we're currently doing?
ManySignal includes SOC cost metrics and capacity planning dashboards. The migration team provides a Sentinel cost comparison analysis as part of the proof-of-value engagement.
How long does migration from Sentinel take?
Typically 45–60 days: 2 weeks for connector setup and detection migration, 30 days parallel running, then planned cutover. Organisations with fewer than 500 analysts and simpler architectures have completed in 30 days.
Ready to move beyond Sentinel?
See how ManySignal's agentic SOC compares to your current Sentinel deployment — bring your alert volume and we'll show you the difference.