Sentinel vs Microsoft Purview

Reviewed 2026-10-07 · Update owner: Jason Metzner

Verdict

Microsoft Purview fits organizations that want AI protection inside Microsoft's data-security stack: DLP, sensitivity labels, and insider risk management across Microsoft 365, Windows and macOS devices, and supported AI sites in Edge, Chrome, and Firefox. SUPERWISE® Sentinel fits teams that want an AI gateway that replaces identifiers before a prompt leaves, from a Windows app, CLI, or team gateway.

Verdict checked 2026-10-10 against [M1] [M2] [S1] [S4].

Feature matrix

This matrix was reviewed on 2026-10-07. Employee endpoint coverage and application gateway coverage are separate rows because they protect different traffic.

Capability	SUPERWISE Sentinel	Microsoft Purview
Employee endpoint use	Windows deployment is documented for traffic routed through Sentinel. [S2] Read 2026-10-07	Endpoint DLP can discover, audit, warn, or block sensitive text and file activity on supported browsers and onboarded devices. [M2] Read 2026-10-07
Application gateway use	The CLI proxy is an AI gateway for application traffic. [S3] Read 2026-10-07	Purview provides SDK and API integration for Entra-registered and custom AI applications. A general-purpose model-routing gateway is not documented. [M6] Read 2026-10-07
PII and secret handling	Sentinel replaces identifiers such as email addresses, phone numbers, credit card numbers, and API keys before a prompt leaves. [S4] Read 2026-10-07 [S5] Read 2026-10-07	Uses configurable sensitive information types and DLP actions including audit and block. Automatic redaction of prompts was not verified. [M1] Read 2026-10-07 [M4] Read 2026-10-07
Shadow-AI discovery	Not verified.	Documents discovery of visits and sensitive sharing on supported third-party AI sites. Broader app discovery can use Defender for Cloud Apps. [M2] Read 2026-10-07 [M7] Read 2026-10-07
MCP coverage	Not verified.	Tool-level MCP server discovery and MCP gateway enforcement were not verified in the reviewed Purview documentation.
Audit evidence	Sentinel documents gateway activity records. Public retention and immutability commitments were not verified. [S1] Read 2026-10-07	Purview can collect user, time, app, sensitive type, referenced files, prompts, and responses when the required audit and collection policies are enabled. [M3] Read 2026-10-07
Pricing visibility	Published: Solo $10, Pro $25, Business $50 a month, 30 days free; Enterprise by quote. See pricing.	Licenses and pay-as-you-go meters apply by capability. Public billing documentation describes the model, while the final cost depends on tenant entitlements and usage. [M5] Read 2026-10-07
Entry path	Public interactive demo. [S6] Read 2026-10-07	Configuration begins in a licensed Microsoft Purview tenant. A comparable public interactive demo was not verified. [M2] Read 2026-10-07

“Not verified” means the reviewed public vendor sources did not confirm the capability. It does not establish that the capability is absent from a private offer or later release.

SUPERWISE Sentinel is a focused AI gateway that removes defined data types from routed requests. Microsoft Purview is a broad data-security and compliance system that applies classification, DLP, audit, investigation, retention, and risk controls across Microsoft services, endpoints, and integrated AI applications. The products operate at different scopes. For keeping customer data out of ChatGPT from a Windows PC, see the guide, Stop customer data reaching ChatGPT from a Windows PC.

Sentinel replaces email addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers in the 123-45-6789 format, credit card numbers, IBANs, IP and MAC addresses, full-length OpenAI keys, and AWS secret keys when labeled. Bank account numbers, tax IDs and EINs, national IDs, VINs, dates of birth, and medical record numbers are replaced only in the labeled formats the gateway recognizes. The admin chooses whether Sentinel redacts or blocks, and sets the replacement text.

When Microsoft Purview is the better fit

Your organization already uses Microsoft 365 and needs DLP, sensitivity labels, audit, retention, eDiscovery, and investigation in the same control plane. [M1] Read 2026-10-07 [M3] Read 2026-10-07
You need discovery and policy across supported third-party AI sites in Edge, Chrome, and Firefox on onboarded devices. [M2] Read 2026-10-07
You need protection across Microsoft 365, Windows or macOS endpoints, and integrated SASE or secure-browser traffic. [M1] Read 2026-10-07 [M4] Read 2026-10-07

When Sentinel fits

You need a direct AI gateway for an application or supported Windows workflow without adopting the wider Purview data-security stack. [S2] Read 2026-10-07 [S3] Read 2026-10-07
You need the documented Sentinel replacement coverage before routed requests reach an AI provider. Sentinel replaces identifiers such as email addresses, phone numbers, credit card numbers, and API keys before a prompt leaves. [S4] Read 2026-10-07 [S5] Read 2026-10-07
You want to inspect a public demo before configuring a Microsoft tenant, device onboarding, browser policy, and licensing. [S6] Read 2026-10-07 [M2] Read 2026-10-07

Try the demo and read Can you prove who did what with AI?.

Questions about Microsoft Purview and Sentinel

Who is Microsoft Purview a better fit for, and who is Sentinel a better fit for?

Microsoft Purview fits organizations that want AI protection inside Microsoft's data-security stack: DLP, sensitivity labels, and insider risk management across Microsoft 365, Windows and macOS devices, and supported AI sites in Edge, Chrome, and Firefox. Sentinel fits teams that want an AI gateway that replaces identifiers before a prompt leaves, from a Windows app, CLI, or team gateway.

What does Microsoft Purview cover that Sentinel does not document?

Purview documents Microsoft 365 sensitivity labels, eDiscovery, Insider Risk Management, and discovery of visits to supported third-party AI sites. Sentinel does not document those, or broad discovery of employee visits to third-party AI sites.

Does Microsoft Purview redact prompts the way Sentinel does?

Purview uses configurable sensitive information types and DLP actions including audit and block. Automatic redaction of prompts was not verified in the reviewed Purview documentation. Sentinel replaces identifiers such as email addresses, phone numbers, credit card numbers, and API keys before a prompt leaves.

How do Sentinel and Microsoft Purview compare on price and setup?

Published: Solo $10, Pro $25, Business $50 a month, 30 days free; Enterprise by quote. Sentinel starts with a public interactive demo. Purview licenses and pay-as-you-go meters apply by capability, so the final cost depends on tenant entitlements and usage, and configuration begins in a licensed Microsoft Purview tenant.

Limitations and boundaries

Sentinel does not document Microsoft 365 sensitivity labels, eDiscovery, Insider Risk Management, or Communication Compliance integration.
Sentinel does not document broad discovery of employee visits to third-party AI sites.
Purview coverage and actions depend on licenses, device onboarding, browsers, policies, integrated services, and pay-as-you-go configuration. [M2] Read 2026-10-07 [M5] Read 2026-10-07

Sources

Sources were read on 2026-10-07, and the sources the verdict cites were read again on 2026-10-10. Competitor claims use primary vendor documentation.

SUPERWISE Sentinel vs Microsoft Purview