Sentaro is the best IRONSCALES alternative for EU teams on Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace: it connects over the Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace APIs in four minutes with no MX change and no agents; its BEC and vendor-fraud verdicts show their reasoning in the console, so you can audit them on your own mail; its App vector, live since Q3 2026, covers OAuth grants and AI tools in the same platform; its price, $6 per protected account per month with every feature included, is published (USD); and it is hosted in Sweden on Microsoft Azure, with subprocessors listed in the DPA. If you want simulation too, keep it in a dedicated training tool or Defender Plan 2.
- Why Sentaro wins
- a price you can see and a hosting answer in the DPA: Sentaro publishes $6 per account per month and names Sweden on Microsoft Azure in its DPA, while IRONSCALES publishes its tiers but quotes every plan, and its subprocessor list names AWS in both the USA and Germany for its primary platform.
- Choose Sentaro if
- you want API-based BEC, QR and OAuth protection and do not need simulation in the same tool.
- Consider IRONSCALES or Barracuda only if
- bundled phishing simulation, or backup and archiving, in the same console is central to how you run security.
What you are replacing: IRONSCALES at a glance
- Plans
- Email Essentials, Email Protect, Email Protect 360, Email Protect Pro, Complete Protect
- Approach
- Adaptive AI with per-mailbox behavioral baselines plus crowdsourced intelligence from other customers’ reports
- Deployment
- Mailbox-level API; works alongside an existing gateway; vendor states "Deploys in minutes, no MX changes"
- Extras
- Account takeover (Protect Pro and Complete Protect), encryption and DLP (360 and Pro), Human Risk Management (simulation and training), Teams deepfake protection
- Pricing
- Tiers published; every plan is quote-based
- Reach
- 18,000+ organizations and 3,000+ MSPs (vendor-stated)
Why teams look for an IRONSCALES alternative
- Prices on request. IRONSCALES publishes its plan structure but not its prices, so budgeting needs a quote for each tier.
- Features by tier. Account takeover, encryption and DLP sit in higher plans. If you want those, compare the upgrade price with alternatives that include them.
- Training in the same tool, or not. Some teams prefer a dedicated training vendor, or Microsoft’s attack simulation training in Defender Plan 2, and want a detection-only email tool.
- EU hosting in writing. IRONSCALES’ published subprocessor list names Amazon Web Services (USA) and AWS Europe (Germany) for its primary application platform, and EU processing for some services for EU customers, but it does not say which customers are hosted where. NIS2 and DORA due diligence usually needs that in the contract.
- Community intelligence. IRONSCALES uses reports from other customers to improve detection. Regulated buyers may want to read how that sharing works in the DPA before signing, and compare it with other vendors’ terms.
IRONSCALES alternatives at a glance
| Vendor | Type | Deploys via | Public price | Hosting | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sentaro (our pick) | API (ICES) | Microsoft 365 and Workspace APIs | $6 per account/month | Sweden (Microsoft Azure); see DPA | Our pick: EU teams on Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace |
| Barracuda | API (ICES) | API, no MX change | Quote | Gateway: Frankfurt, London; API modules: US | SMBs wanting backup and archive bundled |
| Check Point Harmony Email | API (ICES), inline option | API, no MX change | Quote | Ireland region option | Inline-via-API and many SaaS apps |
| Hornetsecurity | Gateway, API or hybrid | MX, API or hybrid | Quote via partners | 12 regional data centres (vendor) | Microsoft 365 suites via MSPs |
| Sublime Security | API (ICES) | API; managed or self-hosted | Free to 100 mailboxes; Enterprise quote | EU (Dublin) managed region, or self-host | SOC teams that write rules |
| Abnormal AI | API (ICES) | API, no MX change | Quote | US or EU (Ireland), by subscription | Large enterprises |
| Defender for Office 365 | Native | Exchange Online mail flow | Plan 1 $2, Plan 2 $5 per user/month | EU Data Boundary | Microsoft 365 tenants already licensed |
| Material Security | API (ICES) | API | From $4 per user/month | No EU region documented | Workspace-heavy, post-compromise focus |
| Mimecast | Gateway and API | MX or API | Quote | Frankfurt data centres (2018) | Archive, continuity, on-prem Exchange |
| Google Workspace built-in | Native | Gmail | Included in Workspace | Europe data region (edition-dependent) | Workspace tenants as a baseline |
The 7 IRONSCALES alternatives in detail
- 1
Sentaro
Our pickBest for: EU teams on Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace that want strong BEC and phishing protection without a gateway project.
Sentaro is the detection-first alternative to IRONSCALES for teams that do not need simulation in the same console: API-based email and SaaS security for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace from Stockholm, hosted in Sweden on Microsoft Azure. Strengths: relationship-aware BEC detection using existing mailbox history, so there is no long learning period; QR-code decoding and destination analysis; OAuth grant and shadow AI inventory; multi-tenant and white-label ready for MSPs; published price of $6 per protected account per month or $68 per year, first account free (USD). No phishing simulation or training module by design.
Sentaro vs IRONSCALES Best for: MSPs and SMBs that want the widest bundle per contract.
API-first bundle with an MSP program. Strengths: phishing, BEC and account takeover protection, DMARC reporting, encryption and DLP in all plans; Microsoft 365 backup from Premium; archiving and training in Premium Plus. Limits, per barracuda.com as of 21 October 2026: pricing not published; its trust center lists Frankfurt and London regions for Email Gateway Defense but only US regions for Impersonation Protection and Incident Response.
Best for: Teams that want inline prevention through the API and many collaboration apps covered.
API-based protection, formerly Avanan. Strengths: inspects mail before the inbox, per Check Point; shadow IT detection and account takeover in every tier; Teams, Slack, OneDrive, SharePoint, Google Drive, Box and Dropbox; Ireland data residency region. Limits, per checkpoint.com as of 18 October 2026: training, DMARC and archiving are add-ons; pricing not published.
Best for: MSPs selling Microsoft 365 suites with backup and training included.
Tiered Microsoft 365 suite sold through 12,000+ partners. Strengths: MX, API or hybrid modes; encryption, archiving, backup, DMARC management and training across four plans; vendor states 12 regional data centres. Limits, per hornetsecurity.com as of 18 October 2026: Google Workspace support not confirmed on vendor pages; now a Proofpoint company.
Best for: Technical teams that want to read and tune every detection rule.
Detection-as-code. Strengths: open rule library on GitHub covering BEC, QR codes and lookalike domains; AI agents for triage and rule writing; managed cloud free for the first 100 mailboxes; self-hosting option. Limits, per Sublime’s docs as of 21 October 2026: no training module found; managed-cloud regions include EU (Dublin), per its docs.
Best for: Large enterprises that want a broader behavioral platform across email, identity and SaaS.
Behavioral API platform. Strengths: baselines per employee and vendor; account takeover protection; AI Phishing Coach; states over 30% of the Fortune 500 as customers. Limits, per abnormal.ai as of 21 October 2026: pricing not published; hosting on AWS in the US or the EU (Ireland), set by subscription (subprocessor list, July 2026).
Best for: Microsoft 365 organizations that mainly used IRONSCALES for phishing simulation.
Native protection with built-in simulation. Strengths: attack simulation training, Threat Explorer and automated investigation; included in Microsoft 365 E5 or $5 per user per month. Limits, per Microsoft Learn as of 18 October 2026: Microsoft 365 only; no community intelligence network; OAuth governance is a separate product.
IRONSCALES and the alternatives side by side
| Capability | Sentaro | IRONSCALES | Barracuda | Check Point Harmony Email | Hornetsecurity | Sublime Security | Defender for Office 365 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deployment and platforms | |||||||
| Deployment | API, no MX change | API, alongside a gateway | API-first, no MX change | API with inline prevention | MX, API or hybrid | API; managed or self-hosted | Native to Exchange Online |
| Microsoft 365 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Google Workspace | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not publicly documentedNot confirmed on vendor pages | Yes | No |
| On-premises Exchange | NoCloud mailboxes only | Not publicly documentedNot publicly documented | Not publicly documentedNot publicly documented | Not publicly documentedNot publicly documented | Not publicly documentedNot publicly documented | Not publicly documentedIMAP sources supported | PartialStandalone EOP |
| Threat coverage | |||||||
| BEC and impersonation | YesMessage vector, live | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not publicly documentedAdvanced threat protection named | YesOpen detection rules | YesImpersonation protection (Plan 1) |
| QR-code phishing | YesDecoded and destination analyzed | Yes | Not publicly documentedNot publicly documented | Not publicly documentedNot publicly documented | Not publicly documentedNot publicly documented | YesOpen detection rules | YesSafe Links (Plan 1) |
| OAuth apps and shadow IT | YesApp vector, live | Not publicly documentedNot publicly documented | Not publicly documentedNot publicly documented | YesShadow IT detection | PartialPermission management (Plan 4) | Not publicly documentedNot publicly documented | NoSeparate product: Defender for Cloud Apps |
| Suite extras | |||||||
| DMARC report management | NoReads DMARC posture as a signal only | Not publicly documentedNot publicly documented | YesAll plans | Paid add-on | YesPlan 4 | Not publicly documentedNot publicly documented | NoEnforces DMARC; no report management |
| Archiving | No | Not publicly documentedNot publicly documented | YesPremium Plus | Paid add-on | YesPlan 2 and above | Not publicly documentedNot publicly documented | NoSeparate product: Purview |
| Awareness training | NoNot offered by design | YesHuman Risk Management | YesPremium Plus | Paid add-on | YesPlan 4 | Not publicly documentedNot publicly documented | YesAttack simulation training (Plan 2) |
| Buying and data | |||||||
| Public pricing | Yes$6 per account/month | NoTiers published, prices on quote | NoQuote-based | NoQuote-based | NoQuote-based via partners | PartialFirst 100 mailboxes free; Enterprise on quote | YesPlan 1 $2, Plan 2 $5 |
| EU hosting documented | YesHosted in Sweden on Microsoft Azure; see DPA | PartialAWS USA or Germany (subprocessor list) | PartialGateway: Frankfurt, London; API modules: US | YesIreland region option | Yes12 regional data centres (vendor) | PartialEU (Dublin) managed region, or self-host | YesEU Data Boundary |
“Not publicly documented” means we could not find it in the vendor’s public material on 18 October 2026, not that the capability is missing. Add-on means sold separately or in a higher tier.
- Yes
- Partial
- No
- On roadmap
- Paid add-on
- Not publicly documented
How to choose an IRONSCALES alternative
| If you need… | Then look at |
|---|---|
| Detection only, with a published price | Sentaro ($6 per account/month), Material Security (from $4 per user/month), Sublime (free to 100 mailboxes) |
| Detection plus simulation in one tool | Barracuda (Premium Plus), Hornetsecurity (Plan 4), Abnormal (AI Phishing Coach), Defender Plan 2 |
| Backup and archiving in the same contract | Barracuda, Hornetsecurity |
| EU hosting documented | Sentaro (Sweden, DPA), Check Point (Ireland region), Hornetsecurity (regional data centres, vendor-stated), Defender (EU Data Boundary), Abnormal (EU, Ireland, by subscription) |
| A multi-tenant console for many clients | Sentaro, Barracuda, Hornetsecurity |
If you split detection and training, pick the training tool separately. Our KnowBe4 alternatives guide covers dedicated training vendors, including European ones.
Why Sentaro is our pick
Why Sentaro wins
- One published price for every client: $6 per protected account per month, or $68 per year, every feature included, published on sentaro.com/en/pricing; the first account is free, so you can test it before talking to sales. Prices in USD.
- Client onboarding in minutes: Sentaro connects over the Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace admin APIs in four minutes, with no agents and no MX change (your MX record stays where it is, which you can check in DNS), and shows historical mail within 15 minutes.
- BEC caught on intent, not payload: The Message vector, live since Q2 2026, scores intent, sender identity and relationship signals before interaction, including vendor-compromise and thread-hijack detection, and every verdict shows its reasoning in the console, so you can audit its BEC calls on your own mail.
- App risk without another tool: The App vector, live since Q3 2026, inventories every app, AI tool and OAuth grant within 15 minutes of connecting, blocks consent phishing and revokes risky grants in one click.
- Hosting in writing: Hosted in Sweden on Microsoft Azure, with every subprocessor listed in the public DPA (sentaro.com/en/legal/dpa).
Consider another option only if
- Your clients expect backup, archiving, encryption or DMARC reporting from the same vendor; Sentaro does not offer them.
- Some clients run on-premises Exchange; only Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are supported.
- You need account-takeover monitoring or a SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certificate today; see the roadmap and certification notes on this page.
- You want phishing simulation and training in the same console as detection.
How to switch from IRONSCALES
- 01
Separate detection from training
Decide whether simulation stays, moves to another tool such as Defender Plan 2’s attack simulation training, or stops.
- 02
Connect the alternative in parallel
Both are API-based, so they can run side by side. Sentaro connects in four minutes, with historical visibility within 15 minutes.
- 03
Compare for two to four weeks
Review BEC, supplier fraud and QR-code lures caught by each, and how many messages admins had to review by hand.
- 04
Move enforcement
Turn on blocking or quarantine in the new tool, then disable remediation in IRONSCALES.
- 05
Remove app consent and update records
Revoke IRONSCALES’ app consent in the tenant and update your subprocessor register.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best IRONSCALES alternative?
Sentaro. For EU teams on Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, Sentaro is our pick as the best IRONSCALES alternative: it connects over API in four minutes with no MX change, catches BEC and vendor fraud before interaction, blocks OAuth consent phishing in the same platform and costs $6 per protected account per month (USD), hosted in Sweden on Microsoft Azure. If you want simulation in the same console, Barracuda bundles training, and Defender for Office 365 Plan 2 includes attack simulation training.
What are the pricing options for IRONSCALES?
IRONSCALES publishes five plan tiers, from Email Essentials to Complete Protect, but every plan is "Request a Quote". It offers an annual plan at a discount and a monthly plan you can cancel. Sentaro, by comparison, costs $6 per protected account per month or $68 per year.
Where is IRONSCALES based?
IRONSCALES was founded in Israel and states it has been headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, since 2017. Its published subprocessor list names AWS in the USA and AWS Europe (Germany) for its primary application platform (accessed 21 October 2026).
Is IRONSCALES legit?
Yes. IRONSCALES is an established, venture-backed email security vendor that states 18,000+ organizations and 3,000+ MSPs as customers. Whether it is the right fit depends on your need for bundled training, your budget and your EU hosting requirements.
Can I replace IRONSCALES and keep phishing simulation?
Yes. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 2 includes attack simulation training, and dedicated training vendors exist. Sentaro does not offer training; in its published case study, a 400-seat payments firm under DORA replaced its secure-email gateway and phishing-simulation program with Sentaro.
Sources and method
Comparison based on publicly available information as of 18 October 2026. Product capabilities change; check each vendor’s current documentation. Trademarks belong to their owners. Corrections: contact Sentaro.
- IRONSCALES: Home page (accessed 2026-10-18)
- IRONSCALES: Pricing (accessed 2026-10-18)
- IRONSCALES: Our story (HQ and history)
- Barracuda: Email Protection (accessed 2026-10-18)
- Barracuda: Email Protection plans (accessed 2026-10-18)
- Check Point: Harmony Email & Collaboration (accessed 2026-10-18)
- Check Point: Harmony Email & Collaboration admin guide, data residency
- Hornetsecurity: 365 Total Protection (accessed 2026-10-18)
- Proofpoint: Proofpoint completes acquisition of Hornetsecurity (December 2025)
- Sublime Security docs: Installation (accessed 2026-10-18)
- GitHub: sublime-security/sublime-rules detection rules
- Abnormal AI: Inbound Email Security (accessed 2026-10-18)
- Abnormal AI: About (accessed 2026-10-18)
- Microsoft Learn: Why do I need Microsoft Defender for Office 365? (accessed 2026-10-18)
- Microsoft: Defender for Office 365 pricing (accessed 2026-10-18)
- Microsoft Tech Community: Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 rolling out to Microsoft 365 E3 (2026-06-17)
- Microsoft Learn: EU Data Boundary (accessed 2026-10-18)
- Material Security: Pricing (accessed 2026-10-18)
- Mimecast: Email Security (accessed 2026-10-18)
- Datacentre News: Mimecast opens two Frankfurt data centres (2018)
- Hornetsecurity: Email security modes
- Google Workspace pricing (accessed 2026-10-18)
- Google Workspace Admin Help: Data regions (accessed 2026-10-18)
- Sentaro Data Processing Agreement and subprocessor list
- Abnormal AI: Subprocessors (updated 31 July 2026; accessed 2026-10-21)
- IRONSCALES: List of current sub-processors (PDF, December 2024; accessed 2026-10-21)
- Material Security: Subprocessors (updated 12 June 2025; accessed 2026-10-21)
- Proofpoint: Data privacy information sheet, Core Email Protection API (updated 24 July 2026; accessed 2026-10-21)
- Sublime Security docs: Sublime Cloud regions (accessed 2026-10-21)
- Barracuda Trust Center: Data center locations (accessed 2026-10-21)
- KnowBe4: Data Transfer Impact Assessment (updated 13 October 2026)