CRWD vs S: How CrowdStrike Holdings and SentinelOne Compare (2026)

Same yardstick, side by side (as of August 2026). Valuation lined up like this is most meaningful for two names in the same corner of the market, which these are. Figures are approximate; verify before investing.

Reading it: S is the cheaper of the two on forward earnings, but cheaper is not the same as better. Pair the valuation with growth (how far the forward P/E sits below the trailing P/E) and risk (beta) before you decide.

The metrics above tell you which is the marginally better business. The bigger risk for most people is not picking the slightly worse stock, it is over-concentrating. CRWD and S share themes, so owning both, or adding either to what you already hold, can quietly push a large share of your portfolio into one bet.

This is the part a generic comparison page cannot answer, because it depends on what you own. Connect your brokerage and Walnut shows your real, combined CRWD and S exposure, flags overlap with your existing positions, and tells you if adding one would tip you past a concentration you are comfortable with, read-only by default, with your login staying at your broker. Walnut is not an investment adviser.

CrowdStrike is a leading cloud-native cybersecurity company best known for endpoint protection: software that secures laptops, servers, cloud workloads, and other devices against malware, ransomware, and intrusions. Its Falcon platform uses a single lightweight agent and a cloud-delivered model that collects vast amounts of threat telemetry, applies AI and machine learning to detect attacks, and lets customers add modules across many security categories. Beyond endpoint, CrowdStrike has expanded into cloud security, identity protection, threat intelligence, security operations and log management (Next-Gen SIEM after acquiring Humio/LogScale), exposure management, and managed detection and response. It makes money primarily through recurring subscriptions, with customers often adopting more Falcon modules over time, driving strong net revenue retention. CrowdStrike is one of the fastest-growing large cybersecurity vendors and a platform-consolidation play, helping enterprises replace multiple point tools. It is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and serves enterprises and governments worldwide.

Full CRWD guide

SentinelOne (S) is a cybersecurity company specializing in AI-driven endpoint and cloud security. Its Singularity platform protects endpoints (laptops, servers, cloud workloads) by using machine learning to detect, block, and automatically respond to threats like malware and ransomware in real time, without relying solely on signature databases or human analysts. A distinctive feature is autonomous response: the platform can isolate and remediate attacks on its own, and it offers one-click rollback to undo ransomware damage.

Full S guide

Both fit overlapping themes, but they are not interchangeable. The useful comparison is which set of drivers and risks you want exposure to.

• CRWD drivers: Platform consolidation and module land-and-expand; AI-driven detection and data advantage.
• S drivers: AI-native endpoint protection; Platform expansion.

A faster-growing, richer-valued name usually swings harder, so it suits a longer horizon and a higher tolerance for volatility; a steadier, more cash-generative business suits a more conservative or income-minded investor. The honest test is which set of risks you could hold through a drawdown: CrowdStrike trades at a very high valuation that prices in sustained rapid growth, leaving little room for disappointment. For S, sentinelOne competes head-to-head with CrowdStrike, which is larger, profitable, and has a strong brand, plus Microsoft, which bundles endpoint security into broad licensing at attractive prices.

Growth-minded investors who believe the theme has years to run tend to accept the richer multiple for more upside; value-minded investors lean toward the cheaper forward earnings and steadier profile. Pick CRWD if you believe its drivers more; S if you believe its. Many investors hold both, but since they share themes, that is a concentrated bet, not diversification. Decide deliberately and check overlap. For the full detail, see the CRWD and S guides.

CRWD. CrowdStrike trades at one of the richer valuations in software, on a high multiple of revenue and free cash flow, reflecting its rapid growth, platform-consolidation story, and strong cash generation for a high-growth name. The premium embeds expectations of years of sustained expansion; the valuation is the key debate, balancing best-in-class growth against limited tolerance for any stumble.

S. SentinelOne trades as a high-growth cybersecurity name valued on ARR growth and platform expansion rather than current GAAP earnings. The premium price-to-sales multiple reflects strong recurring-revenue growth and improving margins, balanced against GAAP losses, dilution, and direct competition with CrowdStrike and Microsoft. Valuation is highly sensitive to growth-rate changes and the path to profitability.

Headline figures (approximate, early 2026): CRWD shows revenue (ttm) ~$4 billion, annual recurring revenue (arr) ~$4 billion+, growing rapidly, revenue growth high growth, often ~20-30%+, gaap profitability modest; strong on adjusted and free-cash-flow basis; S shows revenue (ttm) ~$850 million, annual recurring revenue Growing rapidly (around or above $900 million), revenue growth Strong (high double-digit, decelerating from very high), gross margin High (improving, ~75%+ non-GAAP).

CRWD and S are related but distinct: same themes, different businesses and risks. Neither wins in the abstract; the right pick is whichever thesis you actually believe, sized so you are not over-concentrated in one theme. Walnut can show your combined CRWD and S exposure against your real portfolio. It is not an investment adviser.