--- source_url: "https://www.siit.io/tools/comparison/microsoft-entra-id-vs-okta" title: "Microsoft Entra ID vs Okta (2026): Pricing & Fit | Siit" mirrored_at: 2026-09-01T13:01:43.436Z host: www.siit.io cited_in_42a: true mirror_canonical: "https://index.42a.ai/www.siit.io/tools/comparison/microsoft-entra-id-vs-okta" --- > **Original source:** https://www.siit.io/tools/comparison/microsoft-entra-id-vs-okta Popular comparison Microsoft Entra ID for Microsoft 365 and Azure-centered stacks; Okta for multi-vendor app portfolios. Here's how to choose. **Dimitri Cabete Jorge, Co-Founder & CTO** · Last updated: August 2026 · Facts verified: August 2026 **TL;DR:** Microsoft Entra ID is the right pick for teams whose Microsoft 365 plan already carries P1 or P2, because the access controls then cost nothing beyond a subscription they already pay for. Okta is the right pick for multi-vendor stacks that need the broadest pre-built integration catalog and provisioning driven from an HR system, at a higher per-user cost. Your choice depends on how Microsoft-centered your application portfolio is. **Ratings:** Microsoft Entra ID: [Gartner Peer Insights 4.5/5](https://www.gartner.com/reviews/market/access-management/vendor/microsoft/product/microsoft-entra-id) · Okta: [Gartner Peer Insights 4.6/5](https://www.gartner.com/reviews/product/okta-workforce-identity), verified August 2026 ## **Microsoft Entra ID vs Okta at a Glance** Entra ID and Okta diverge on policy reach, on where their integrations come from, and on how each one charges. Dimension Microsoft Entra ID Okta **Purpose** Native identity layer for the Microsoft cloud Vendor-neutral workforce identity hub **Best when you need** Identity inside licensing you already pay Microsoft for Federation across a large non-Microsoft app portfolio **Primary users** IT teams in Microsoft 365 and Azure environments IT teams running heterogeneous software-as-a-service (SaaS) stacks **Headline strength** Conditional Access across the Microsoft stack Integration catalog and lifecycle automation **Key limitation** Licensing complexity; extra work for non-Microsoft apps Per-user cost climbs with add-ons **Starting price** P1, $7.00/user/month Starter, $6/user/month **Signature integration** Microsoft 365, Azure, Intune Okta Integration Network **Analyst recognition** Leader, [2025 Magic Quadrant](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/11/21/microsoft-named-a-leader-in-the-gartner-magic-quadrant-for-access-management-for-the-ninth-consecutive-year) for Access Management, ninth consecutive year [2025 Leader](https://www.okta.com/newsroom/press-releases/okta-named-a-leader-in-2025-gartner-magic-quadrant) , Gartner Magic Quadrant for Access Management, ninth consecutive year ## **Overview of Microsoft Entra ID** [Microsoft Entra ID](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/business/identity-access/microsoft-entra-id) is Microsoft's cloud [identity and access management](https://www.siit.io/blog/best-iam-tools) (IAM) platform, renamed from Azure Active Directory. It is the native identity and access layer for Microsoft 365, Azure, Intune, and Power Platform. Teams running mostly non-Microsoft SaaS should expect third-party app connections to take more configuration than the Microsoft-native experience suggests. **Key features:** - **Conditional Access:** Tenant-wide zero-trust policy engine; a single policy can target all or multiple apps at once, which keeps policy sprawl down. - **Phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication (MFA):** Authentication strengths enforce passkeys built on the FIDO2 passwordless authentication standard, Windows Hello for Business, and certificate-based authentication, replacing SMS and voice codes. - **Identity Protection:** Detects leaked credentials, sign-ins from anonymous Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, and impossible travel, then feeds that risk into access decisions. - **Application gallery:** Thousands of preintegrated apps with single sign-on (SSO) and [provisioning automation](https://www.siit.io/blog/automated-provisioning-tools) templates, which removes hand-built federation for listed apps. - **Entra Agent ID:** Identity and authorization for AI agents over Open Authorization (OAuth) 2.0. Autonomous agents receive governed access through individual identities and permissions. **Ideal for:** IT teams standardized on Microsoft 365 or Azure who want one identity plane across users, devices, and apps. ## **Overview of Okta** [Okta](https://www.okta.com/) is a vendor-neutral workforce identity platform. Its Workforce Identity Cloud combines SSO, Adaptive MFA, Universal Directory, Lifecycle Management, and Identity Governance in one layer. Customer-facing identity runs on a separate Okta platform, Auth0. Okta federates and provisions across SaaS and applications that run on-premises, including legacy systems. Buyers deep in Microsoft 365 should compare Okta's added capabilities with the identity features included in their current licenses. **Key features:** - **Okta Integration Network:** A pre-built connector catalog that cuts custom federation work in heterogeneous stacks. - **Adaptive MFA:** Risk-scored authentication with Okta FastPass, passkeys, and third-party authenticators inside one policy framework, so factor choice never forces a vendor switch. - **Lifecycle Management:** Human resources (HR)-driven provisioning and deprovisioning tied to sources such as Workday and BambooHR, which reduces onboarding toil and access sprawl. - **Identity Threat Protection:** Post-authentication session risk evaluation with Universal Logout, which terminates sessions and tokens across connected apps when risk spikes. - **Okta Identity Governance:** Access requests, certifications, and entitlement management on the same platform as SSO and Adaptive MFA, so governance does not require a second vendor. **Ideal for:** IT teams running a multi-vendor application portfolio who want identity kept independent of any one platform vendor. ## **Side-by-Side Feature Comparison** Both platforms enforce phishing-resistant authentication, but they differ in where risk is evaluated and how device posture reaches the policy decision. Feature Microsoft Entra ID Okta **Policy model** Unified tenant-wide Conditional Access; one policy can cover all or multiple apps Global Session Policy plus per-app sign-in policies in explicit priority order **MFA options** Authentication strengths enforce phishing-resistant tiers (passkeys, Windows Hello, certificate-based) Okta Verify, FastPass, and passkeys, with possession-factor constraints (phishing-resistant, hardware-protected, device-bound) **Risk-based access** Real-time sign-in and user risk, available on a paid tier Login risk in Adaptive MFA; session risk requires the Identity Threat Protection add-on **Device trust** Intune compliance, hybrid join, and device attribute filters as grant controls Registered and managed device states, Device Assurance checks, and posture signals from CrowdStrike, Tanium, and Windows Security Center **Governance** Entitlement management, access reviews, Privileged Identity Management, Lifecycle Workflows (paid add-on) Access requests, certifications, and entitlement management (paid add-on) **App catalog** Thousands of gallery apps; Microsoft is not accepting new app listings for SSO or provisioning More than 8,000 pre-built integrations in the live catalog **Regulated cloud** Government Community Cloud High (GCC High) and Azure Government, FedRAMP (Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program) High Okta for Government Moderate and High, Okta for US Military, FedRAMP High _Capabilities verified from Microsoft Entra ID and Okta documentation, August 2026._ ## **Pricing** Microsoft folds Entra tiers into Microsoft 365 bundles; Okta sells standalone suites billed annually, with add-ons on top. **Microsoft Entra ID** (per user/month, paid yearly): - **Microsoft Entra ID Free:** $0, included with Azure, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Intune, and Power Platform; covers MFA, unlimited SSO, basic reports, and on-premises directory sync. - **Microsoft Entra ID P1:** $7.00/user/month; adds Conditional Access, dynamic groups, and advanced reports; included in Microsoft 365 E3 and Business Premium. - **Microsoft Entra ID P2:** $10.00/user/month; adds risk-based Conditional Access and Identity Protection; included in Microsoft 365 E5. - **Microsoft Entra Suite:** $12.00/user/month; adds full Identity Governance, Lifecycle Workflows, Internet Access, and Private Access; requires a P1 subscription. **Okta Workforce Identity** (per user/month, billed annually): - **Starter:** $6/user/month; SSO, MFA, Universal Directory, and 5 Workflows, Okta's no-code automation flows. - **Core Essentials:** $14/user/month; the mid tier. Okta publishes its price but not its feature list. - **Essentials:** $17/user/month; adds Adaptive MFA, Privileged Access, Lifecycle Management, Access Governance, and 50 Workflows. - **Professional:** quote only; adds Device Access, Identity Security Posture Management, and Identity Threat Protection. - **Enterprise:** quote only; adds application programming interface (API) Access Management, Access Gateway, and machine-to-machine tokens. _Rates come from_ [_Microsoft Entra pricing_](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/business/microsoft-entra-pricing) _and_ [_Okta pricing_](https://www.okta.com/pricing/)_. All pricing information verified August 2026._ **Gotchas:** - **Okta contract minimum:** Workforce Identity carries a $1,500 annual contract minimum. - **Okta Privileged Access units:** the single Resource Unit included with Essentials covers 2 Privileged Access users. - **Okta add-on pricing:** No per-user add-on prices are published; Adaptive MFA and Lifecycle Management are paid add-ons on Starter, and Identity Governance is unavailable below Essentials. - **Entra free-tier limits:** No Conditional Access, risk-based authentication, or Identity Protection; those start at P1 and P2 respectively. - **Entra Suite prerequisite:** Requires an existing P1 subscription or a bundle that includes one. Model your total against existing Microsoft agreements before comparing list prices. ## **What Users Say** The two draw their complaints from opposite ends of the stack: one from the admin console, the other from the sign-in itself. - **Entra ID praise:** Reviewers credit native Microsoft 365 integration, reliable SSO, and Conditional Access as the reasons Microsoft shops skip a second identity vendor. - **Entra ID complaints:** Admin-portal density, confusion over which licence tier covers which capability, and inconsistent Microsoft support recur across G2 and Capterra. - **Okta praise:** Reviewers single out the integration catalog, low-friction SSO, and Okta Verify push notifications that non-technical staff adopt without complaint. - **Okta complaints:** Authentication and login friction top the negatives on G2, and Capterra reviewers describe lockouts and aggressive session timeouts; cost recurs without topping either list. - **Practitioner forums:** Reddit sysadmins in r/sysadmin advise Microsoft-licensed organizations to evaluate Entra ID before paying for Okta, while Okta advocates counter that Workflows automation and catalog breadth justify the premium. The loudest theme on both sides is migration inertia: replacing an identity provider is the work nobody wants to schedule. _User sentiment sourced from_ [_G2_](https://www.g2.com/compare/microsoft-entra-id-vs-okta)_,_ [_Capterra_](https://www.capterra.com/p/119653/Okta/reviews/)_, Gartner Peer Insights,_ [_Reddit_](https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/1rbxs22/why_is_everyone_using_okta_as_their_idp/) _as of August 2026._ Entra ID's negatives concern portal navigation and license decoding, along with support escalation. Okta's land on the end user, as failed or interrupted sign-ins. That difference decides who absorbs the weakness: your admins, or everyone else. ## **When to Choose Microsoft Entra ID vs Okta** Neither platform wins outright; existing licensing, application mix, and compliance obligations decide it. **Choose Microsoft Entra ID if you need:** - P1 or P2 coverage under current Microsoft license entitlements. - Tenant-wide Conditional Access spanning Microsoft 365, Azure, Intune, and Power Platform. - GCC High or Azure Government environments for defense contract compliance. - Passkey, Windows Hello, and certificate-based sign-in enforced by policy. Scale is not the constraint on that list: at [BT Group](https://www.microsoft.com/en/customers/story/1703698973431043259-bt-group-telecommunications-microsoft-entra-id), monthly active users on Entra ID grew from 2.5 million to 3.5 million after implementation. **Choose Okta if you value:** - Fewer custom federation builds across non-Microsoft SaaS. - HR-driven lifecycle automation from Workday, BambooHR, and similar systems. - Universal Logout as the response when a session turns risky after sign-in. - Identity kept in a separate security domain from your productivity suite. Compliance reshapes the decision rather than settling it: both vendors run separate government clouds, so an ITAR or CMMC obligation sets which environment you buy, not which vendor. Running both is also a real answer: the two federate in either direction, so this is not always a choice between them. ## **How Microsoft Entra ID and Okta Work with Siit** Siit is an AI Service Desk, and it sits in front of both platforms as the place [where requests start](https://www.siit.io/blog/service-desks-guide). Both are native Siit integrations with different scopes. Through the [Okta integration](https://www.siit.io/integrations/okta), Siit runs identity actions from workflows, request side panels, and the IT Agent. Those actions are password reset, suspend and activate user, group add and remove, and app assignment. The [Entra ID integration](https://www.siit.io/integrations/microsoft) covers directory sync and group membership. It does not reset passwords or provision applications, so those actions route through Okta, JumpCloud, or Google Workspace. [Slack and Microsoft Teams](https://www.siit.io/blog/it-support-in-slack) are native conversational integrations rather than notification feeds, so employees raise requests in the chat tool they already use. Approvals, HR context, and the identity action itself run in one flow across 500+ connectable apps. ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af64f6_circle.svg) ![slack](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c617ebb9eccf2b6510ec3_slack.svg) ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af64f2_Jamf.svg) ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/6a79cb5fb4c7b9d86a59a499_logo111.svg) ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c617ebb9eccf2b6510ec1_b.svg) ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af64f6_circle.svg) ![slack](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c617ebb9eccf2b6510ec3_slack.svg) ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af64f2_Jamf.svg) ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af64f6_circle.svg) ![slack](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c617ebb9eccf2b6510ec3_slack.svg) ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af64f2_Jamf.svg) ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/6a79cb5fb4c7b9d86a59a499_logo111.svg) ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af64f2_Jamf.svg) ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/6a79cb5fb4c7b9d86a59a499_logo111.svg) ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c617ebb9eccf2b6510ec1_b.svg) ## FAQs #### Can Okta and Microsoft Entra ID work together? ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af6479_arrow-right_grey.svg) Yes. Entra ID can authenticate users into Okta through inbound federation over Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) or OpenID Connect, while Okta can act as the identity provider for an Entra ID domain or as an external authentication method for Entra ID MFA. Define which directory owns each identity type and how provisioning flows before deployment. Requiring Microsoft as the identity provider for users in an Okta-federated domain creates an infinite authentication loop. #### How difficult is it to migrate from Okta to Microsoft Entra ID? ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af6479_arrow-right_grey.svg) Plan it as a staged project. Microsoft's documented path covers four cutovers: sync provisioning to Entra Connect, federation to managed authentication via staged rollout, per-application migration, and sign-on policies rebuilt as Conditional Access. Choosing the wrong ImmutableID source anchor forces uninstalling and reinstalling Entra Connect. Microsoft's own migration path has users register their MFA methods in Entra as a distinct step, so plan for re-enrollment. #### Is Microsoft Entra ID the same as Azure Active Directory? ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af6479_arrow-right_grey.svg) Yes. Microsoft announced the rename on July 11, 2023, and the display name updated in product interfaces on October 1, 2023. Capabilities, licensing plans, sign-in URLs, APIs, existing deployments, and integrations stayed unchanged; Windows Server Active Directory keeps its original name. #### Is Entra ID the same thing as SSO? ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af6479_arrow-right_grey.svg) No. Entra ID is an identity provider, directory, and access-policy engine, while SSO is the capability that lets users authenticate once across connected applications. P1 adds controls such as Conditional Access, role-based access control, and dynamic groups around that sign-in process. #### Which platform fits regulated industries like defense or healthcare? ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af6479_arrow-right_grey.svg) Both, through different regulated-cloud offerings. Defense contractors generally land on GCC High or Azure Government, which carry contractual commitments on US data storage and screened US-person access. That covers workloads under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Level 2 or 3. Okta runs separate Government High and US Military environments. For healthcare, Entra ID is an in-scope HIPAA service with a Microsoft business associate agreement available, while Okta lists HIPAA on its Trust Center. ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af6479_arrow-right_grey.svg) Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere. ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af6479_arrow-right_grey.svg) Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere. ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af6479_arrow-right_grey.svg) Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere. ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af6479_arrow-right_grey.svg) Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere. ![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af643a/698c3b7d08b1ddf171af6479_arrow-right_grey.svg) Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.