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| 1 | +--- |
| 2 | +title: "Okta vs Azure AD: Which IAM Solution Wins?" |
| 3 | +description: "Explore the differences between Okta and Azure Active Directory (AD) to help you choose the right IAM solution. " |
| 4 | +date: "2025-03-16" |
| 5 | +cover: "okta-vs-azure.png" |
| 6 | +category: "featured" |
| 7 | +author: "Maria Shimkovska" |
| 8 | +--- |
| 9 | + |
| 10 | +## The Battle of Identity Providers 🤺 |
| 11 | + |
| 12 | +Security is a crucial part of any business. When securing your company resources, one of the decisions you will need to make is to choose an Identity and Access Management (IAM) solution. |
| 13 | + |
| 14 | +Let’s meet our two contenders for today! |
| 15 | + |
| 16 | +In the blue corner, we have Okta — the cloud-native security expert. And in the red corner, Azure AD — the heavyweight champion of enterprises. Who will emerge victorious in the IAM battle royale? Let’s find out! |
| 17 | + |
| 18 | + |
| 19 | +### Why Identity and Access Management (IAM) is Critical for Businesses Today |
| 20 | +IAM makes sure that only the right people, machines, and apps have access to the right resources from your company at the right time. |
| 21 | + |
| 22 | +Cyberattacks often target compromised user credentials, making IAM a vital layer of protection. With IAM, you can: |
| 23 | + |
| 24 | +- Verify and authenticate users securely. |
| 25 | +- Track and manage user access. |
| 26 | +- Automate user provisioning and de-provisioning to reduce security risks. |
| 27 | + |
| 28 | +If you want to learn more about the benefits of IAM for your business' security, we've written a more in-depth article on this topic: [**8 Benefits of Identity and Access Management (IAM) for Security**](https://supertokens.com/blog/8-benefits-of-identity-and-access-management-for-security). |
| 29 | + |
| 30 | +### Quick Intro to Okta and Azure AD — Two of the Biggest Players in the IAM Space |
| 31 | + |
| 32 | +Let's get into a little introduction about the two giants in the IAM space — Okta and Azure AD (Microsoft Entra ID) |
| 33 | + |
| 34 | +We’ll use both names — Azure AD and Microsoft Entra ID — throughout this article. Microsoft is still transitioning to the new name, and we want to clarify that they refer to the same product. |
| 35 | + |
| 36 | +### Okta: The Cloud IAM Wizard 🧙♂️ |
| 37 | + |
| 38 | +[**Okta**](https://www.okta.com/) is a San Francisco-based company that makes cloud software to help businesses manage and protect user logins. It was founded in 2009 and became a public company in 2017. Okta is comprised of Okta Platform and Auth0 Platform. |
| 39 | + |
| 40 | +In this guide we are going over Okta Platform which is Okta's IAM solution for secure authentication of your employees, contractors, and partners. |
| 41 | + |
| 42 | +**The Key Features of Okta Platform:** |
| 43 | +- **Single Sign On** — One username, one password, and you’re in! Employees can access everything they need from one handy dashboard, no matter what device they’re using. |
| 44 | +- **Adaptive Multi-Factor Authentication** — Extra security that’s smart. Depending on things like where you’re logging in from, it might ask for a second step — like confirming on your phone or scanning your fingerprint. |
| 45 | +- **Identity Governance** — Think of this as organized access control. It makes sure people only get access to what they actually need — and keeps track of it all for security peace of mind. |
| 46 | +- **Privileged Access** — Some accounts need extra protection. Provides additional safeguards for sensitive accounts by granting higher-level controls to administrators and limiting access to critical systems. |
| 47 | +- **Identity Threat Protection** — Detects suspicious activity, like unusual login attempts, and takes steps to block threats before they cause harm. |
| 48 | +- **Lifecycle Management** — Automates user account creation and removal, so when employees join, switch roles, or leave, their access updates automatically. |
| 49 | +- **Extensive App Integrations** — Connects seamlessly with over 7,000 pre-built app integrations, making it easy to link Okta with the tools your team already uses. |
| 50 | + |
| 51 | +#### Pros and Cons of Okta |
| 52 | + |
| 53 | +| **Pros** | **Cons** | |
| 54 | +|:----------------------------------|:--------------------------------| |
| 55 | +| ✅ Works with any tech stack | ❌ Can get pricey as you scale | |
| 56 | +| ✅ Tons of app integrations | ❌ Limited on-premises support | |
| 57 | +| ✅ Great for businesses of all sizes | | |
| 58 | + |
| 59 | + |
| 60 | +### Azure AD: The Microsoft Identity Fortress 🏰 |
| 61 | + |
| 62 | + |
| 63 | +[**Microsoft Entra ID**](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/business/identity-access/microsoft-entra-id) — previously called Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) — is Microsoft's IAM product built to help you manage and protect identities across both cloud and on-premises environments. It’s tightly integrated with Azure, Office 365, and Windows, making it a natural fit for businesses already using Microsoft services. |
| 64 | + |
| 65 | +**The Key Features of Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD):** |
| 66 | +- **Single Sign-On (SSO) and Conditional Access** — Users can sign in once to securely access Microsoft 365 and other connected apps. Conditional Access adds extra security by requiring things like MFA or location checks when needed. |
| 67 | + |
| 68 | +- **Azure Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)** — Strengthens security by asking for additional verification, such as a phone notification or biometric scan, especially when logging in from unfamiliar devices or locations. |
| 69 | + |
| 70 | +- **Privileged Identity Management (PIM)** — Some accounts need extra protection. Provides additional safeguards for sensitive accounts by granting higher-level controls to administrators and limiting access to critical systems |
| 71 | + |
| 72 | +- **Hybrid Identity Support** — Supports hybrid identity by bridging cloud and on-premises environments, allowing integration with existing Active Directory setups. |
| 73 | + |
| 74 | +#### Pros and Cons of Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) |
| 75 | + |
| 76 | +| **Pros** | **Cons** | |
| 77 | +|:--------------------------------------------|:-------------------------------------------------| |
| 78 | +| ✅ Perfect for Microsoft-heavy environments | ❌ Less flexible for multi-cloud setups | |
| 79 | +| ✅ Built-in security tools (Defender, Intune, etc.) | ❌ Not as developer-friendly for third-party integrations | |
| 80 | +| ✅ Strong on-prem and hybrid cloud support | | |
| 81 | + |
| 82 | +## Okta vs Azure AD – The IAM Showdown 🥊 |
| 83 | + |
| 84 | +| **Category** | **Okta** 🚀 | **Azure AD** 🏢 | |
| 85 | +|:------------------------|:-----------------------------------------------------|:----------------------------------------------------| |
| 86 | +| **Security & Authentication** 🔒 | Strong in adaptive authentication and AI-driven security | Ideal for enterprises with built-in Microsoft Defender integration | |
| 87 | +| **Integration & Ecosystem** 🔗 | Excels with 7,000+ third-party integrations (Google, AWS, Salesforce, etc.) | Best suited for Microsoft environments (Azure, Office 365) | |
| 88 | +| **Pricing & Scalability** 💰 | While Okta's per-user pricing can become expensive at scale, it offers a highly tailored IAM solution. | Often bundled with Microsoft 365, making it cost-effective for existing Microsoft users | |
| 89 | + |
| 90 | +### Best Use Cases |
| 91 | +- **Use Okta if:** You need a cloud-agnostic IAM solution with deep third-party integrations. |
| 92 | +- **Use Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) if:** Your business is heavily invested in Microsoft services and Windows infrastructure. |
| 93 | + |
| 94 | +## SuperTokens — The Open-Source Alternative |
| 95 | + |
| 96 | +### Why Consider SuperTokens? |
| 97 | +SuperTokens is an open-source, developer-friendly solution for managing user authentication. Unlike services like Okta or Azure AD, SuperTokens gives you complete control by allowing you to self-host it on your own infrastructure. Here’s why it’s worth considering: |
| 98 | + |
| 99 | +#### 🛠️ Open-Source and Developer-Friendly |
| 100 | +SuperTokens is built with developers in mind. Its lightweight design makes it easy to integrate, customize, and maintain. Plus, since it's open-source, you can inspect the code, contribute to improvements, and avoid unexpected costs. |
| 101 | + |
| 102 | +#### 🔓 No Vendor Lock-In |
| 103 | +With SuperTokens, you're not tied to a specific provider. You can design your own authentication flows, customize the user experience, and adapt it to your project’s unique needs — all without relying on a third-party platform. |
| 104 | + |
| 105 | +#### 🛡️ Greater Control Over Security & Sessions |
| 106 | +SuperTokens offers more flexibility when it comes to managing security and user sessions. Because you control the hosting, you can fine-tune security settings, session lifetimes, and data storage to align with your company’s policies. |
| 107 | + |
| 108 | +If you’re looking for an affordable, flexible alternative to traditional IAM providers, SuperTokens could be the right fit. You can also explore other open-source alternative in our guide — [**Top Open Source Identity Management Systems**](https://supertokens.com/blog/open-source-identity-management) |
| 109 | + |
| 110 | +## Final Verdict – Which IAM Solution Should You Choose? |
| 111 | +Choosing the right identity and access management (IAM) solution depends on your company's needs: |
| 112 | + |
| 113 | +**🏢 For Microsoft-heavy enterprises:** Azure AD is the clear winner. Its deep integration with Microsoft 365, Azure, and Windows makes it a seamless choice for businesses already invested in Microsoft’s ecosystem. |
| 114 | + |
| 115 | +**🌐 For flexible, multi-cloud authentication:** Okta shines here. With over 7,000 integrations and strong adaptive security features, it’s ideal for businesses that rely on a variety of tools and platforms. |
| 116 | + |
| 117 | +**🛠️ For a lightweight, open-source option:** SuperTokens is the best alternative. It’s perfect for developers who want full control over their authentication flows without being tied to a vendor. |
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