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AWS Directory Service vs SailPoint Identity Security Cloud comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 2, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

AWS Directory Service
Ranking in Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS)
17th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
15
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
SailPoint Identity Security...
Ranking in Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS)
2nd
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
71
Ranking in other categories
User Provisioning Software (2nd), Identity Management (IM) (1st), SaaS Management Platforms (1st), Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM) (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) category, the mindshare of AWS Directory Service is 1.6%, down from 2.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SailPoint Identity Security Cloud is 11.7%, up from 10.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS)
 

Featured Reviews

MassimilianoCollavo - PeerSpot reviewer
Integrates well with other tools, particularly through single sign-on
I've been working with AWS Directory Service as part of a broader solution for moving our infrastructure to a hybrid cloud model. Initially, the goal was to replicate our on-premises server to the cloud and then eventually shut down the on-premises server entirely. My work with AWS Directory Service is focused on migrating to the cloud and finding a suitable document management system that allows for online editing, document sharing, and workflow management. I rate it an eight out of ten.
Kaustubh Partha - PeerSpot reviewer
Empower users with robust IT security and seamless approval workflows
I raise requests on SailPoint, for example, if there is any server-related access needed. I use it more as an end-user, like raising simple tickets for identity access management SailPoint is more focused on IT security. I find that the approvals that flow through SailPoint are much better than…

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The pricing is very good because it is low and there is no management cost."
"The AD Connector is very good and easy to implement."
"The most valuable feature is that because it's all in the cloud, you don't need to manage the infrastructure."
"I like the manageability. Activate Connect makes it easier to assign information and to manage the resources in the network."
"We like the fact that it's got such great redundancy."
"The support is very good. I would rate the technical support as a nine out of ten."
"I would rate AWS Directory Service nine out of ten."
"We can provide specific access to people based on what they need from our accounts."
"Has a great certification module with intuitive options."
"We are happy with the SailPoint IdentityIQ’s stability."
"I like IdentityIQ's granular attachment management and certification customization features."
"The initial setup isn't so difficult."
"This solution has improved our organization through its ease of application onboarding, approvals, provisioning, and lifecycle UI performance."
"The solution can be customized to adapt the workflow to our industry, offering considerable flexibility."
"The community is very active and when I had questions about an issue, I was able to find the resources."
"Provides functionalities for various stages, such as joiner, mover, and leaver"
 

Cons

"The group policy can be improved."
"To get CloudWatch to monitor your memory and storage, you have to do some configuration within your server, which sometimes results in errors."
"Currently, there is no option to integrate our on-premises Cisco AWS Directory Service, requiring some manual configuration."
"I would like to see better integration with other business solutions."
"The solution lacks certain features."
"Our only complaint is that you cannot integrate your Exchange server. Or, if you are planning to install an Exchange server on your Amazon EC2 instance, then you need to configure Active Directory on EC2 instance. We would like for this limitation to be lifted."
"I would like to grant partial access to a table contained in a database without having to provide full access to the whole database."
"Accessing the data needs improvement."
"We faced some issues while integrating the solution with a third-party tool."
"In general, I have handled Okta and OpenText and noted that those companies have a longer history in the market, which gives them an advantage over SailPoint Identity Security Cloud and Saviynt in aspects like account provisioning and life cycle management."
"The UI is complex."
"There are more functionalities in the Cloud that could be explored."
"Regarding the scope for improvement in the solution, reporting is an area that can be a bit more UI-oriented."
"The product has poor reporting and analytic capabilities. Reports are not easy to use and its analytic capabilities are limited."
"The connectors are far too manual. This needs to be automated a bit."
"SailPoint IdentityIQ could be cheaper."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing depends because with AWS there are two types of directory objects: 30,000 and 500,000. It varies. AWS provides the pricing calculators so we can get an estimate from there as per the company requirement of how many users and objects that we need to create. So we can go to that portal, put in the data, and get the quotation. There are no extra licensing fees. It's all included."
"The pricing is reasonable."
"We pay an annual subscription fee."
"AWS' pricing is fair, and costs can be cut if you look carefully at when you're using it."
"The product is expensive. People need to opt for a licensing plan for one year or three years."
"Usually, the cost of deploying about 5,000 licenses or 5,000 users, would be the equivalent to the cost of the license, which would be reaching up to around $90,000."
"In terms of pricing, SailPoint IdentityIQ is affordable. It's not cheap, and it's not expensive, so the solution is in the middle, price-wise. It also didn't have additional costs, even if my company had different teams that took care of auditing and provisioning and projects that used SailPoint IdentityIQ."
"SailPoint is expensive compared to its competitors. It's one of the most expensive products, so I'd rate it as one out of five, cost-wise."
"This is an expensive solution. I would rate it a two and a half out of five for pricing."
"You do pay one price for the license but that price depends on what you choose to include as far as the optional modules go."
"We pay an annual licensing cost for SailPoint IdentityIQ."
"SailPoint IdentityIQ is highly-priced, and I rate it an eight out of ten for pricing."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
17%
Healthcare Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
17%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Insurance Company
5%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about AWS Directory Service?
The most valuable feature of AWS Directory Service is cost-cutting features.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for AWS Directory Service?
The pricing is very good because it is low and there is no management cost. You do not need to hire any system administrator to manage your Active Directory.
What needs improvement with AWS Directory Service?
Accessing the data needs improvement. Additionally, integration and compatibility with other AWS ( /products/amazon-aws-reviews ) services, network open LDAP, support for on-premise and cloud envir...
How does Sailpoint IdentityIQ compare with CyberArk PAM?
We evaluated Sailpoint IdentityIQ before ultimately choosing CyberArk. Sailpoint Identity Platform is a solution to manage risks in cloud enterprise environments. It automates and streamlines the m...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SailPoint IdentityIQ?
The product is expensive. People need to opt for a licensing plan for one year or three years.
What advice do you have for others considering SailPoint IdentityIQ?
You can use SailPoint Atlas to take identity security to the next level. In SailPoint IIQ, writing a custom connector using the open source framework is a good option.
 

Also Known As

AWS Managed Microsoft AD
IdentityIQ, IdentityNow, Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management, Intello
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Expedia, Intuit, Royal Dutch Shell, Brooks Brothers
Adobe, AXA Technology Services, Cuna Mutual Group, Equifax, ING Direct, Orrstown Bank, Rockwell Automation, SallieMae, Spirit Aerosystems, TEL
Find out what your peers are saying about AWS Directory Service vs. SailPoint Identity Security Cloud and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
860,168 professionals have used our research since 2012.