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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)
18th
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
8.4
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 November 2025, in the Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) category, the mindshare of AWS Directory Service is 1.3%, down from 2.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SailPoint Identity Security Cloud is 10.5%, up from 10.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
SailPoint Identity Security Cloud10.5%
AWS Directory Service1.3%
Other88.2%
Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS)
 

Featured Reviews

Basa Saiteja - PeerSpot reviewer
A valuable access management system with a user-friendly and straightforward setup
The solution is scalable, and we can scale according to our needs. I rate the scalability a nine out of ten. In our organization, our access to our AWS comes from IAM. We use AWS consoles using our credentials and don't have route access, so each person will log in through our IAM programmatic access, and everyone on our team can work on cloud. Over 10,000 people in our organization utilize the solution.
Mitch MO - PeerSpot reviewer
Adapts workflows with industry-specific flexibility for big companies
We find flexibility to be one of the most valuable features. The solution can be customized to adapt the workflow to our industry, offering considerable flexibility. Additionally, it is considered a good solution for large companies due to its scalability and ability to cater to the needs of many customers. It has also enhanced security and provided significant flexibility for our specifications module.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"We like the fact that it's got such great redundancy."
"I would rate AWS Directory Service nine out of ten."
"I like the manageability. Activate Connect makes it easier to assign information and to manage the resources in the network."
"The support is very good. I would rate the technical support as a nine out of ten."
"The pricing is very good because it is low and there is no management cost."
"AWS Directory Service is secure."
"The solution integrates well with other tools, particularly through single sign-on, allowing users to connect to various applications using just one password, including email."
"We can provide specific access to people based on what they need from our accounts."
"Access certification and provisioning are two of the solutions most valuable features."
"Provides good authorization and authentication system functionality."
"What I like most about SailPoint IdentityIQ is that it's simple to use and easy to configure and deploy."
"The solution's most valuable feature is its integration with Slack for the notification of access requests."
"The community is very active and when I had questions about an issue, I was able to find the resources."
"It offers a single source of truth. Everything can be handled from one tier."
"The level of customization for data imports and role modeling, because it helps to integrate faster, support easier and let it reuse the organization role structure."
"This solution has improved our organization through its ease of application onboarding, approvals, provisioning, and lifecycle UI performance."
 

Cons

"Some of the security protocols are difficult to understand."
"AWS could improve the number of regions. Azure has passed them. The ned more consistency, as far as the Northeast is concerned."
"The group policy can be improved."
"The solution lacks certain features."
"Currently, there is no option to integrate our on-premises Cisco AWS Directory Service, requiring some manual configuration. If AWS Active Directory Service provided additional domain controller functionalities, like other on-premises Active Directory, it would be very helpful."
"Can be improved by including on-premises access for services through Identity Access Management."
"Accessing the data needs improvement."
"The AWS Directory Service should be easier to integrate."
"It is not readily available and cannot be downloaded from the net."
"One needs to understand that SailPoint is into full-fledged IAM practice with a long-term vision, and customers will get a quick ROI with best practices implementation."
"The solution's technical support team's response time and skills need improvement since it is an area where there are shortcomings."
"The interface should be simple and easier to use."
"The interface can improve, and the product could become a little cheaper."
"If there's a price reduction for SailPoint IdentityIQ, that would be helpful. Another area for improvement in the product is the technical support, which needs to be more friendly to customers."
"Certifications could include additional access levels or practices."
"There's a lot of customization required to improve the user experience."
 

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."
"AWS' pricing is fair, and costs can be cut if you look carefully at when you're using it."
"The pricing is reasonable."
"We pay an annual subscription fee."
"The solution is not cheap."
"I rate the solution a seven on a scale where one is cheap and ten is too expensive. In short, the solution falls under the higher side of pricing."
"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."
"They are expensive."
"SailPoint IdentityIQ is highly-priced, and I rate it an eight out of ten for pricing."
"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."
"The product is expensive. People need to opt for a licensing plan for one year or three years."
"Its price is okay. It provides good value for money. It is subscription-based. You can go for a one-year or three-year subscription."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Performing Arts
11%
Healthcare Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
16%
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Healthcare Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business6
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise4
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business22
Midsize Enterprise8
Large Enterprise40
 

Questions from the Community

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...
What advice do you have for others considering AWS Directory Service?
I would rate AWS Directory Service nine out of ten. Users need to be aware of how the system works locally to adapt easily to the integration and setup.
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: September 2025.
873,085 professionals have used our research since 2012.