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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)
16th
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)
3rd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
70
Ranking in other categories
User Provisioning Software (1st), Identity Management (IM) (2nd), SaaS Management Platforms (2nd), Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM) (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) category, the mindshare of AWS Directory Service is 1.7%, down from 2.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SailPoint Identity Security Cloud is 11.2%, up from 9.8% 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

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.
Praveen Jalumuru - PeerSpot reviewer
Enhanced automation and AI-driven integration offer significant time savings
The most valuable features include its ability to integrate with AI and machine learning, the automation of reports, and the built-in connectors that enable easy connection with both legacy and cloud-based applications. Its code-less drag-and-drop functionality allows for easier adjustments, and it provides strong support with reduced SLAs compared to SailPoint IQ.

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."
"Two-step authentication is very useful and important."
"AWS has eliminated the downtime we waste when our on-premises resources go down."
"AWS handles everything on the backend requiring minimal legwork from our team. We only require a dedicated database administrator while depending on Amazon for RDS."
"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."
"AWS Directory Service is secure."
"The most valuable feature is that because it's all in the cloud, you don't need to manage the infrastructure."
"I would rate AWS Directory Service nine out of ten."
"This solution is easy to configure."
"The solution is stable and reliable."
"The compliance features are the most valuable features."
"Provisioning in multiple environments."
"The most powerful feature of the solution is its platform-based approach. Unlike other solutions, this tool offers a high level of customization. It is an open and flexible platform, allowing users to tailor it to their needs. This ability to customize and adapt the solution to individual requirements makes the solution stand out as a powerful product."
"The initial setup isn't so difficult."
"The tool's GUI is user-friendly."
"The governance features, such as certification and provisioning, are the most beneficial for enhancing security."
 

Cons

"Accessing the data needs improvement."
"Some of the security protocols are difficult to understand."
"We had a problem with the schema uploading and setting up the directory when we are migrating our users from on-premises to cloud infrastructure."
"Currently, there is no option to integrate our on-premises Cisco AWS Directory Service, requiring some manual configuration."
"AWS could improve the number of regions. Azure has passed them. The ned more consistency, as far as the Northeast is concerned."
"I've encountered challenges, particularly with Amazon WorkDocs, which is being deprecated. This has made it necessary to find an alternative document management solution that can handle editing, sharing, and workflow management for documents like Word files and PDFs."
"Can be improved by including on-premises access for services through Identity Access Management."
"To get CloudWatch to monitor your memory and storage, you have to do some configuration within your server, which sometimes results in errors."
"The interface can improve, and the product could become a little cheaper."
"Regarding the scope for improvement in the solution, reporting is an area that can be a bit more UI-oriented."
"The cost of this solution is high. The technical assistance center could be improved. They're very good, but considering the intricacies of the solution, they can further improve."
"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."
"What it doesn't do is provide notice in the event of a vulnerability or offense from the security."
"Competitors are advancing by offering integrated solutions encompassing access and privileged access management in a single unified platform. IdentityIQ's focus has remained primarily on identity and access governance, neglecting to expand its offerings to include these additional functionalities within its existing product. Enhancing their product by incorporating modules for access management, privileged access management, and third-party access governance could address this gap."
"The UI needs to be more user friendly. More concentration on historical policy violations would be great. In terms of new features, I would like to see artificial intelligence and machine language added."
"There are various functions that don't work in IdentityIQ, including the access request reminder, which doesn't go to the approvals in the proper format, so it's hard for users to read."
 

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."
"AWS' pricing is fair, and costs can be cut if you look carefully at when you're using it."
"We pay an annual subscription fee."
"It is a costly solution. Its cost, for sure, should be reduced."
"They are expensive."
"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."
"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."
"The solution is not cheap."
"SailPoint IdentityIQ is highly-priced, and I rate it an eight out of ten for pricing."
"SailPoint IIQ is the best of best. That is reflected in the pricing of the solution. The pricing is based on the number of identities."
"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."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
17%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Healthcare Company
11%
Government
7%
Financial Services Firm
18%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Insurance Company
6%
 

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: April 2025.
850,900 professionals have used our research since 2012.