Cloudflare Access vs Microsoft Entra ID comparison

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Cloudflare Logo
1,493 views|1,285 comparisons
100% willing to recommend
Microsoft Logo
12,226 views|8,804 comparisons
94% willing to recommend
Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Cloudflare Access and Microsoft Entra ID based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Access Management solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
To learn more, read our detailed Cloudflare Access vs. Microsoft Entra ID Report (Updated: March 2024).
768,740 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"It's the endpoint exposition. We don't need to expose our VPN server to the internet and need a zero-test solution. I can apply some conditional access to the endpoint that's connecting to our network to check their security policies or the security condition of their workstation. Once the workstation is trying to connect to my internal network, then I would like to check the discrete condition of these endpoints that are trying to access my internal network. We created some conditional access. We have CrowdStrike, to check if the CrowdStrike is installed, to check if it's updated, and to check for Windows updates. We created some conditional policies to check it.""For Cloudflare Access, I am using the free plan...The most valuable feature is their protection.""Enables me to work from two locations.""Cloudflare, in my opinion, was easy to implement.""The tool also offers good scalability, and the dashboard, along with real-time analytics, is very good."

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"The scalability of the product is decent.""We have a history of all our authentications and excellent integration with the Microsoft solutions we use at our company. It runs smoothly in Windows and macOS.""It is a really nice tool and we have a license for the more complex model.""The most valuable features of this solution are definitely the authorization and authentication, and the rule-based user validation.""Azure AD allowed us to get rid of servers and other hardware running at our offices. We moved everything to the cloud. Once we set up roles and permissions, it's only a matter of adding people and removing people from different groups and letting permissions flow through.""The scalability is quite good.""This product is easy to use.""The most valuable feature is the conditional access policies. This gives us the ability to restrict who can access which applications or the portal in specific ways."

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Cons
"When there are any dynamic changes in complex applications, the tool takes a lot of time, making its analytics-related area a major matter of concern where improvements are needed.""They don't have a person to provide support for customers using the solution under their free plan.""The pricing is an area that can be improved. Pricing, as far as I recall, was the source of our problems.""For the topic of improvement, providing some training material is one of my suggestions."

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"Its price should be improved. It is very expensive for Turkish people.""The thing that is a bit annoying is the inability to nest groups. Because we run an Azure hybrid model, we have nested groups on-premise which does not translate well. So, we have written some scripts to kind of work around that. This is a feature request that we have put in previously to be able to use a group that is nested in Active Directory on-premise and have it handled the same way in Azure.""The solution has not saved costs. While we’ve eliminated some tools, there are some other features that we are dependent on as admin, which are not yet integrated with Azure AD.""Lacks integration between applications and phones.""Compatibility features for legacy system integration with new features will be challenging at times.""I think there is room for improvement with actually discussing, and advertising Microsoft as a an authenticator. Many people just get confused and use Google, and I think if Microsoft would make more of an effort to penetrate the market, that would be key.""In terms of stability, sometimes the more applications you integrate, the more it becomes a little bit unstable.""I would rate it an eight out of ten. The price plays a factor in the rating."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "The prices are slightly expensive."
  • "The pricing is somewhere in the middle. I would rate the pricing a seven out of ten."
  • "My company has to make yearly payments towards the licensing costs attached to the solution. There are no hidden charges apart from the licensing costs of the solution."
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  • "The licensing cost is a bit prohibitive."
  • "The licensing is really not clear unless you are a premium client."
  • "Licensing is easy."
  • "It is a really nice tool and we have a license for the more complex model."
  • "It is not too expensive."
  • "It's really affordable."
  • "I do not have experience with pricing."
  • "Licensing fees are paid on a monthly basis and the cost depends on the number of users."
  • More Microsoft Entra ID Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:The tool also offers good scalability, and the dashboard, along with real-time analytics, is very good.
    Top Answer:The price of Cloudflare Access is the same as compared to Akamai, but I get better performance from Cloudflare. My company has to make yearly payments towards the licensing costs attached to the… more »
    Top Answer:My company has many complex applications. When there are any dynamic changes in complex applications, the tool takes a lot of time, making its analytics-related area a major matter of concern where… more »
    Top Answer:We switched to Duo Security for identity verification. We’d been using a competitor but got the chance to evaluate Duo for 30 days, and we could not be happier Duo Security is easy to configure and… more »
    Top Answer:It is very simple. The Active Directory functions are very easy for us. Its integration with anything is very easy. We can easily do third-party multifactor authentication.
    Ranking
    7th
    out of 37 in Access Management
    Views
    1,493
    Comparisons
    1,285
    Reviews
    5
    Average Words per Review
    406
    Rating
    8.8
    1st
    out of 37 in Access Management
    Views
    12,226
    Comparisons
    8,804
    Reviews
    90
    Average Words per Review
    878
    Rating
    8.7
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    Azure AD, Azure Active Directory, Azure Active Directory, Microsoft Authenticator
    Learn More
    Interactive Demo
    Overview

    Cloudflare Access is a powerful identity and access management solution that provides secure and seamless access to internal resources. It eliminates the need for traditional VPNs and allows organizations to enforce granular access controls based on user identity and device posture. With Cloudflare Access, users can authenticate using their existing identity providers, such as Google or Okta, and access resources without exposing them to the public internet. This ensures that only authorized users can access sensitive data and applications. 

    Additionally, Cloudflare Access provides a unified dashboard for managing access policies, making it easy to enforce security policies across the organization. With its zero-trust approach, Cloudflare Access helps organizations protect their resources from unauthorized access and potential data breaches.

    Microsoft Entra ID, previously known as Azure AD (Active Directory), is Microsoft's cloud-based identity and access management (IAM) solution. Designed to help organizations of all sizes manage user identities and create an intelligent security perimeter around their cloud and on-premise resources. Microsoft Entra ID or Azure AD is integral to the Microsoft 365 and Azure ecosystems. It provides a robust set of capabilities to manage users and groups and secure access to applications in a centralized, streamlined manner.

    Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) is a login system, morphing into a sophisticated identity and access management (IAM) solution for the modern, hybrid workplace. Imagine a single vault for all your digital keys – that's the essence of Entra ID's identity management. It acts as a central repository for user identities, encompassing usernames, passwords, and even additional attributes like department or employee role.

    These capabilities enabled simplified administration using a unified platform for adding, modifying, and deleting user accounts. Users no longer need to remember login credentials for a plethora of applications. Entra ID streamlines access by using the same identity across various cloud services and on-premises resources (if integrated). Centralized identity management allows for stricter enforcement of security policies and password complexity requirements across the organization.

    Authentication sits at the heart of the solution, ensuring only authorized users gain access to sensitive resources. It employs a multi-pronged approach:

    • Password Authentication: The traditional method of username and password is still supported, but Entra ID encourages stronger authentication methods.
    • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Adding an extra layer of security, MFA requires users to verify their identity beyond just a password – through a code sent to their phone, fingerprint recognition, or a security key.
    • Single Sign-On (SSO): This user-friendly feature eliminates the need to enter credentials repeatedly. Users sign in once to Entra ID and gain seamless access to all authorized applications, boosting productivity.
    • Conditional Access Policies: Providing granular control over how and when users can access resources. Based on conditions like user role, location, device state, and the application being accessed, Conditional Access policies help ensure that only the right people under the right conditions can access sensitive resources.
    • Seamless Integration: Seamless integration with thousands of SaaS applications, Microsoft 365, and on-premises applications via Application Proxy or third-party identity bridges.
    • Advanced Security Reports and Alerts: Sophisticated security monitoring, reporting tools, and automated alerts. These features enable to identify potential security issues, such as atypical behavior or attempted identity attacks, allowing for swift remediation actions.

    For organizations with on-premises infrastructure, Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) offers hybrid identity options. This allows for a smooth integration between on-premises Active Directory and Entra ID, providing a consistent identity for users across both environments. It enables organizations to leverage their existing investments in on-premises infrastructure while taking advantage of cloud scalability and flexibility.

    In conclusion, Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) is a comprehensive IAM solution that addresses the complex challenges of managing and securing identities in a cloud-centric world. Its blend of ease of use, security, and integration capabilities makes it an essential component of modern IT infrastructure, supporting both operational efficiency and strategic business objectives.

    Additional links:

        Sample Customers
        23andMe
        Microsoft Entre ID is trusted by companies of all sizes and industries including Walmart, Zscaler, Uniper, Amtrak, monday.com, and more.
        Top Industries
        VISITORS READING REVIEWS
        Computer Software Company14%
        Financial Services Firm10%
        Government8%
        Manufacturing Company7%
        REVIEWERS
        Financial Services Firm14%
        Computer Software Company14%
        Educational Organization5%
        Healthcare Company5%
        VISITORS READING REVIEWS
        Educational Organization26%
        Computer Software Company12%
        Financial Services Firm9%
        Government6%
        Company Size
        VISITORS READING REVIEWS
        Small Business26%
        Midsize Enterprise19%
        Large Enterprise55%
        REVIEWERS
        Small Business33%
        Midsize Enterprise14%
        Large Enterprise53%
        VISITORS READING REVIEWS
        Small Business18%
        Midsize Enterprise34%
        Large Enterprise48%
        Buyer's Guide
        Cloudflare Access vs. Microsoft Entra ID
        March 2024
        Find out what your peers are saying about Cloudflare Access vs. Microsoft Entra ID and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
        768,740 professionals have used our research since 2012.

        Cloudflare Access is ranked 7th in Access Management with 5 reviews while Microsoft Entra ID is ranked 1st in Access Management with 190 reviews. Cloudflare Access is rated 8.8, while Microsoft Entra ID is rated 8.6. The top reviewer of Cloudflare Access writes "Replaces traditional VPN and enables endpoint exposition ". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Microsoft Entra ID writes "Allows users to authenticate from home and has excellent integrations in a simple, stable solution". Cloudflare Access is most compared with Twingate, Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks, Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange, Auth0 and FortiSASE , whereas Microsoft Entra ID is most compared with Microsoft Intune, Google Cloud Identity, CyberArk Privileged Access Manager, Yubico YubiKey and Cisco Duo. See our Cloudflare Access vs. Microsoft Entra ID report.

        See our list of best Access Management vendors.

        We monitor all Access Management reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.