Microsoft Entra ID vs Salesforce Identity comparison

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Executive Summary

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

Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft, Cisco, Auth0 and others in Single Sign-On (SSO).
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Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"The most valuable feature is its ability to act as an identity provider for other cloud-based, SaaS applications. In our bank, this is the main identity provider for such features.""It is a central point where we provide the cloud lock-in for our company. We focus the multi-factor authentication within Azure AD before jumping to other clouds or software as a service offerings. So, it is the central point when you need to access something for our company within the cloud. You go to Azure AD and can authenticate there, then you move from there to the target destination or the single sign-on.""The features around permissions are excellent.""I like Entra's ability to integrate the Active Directory with third-party solutions. It's straightforward. I like the ability to define third-party systems and make the AD the primary identity provider.""The security and infrastructure management features are the most valuable ones for us.""The most valuable feature is Conditional Access, and we use it extensively.""With Azure Conditional Access you can specify network locations where you want some of the services in the organization to be available to users, and where you don't want users to have access.""The solution has come a long way. Now, with the Azure AD B2C offering integrated as well, we've got a full IAM-type solution for our customer-facing identity management. In addition, when it comes to user journeys we now can hook in custom flows for different credential checking and authorizations for specific conditional access."

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"The user experience was great because it had all the features that the client needed. It was fully customized for the client, and it was very simple. It was the best solution at that time.""The most valuable features are the pipeline management, being able to track the pipeline anytime, and the ability to get in touch with our high management team or board members.""Salesforce Identity is a very user-friendly solution."

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Cons
"I would like them to improve the dashboard by presenting the raw data in a more visual way for the logs and events. That would help us understand the reports better.""The integration between the Azure active directory and the traditional active directory could be improved upon.""The synchronization with the local Active Directory and synchronization with all of the users on the local and cloud could be better.""Reading documentation could be simplified. Technical support could also be faster.""Compatibility features for legacy system integration with new features will be challenging at times.""Generally, everything works pretty well, but sometimes, Azure Active Directory has outages on the Microsoft side of things. These outages really have a very big impact on the users, applications, and everything else because they are closely tied to the Azure AD ecosystem. So, whenever there is an outage, it is really difficult because all things start failing. This happens very rarely, but when it happens, there is a big impact.""The only issue is the OU is not properly synced. Therefore, you have to do a manual sync sometimes or you might lose the connector due to AD Connect or sync servers.""My problem with Azure AD is that it's designed for medium to large systems, and we're not that large."

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"Salesforce Identity needs more expertise in the application.""The interface should be simplified and the dashboard has a lot of options but could be improved.""The most wanted feature on such platforms nowadays is artificial intelligence, especially for marketing activities. This is also my area of expertise, so it would be very interesting to see AI in these platforms."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "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."
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  • "On a scale of one to ten, where one is a very low price and ten is a very high price, I rate Salesforce Identity's pricing a six out of ten."
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    Questions from the Community
    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.
    Top Answer:Salesforce Identity is a very user-friendly solution.
    Top Answer:Salesforce Identity needs more expertise in the application.
    Top Answer:Salesforce Identity is used to support registering customers.
    Ranking
    1st
    Views
    16,812
    Comparisons
    12,314
    Reviews
    92
    Average Words per Review
    865
    Rating
    8.7
    4th
    out of 6 in Mobile Identity
    Views
    16
    Comparisons
    18
    Reviews
    1
    Average Words per Review
    151
    Rating
    8.0
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    Azure AD, Azure Active Directory, Azure Active Directory, Microsoft Authenticator
    Learn More
    Interactive Demo
    Overview

    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:

        Salesforce Identity provides a single, trusted identity for employees, partners, and customers, so that you can manage apps, users, and data sharing with simplicity and transparency.

        Sample Customers
        Microsoft Entre ID is trusted by companies of all sizes and industries including Walmart, Zscaler, Uniper, Amtrak, monday.com, and more.
        SAP, Microsoft, Workday, Servicenow, ADP, Google Apps, box, Oracle
        Top Industries
        REVIEWERS
        Financial Services Firm14%
        Computer Software Company14%
        Educational Organization5%
        Healthcare Company5%
        VISITORS READING REVIEWS
        Educational Organization25%
        Computer Software Company12%
        Financial Services Firm9%
        Government6%
        VISITORS READING REVIEWS
        Computer Software Company17%
        Financial Services Firm10%
        Government10%
        Retailer8%
        Company Size
        REVIEWERS
        Small Business33%
        Midsize Enterprise14%
        Large Enterprise53%
        VISITORS READING REVIEWS
        Small Business18%
        Midsize Enterprise34%
        Large Enterprise48%
        VISITORS READING REVIEWS
        Small Business21%
        Midsize Enterprise15%
        Large Enterprise64%
        Buyer's Guide
        Single Sign-On (SSO)
        March 2024
        Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft, Cisco, Auth0 and others in Single Sign-On (SSO). Updated: March 2024.
        765,386 professionals have used our research since 2012.

        Microsoft Entra ID is ranked 1st in Single Sign-On (SSO) with 190 reviews while Salesforce Identity is ranked 4th in Mobile Identity with 3 reviews. Microsoft Entra ID is rated 8.6, while Salesforce Identity is rated 8.0. The top reviewer of Microsoft Entra ID writes "Allows users to authenticate from home and has excellent integrations in a simple, stable solution". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Salesforce Identity writes "An intuitive and user-friendly solution that is easy to set up". Microsoft Entra ID is most compared with Microsoft Intune, Google Cloud Identity, Yubico YubiKey, Cisco Duo and CyberArk Privileged Access Manager, whereas Salesforce Identity is most compared with SailPoint IdentityIQ, Auth0, Okta Workforce Identity, Saviynt and SAP Customer Identity and Access Management.

        We monitor all Single Sign-On (SSO) 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.