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CyberArk Identity vs Microsoft Active Directory comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
5.1
CyberArk Identity improved security, saved time, and offered over 100% ROI, proving valuable despite some indirect financial results.
Sentiment score
5.0
Microsoft Active Directory enhances productivity by streamlining user management and access control, providing significant time and cost savings.
I have seen over 30% return on investment due to the improvement in operational efficiencies through automation, which enhances productivity.
We've seen a return on investment of more than 100% over the past two to three years.
The solution is really time-saving since I don't need to create users in each server or system manually, and user access control is streamlined.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.7
CyberArk Identity's support is praised for expertise and quick resolution, despite some concerns about response times and product knowledge.
Sentiment score
5.7
Microsoft Active Directory support quality varies; users experience mixed results influenced by representatives' skills and response times.
They resolved the problem immediately after I reported it, on the same day, within one hour.
They respond immediately when requests are raised, and they are always available for priority one tickets.
I would rate technical support for CyberArk Identity a nine out of ten because they are professional, knowledgeable, and resolve queries efficiently when needed.
Support documents are available on the internet in every language.
Sometimes support takes long to engage and resolve, extending over weeks or even months.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.2
CyberArk Identity offers scalable and adaptable solutions, but some users face challenges with extensive architectural scaling and performance when scaled.
Sentiment score
6.0
Microsoft Active Directory is scalable, adaptable for diverse users, and effective for organizations of all sizes with Azure integration.
We can use it on different phones and computers, demonstrating its scalability.
CyberArk Identity is scalable as needed, but increasing resources affects overall costs.
CyberArk Identity is definitely a scalable solution; it all depends on the money that you have, as with anything else.
Microsoft Active Directory scales effectively; I don't foresee any issues with that at all.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.8
CyberArk Identity is stable with rare downtime, though challenges exist in connectivity and managing various components for global users.
Sentiment score
6.2
Microsoft Active Directory is stable and reliable, with high ratings, minor issues, praised scalability, and requires proactive growth planning.
We no longer have our data infiltrated by unauthorized persons, and tracking actions within the system has become very easy.
When you have it in the cloud, you have CyberArk every time you need it.
With a stable network, due to the redundant data centers across the globe, it is a lot easier to use as a SaaS solution.
With multiple domain controllers, stability is ensured.
I've been working with Microsoft Active Directory for over 3 years, and we've had no problems.
 

Room For Improvement

CyberArk Identity requires enhancements in integration, scalability, usability, and support, focusing on mobile management, interface, and multifactor authentication.
Microsoft Active Directory requires improved integration, security, synchronization, usability, scalability, and support to better serve organizational needs.
Integration or deployment is extremely difficult for CyberArk Identity.
There's a need to enhance network performance.
For CyberArk Identity, you need knowledge of their scripting language to pull different sets of reports.
Exporting and verifying group memberships require command line scripts, which isn't simple.
There are some features that need improvements in terms of ease of use and frequency of updates.
Sometimes, it can be overly complicated, and when you apply Group Policy in an Active Directory environment, sometimes those settings apply and sometimes they don't.
 

Setup Cost

Enterprise buyers find CyberArk Identity's pricing expensive but justified by comprehensive features and unmatched service for large organizations.
Active Directory costs differ by organization, often moderate to high, with cloud solutions like Azure reducing expenses for some.
Regarding pricing, it can be quite a lot for small companies.
The pricing is acceptable.
If I am not going fully cloud, there are additional resources I will need to purchase, such as spinning more VMs or acquiring an HSM device to encrypt the vault.
For the cloud solution in our region, the pricing of Microsoft Active Directory is very high.
I consider Microsoft Active Directory expensive because if you buy this thing bundled with the Windows Directory Server, you get five user licenses for about a thousand euros, or a little bit less than this.
The pricing, setup cost, and licensing with Microsoft Active Directory is straightforward; you just buy the server and then have to buy the user CALs.
 

Valuable Features

CyberArk Identity offers seamless integration, strong security, and user-friendly features for enhanced identity protection and operational efficiency.
Microsoft Active Directory provides integration, scalability, access control, and security, making it vital for large organizations seeking efficient management.
It impacts zero trust security strategies. It prevents lateral movements in the organization.
CyberArk Identity is a great solution for overall security posture and privileged identity controls because it has a strong base in securing privileged access and managing identities within our environment.
It is the most powerful access management system.
One valuable feature is the centralized creation of IDs.
I can control all the devices in my domain by just changing the group policies in one place.
Having active deployment and well-configured systems helps me manage tasks and easily oversee thousands of users.
 

Categories and Ranking

CyberArk Identity
Ranking in Active Directory Management
6th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
28
Ranking in other categories
Authentication Systems (10th), Identity Management (IM) (8th), Authorization Software (3rd), Enterprise Password Managers (6th), User Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) (9th), Access Management (6th), Cloud Resource Access Management (3rd), Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) (6th)
Microsoft Active Directory
Ranking in Active Directory Management
5th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
46
Ranking in other categories
Single Sign-On (SSO) (8th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Active Directory Management category, the mindshare of CyberArk Identity is 2.9%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Active Directory is 6.2%, up from 3.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Active Directory Management Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Active Directory6.2%
CyberArk Identity2.9%
Other90.9%
Active Directory Management
 

Featured Reviews

Jai Anand - PeerSpot reviewer
Has strengthened identity controls and improved regulatory compliance across global operations
The initial deployment is complex and requires many users, making it more suitable for larger enterprises. It requires a number of users to get it deployed, particularly for on-premises deployments. This typically involves a lot of initial planning, setup, and configuration. Another important consideration is the cost. It can be quite expensive, making it more suitable for larger enterprises rather than small businesses or startups. The learning curve is also significant due to the numerous features and configurations available. Some features necessitate a detailed analysis and understanding to effectively work with this solution. Additionally, the user interface needs some improvements. It appears outdated compared to the technology we are using in 2025. The UI seems like it's from the early 2000s, making it look considerably behind the times, about 20 to 25 years old.
Giovanni Baruzzi - PeerSpot reviewer
Mature technology delivers consistent capability and enhances centralized user management
I think Microsoft Active Directory could be more intuitive. My impression of the integration of Microsoft Active Directory with third-party applications is that it can be made better. It's not the tendency of Microsoft to use a standard, but to modify it to their needs. This is catastrophic if you have to integrate other applications that use the same standard. This creates a major problem, so you have to be very careful and implement step by step, knowing that the partner is Microsoft. I would leave Microsoft Active Directory as it is and build possibly interfaces. For example, there is a provisioning protocol standard named SCIM. It seems that Microsoft Active Directory does not yet have a SCIM interface, which is a problem.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
15%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Healthcare Company
6%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Computer Software Company
11%
Retailer
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business19
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise9
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business19
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise20
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about CyberArk Identity?
The integration capabilities, ability to integrate CyberArk into the overall IBB strategy of our current clients.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for CyberArk Identity?
I am not certain about CyberArk Identity's exact pricing model. For comparison, Okta was around five dollars per user. CyberArk Identity offers good discounts to some clients, which influences thei...
What needs improvement with CyberArk Identity?
The reporting functionality is somewhat complicated. While I would rate CyberArk Identity and Okta on the same level, Okta's reporting is crisper and clearer. For CyberArk Identity, you need knowle...
What do you like most about Microsoft Active Directory?
The solution is easy to install and has good reliability.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Active Directory?
I think Microsoft Active Directory could be more intuitive. My impression of the integration of Microsoft Active Directory with third-party applications is that it can be made better. It's not the ...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Active Directory?
My usual use case for Microsoft Active Directory is to share groups of authorization among many different applications. The other use case for Microsoft Active Directory is the authentication of us...
 

Also Known As

Idaptive
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

MLB, Citi, Pfizer, SulAmerica, GE Capital, Shiseido
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about CyberArk Identity vs. Microsoft Active Directory and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
868,706 professionals have used our research since 2012.