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Microsoft Active Directory vs SAP Single Sign-On comparison

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Executive Summary

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

Microsoft Active Directory
Ranking in Single Sign-On (SSO)
9th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
47
Ranking in other categories
Active Directory Management (3rd)
SAP Single Sign-On
Ranking in Single Sign-On (SSO)
34th
Average Rating
10.0
Reviews Sentiment
8.5
Number of Reviews
1
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Single Sign-On (SSO) category, the mindshare of Microsoft Active Directory is 2.6%, down from 3.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAP Single Sign-On is 0.8%, down from 0.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Single Sign-On (SSO) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Microsoft Active Directory2.6%
SAP Single Sign-On0.8%
Other96.6%
Single Sign-On (SSO)
 

Featured Reviews

Eko Kurniawan - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Operations & Security at veris
Has simplified credential management and improved secure access control across departments
The features I find most useful in Microsoft Active Directory are especially for the Single Sign-On. This is very useful for users, particularly if they have plenty of applications, such as tablet applications. When they log in to their computer, the application will automatically log in with their credentials. They don't need to remember another user and password to log in to the application because it's already maintained with Microsoft Active Directory using Single Sign-On. To assess the impact of Microsoft Active Directory's centralized domain management on security protocols and access permissions, Microsoft Active Directory itself has constraints with security because when we have a solution such as SSO or Single Sign-On, which makes it easier for users to log in, some parts have security openings. When their computer is compromised with a threat, malware, or other cyber threats, it becomes easier to enter the application without login permission.
AhmedHaridy - PeerSpot reviewer
Managing Director at Emkan
A flexible solution that has two-factor authentication feature
The solution has been integrated into our mobile workforce using SAP IAS. This service links all SAP products with a central authentication platform, allowing users to access various systems and functionalities. We can easily integrate this solution with Active Directory or other solutions such as Microsoft or IBM. Additionally, SAP IAS also supports digital authentication, not only for SAP but also for other platforms like Microsoft Azure. Customers can quickly establish user authentication with SAP IAS in just a few minutes, enabling secure access to specific products or systems based on predefined rules. The two-factor authentication feature of SAP Single Sign-On is highly valuable for enhancing security. It allows users to access SAP products using various authentication methods, such as Microsoft user or their authentication service. This ensures secure access to all systems, both SAP and non-SAP, while giving the company control over user access. Additionally, the solution offers location-based access control. We find that it's already quite flexible and doesn't require much customization. It's mainly about configuration, which doesn't demand technical expertise. Customers often delve deeper into the solution's features to understand how to use it more effectively. They ask questions that are already addressed within the platform. This reliance on the solution's features, alongside their internal on-premises systems, has a very positive impact. The tool is compatible with different products.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I find the product makes it easier to enhance various tools with Microsoft Active Directory."
"Active Directory is more flexible and feature-rich than Apache."
"The solution's initial setup is straightforward."
"It's quite easy to integrate into other directories."
"Active Directory makes managing user policies easier, like when a user wants to share files. We also use it to create and manage our email accounts."
"The solution is user-friendly, and I like using Microsoft products. I think there is no other choice for Active Directory. Microsoft Windows Server Active Directory is the best."
"These Group Policies provide enhancement, helping to reduce administrative overhead and enhance productivity."
"It is easy to understand all the components."
"The solution has been integrated into our mobile workforce using SAP IAS. This service links all SAP products with a central authentication platform, allowing users to access various systems and functionalities. We can easily integrate this solution with Active Directory or other solutions such as Microsoft or IBM. Additionally, SAP IAS also supports digital authentication, not only for SAP but also for other platforms like Microsoft Azure. Customers can quickly establish user authentication with SAP IAS in just a few minutes, enabling secure access to specific products or systems based on predefined rules."
 

Cons

"I expect additional features like maximizing user flow, improving the branding of the UI, and enabling non-interactive login. Customizing the login page is limited to changing the background and logo, and adding terms and conditions during registration requires JavaScript."
"The solution's price could be better."
"Microsoft Active Directory restricts most of the features our company's employees want to use since they are involved in research and development activities."
"The interface hasn't changed much over the years. It's suitable for my tastes, but that doesn't mean everybody likes it."
"Perhaps the synchronization could be simpler and more controllable. There are some features that need improvements in terms of ease of use and frequency of updates."
"The product could be improved in the area of security."
"In my experience, it's difficult to manage Microsoft Active Directory when the server is attacked by a threat or malware."
"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."
"The only improvement I suggest for SAP Single Sign-On concerns employees without emails. We addressed this by allowing users to set up security questions themselves. However, to further enhance this, integrating with mobile SMS for password resets could be beneficial."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The license is perpetual and the cost is minimal. If you purchase Microsoft Windows then Microsoft Active Directory comes with the package."
"The pricing is not very expensive. I rate the pricing a five out of ten."
"I'm unsure about the cost of the solution, as I was never involved in that aspect. However, I don't think it would be expensive. It might be average, around four or five out of ten."
"I rate the product’s pricing a five out of ten."
"We purchase the license for the solution on a yearly basis."
"Microsoft Active Directory is not an expensive solution."
"It's not overly expensive. It's considered a base function by Microsoft."
"Its price is reasonable."
"The tool is free of cost."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
15%
Outsourcing Company
13%
Healthcare Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business21
Midsize Enterprise7
Large Enterprise20
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Microsoft Active Directory?
The best way to protect this is to use Microsoft Defender. For Microsoft support for Microsoft Active Directory, I would rate it as eight. If I give it 10, it would be too perfect. Eight is fair. M...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Active Directory?
My main use cases for Microsoft Active Directory are to manage user access and credentials.
What advice do you have for others considering Microsoft Active Directory?
Regarding Microsoft Active Directory's integration with third-party applications, it depends on the requirements. It's not always linked or combined with Microsoft Active Directory. In my experienc...
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Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
1. Adidas 2. Aetna 3. Airbus 4. Allianz 5. American Express 6. AstraZeneca 7. Audi 8.Bayer 9. BMW 10. Boeing 11. Cisco 12. Coca-Cola 13. Colgate-Palmolive 14. Dell 15. Eni 16. Ericsson 17. ExxonMobil 18. Ford 19. General Electric 20. Google 21. Hewlett Packard 22. Honeywell 23. IBM 24. Intel 25. Johnson & Johnson 26. JPMorgan Chase 27. Kellogg's 28. L'Oreal 29. Merck 30. Nestle 31. Nike 32. PG
Find out what your peers are saying about Okta, Microsoft, One Identity and others in Single Sign-On (SSO). Updated: October 2026.
920,769 professionals have used our research since 2012.