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Microsoft Active Directory vs Tenable Identity Exposure 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:
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Active Directory
Ranking in Active Directory Management
5th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
42
Ranking in other categories
Single Sign-On (SSO) (7th)
Tenable Identity Exposure
Ranking in Active Directory Management
7th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
8.0
Number of Reviews
1
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Active Directory Management category, the mindshare of Microsoft Active Directory is 5.7%, up from 2.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Tenable Identity Exposure is 6.8%, up from 6.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Active Directory Management
 

Featured Reviews

Rajitha Abhisheka - PeerSpot reviewer
A solution that easily merges with cloud-based ADs and provides superior data security
The interface for logs should be user-friendly and allow for enhanced filtering to drill down to incidents. It is time consuming to get a clear picture and review deviations in conditional policies because you have to check each and every log to find information on malicious attacks, a compromised end-user's account, or phishing emails. The logs for sign-ins and auditing should be available for more than a 30-90 day window. Most logs are displayed in UTC but it would be helpful to include time conversions for tenant regions. Currently, we must do time conversions manually before we contact users to share information and troubleshoot issues.
Alexandru Cioruta - PeerSpot reviewer
An easy-to-implement solution that provides good reporting features and protects users’ AD infrastructure
We use Tenable Identity Exposure for our customers who have legacy AD still in use to see any exposure and protect their AD infrastructure as much as possible The solution is easy to implement, and its reporting is great. From the start, you get to see the exposure of your AD. So, it doesn't need…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The user interface of the product is very easy to use."
"It is an all-in-one solution for cybersecurity and is available at a very low price."
"The most valuable feature is the configured appliance system in Hypervisor."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is authentication."
"Active Directory is more flexible and feature-rich than Apache."
"I can use Active Directory to block a user's internet access and monitor how an employee is using the internet."
"It is very user-friendly."
"I advise consideration of this solution. The overall product rating is ten out of ten."
"The solution is easy to implement, and its reporting is great."
 

Cons

"The cloud service of Microsoft Active Directory is an area with certain shortcomings that need improvement."
"Perhaps the synchronization could be simpler and more controllable."
"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 security features could be improved."
"I would like to see more integration with cloud-based applications. This would make it easier to manage users and devices across multiple platforms."
"In the solution, assigning permissions is complex, making it difficult to grant them at a granular level or to multiple users without templates or alternative tools."
"I did not have a good experience with the product's tech support. First-level support takes a lot of time since they ask many questions."
"The solution's price could be better."
"Tenable Identity Exposure is more expensive than Defender for Identity."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It's not overly expensive. It's considered a base function by Microsoft."
"On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a four out of ten."
"The version of Microsoft Active Directory I was using was expensive because it was used for large companies."
"Active Directory is built-in into Microsoft Windows 10. I'm not an administrator and would not be involved in purchasing decisions for new versions of the software. I have only used the client portion of it, I do not know if there is a cost to using the solution."
"The license per user can probably be reduced."
"Active Directory is an expensive solution, primarily due to Microsoft's licensing model. This licensing approach includes paying for server licenses as well as for each computer that connects to it. However, when working with the Azure cloud, there is no cost for the server. This is profitable and one of the main reasons why Azure Cloud and other cloud-based solutions are being used more."
"My company makes payments every quarter towards the licensing costs of the product."
"The pricing is not very expensive. I rate the pricing a five out of ten."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
15%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Educational Organization
7%
Financial Services Firm
15%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
8%
University
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

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?
Technology is evolving. AI is offering solutions. However, short-term fixes are like band-aids.
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Active Directory?
I utilize it in almost every scenario. I use the Hazer database and meet daily needs across every industry, every time.
What do you like most about Tenable Identity Exposure?
The solution is easy to implement, and its reporting is great.
What needs improvement with Tenable Identity Exposure?
Tenable Identity Exposure is more expensive than Defender for Identity.
What is your primary use case for Tenable Identity Exposure?
We use Tenable Identity Exposure for our customers who have legacy AD still in use to see any exposure and protect their AD infrastructure as much as possible.
 

Also Known As

No data available
Teanble.ad
 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about ManageEngine, One Identity, Netwrix and others in Active Directory Management. Updated: April 2025.
852,780 professionals have used our research since 2012.