Microsoft Active Directory vs Thales SafeNet Trusted Access comparison

Microsoft and Thales are both solutions in the Single Sign-On (SSO) category. Microsoft is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.4, while Thales is ranked #20. Microsoft holds a 3.1% mindshare in SSO, compared to Thales’s 1.5% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Thales users who would recommend it.

Microsoft Active Directory

Read 47 Microsoft Active Directory reviews

1,845 Views
1,218 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

Thales SafeNet Trusted Access

Read 3 Thales SafeNet Trusted Access reviews

1,018 Views
509 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Microsoft Active Directory

Thales SafeNet Trusted Access

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 18, 2024

Thales SafeNet Trusted Access and Microsoft Active Directory are two prominent identity and access management solutions. Thales SafeNet Trusted Access is noted for its support and pricing, whereas Microsoft Active Directory is favored for its comprehensive integration and extensive feature set.

Features: Thales SafeNet Trusted Access is praised for its robust security features, including multi-factor authentication, detailed logging capabilities, and advanced security measures. Microsoft Active Directory is valued for its seamless integration with other Microsoft products, extensive policy management features, and comprehensive user directory.

Room for Improvement: Thales SafeNet Trusted Access could enhance its user experience, reporting tools, and usability refinements. Microsoft Active Directory needs better cross-platform support, more intuitive management tools, and improvements in platform compatibility.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Thales SafeNet Trusted Access is noted for its straightforward deployment process and responsive support team. Microsoft Active Directory's deployment is complex due to its extensive feature set but offers comprehensive documentation and thorough integration support.

Pricing and ROI: Thales SafeNet Trusted Access offers competitive pricing and a positive ROI. Microsoft Active Directory, though more costly, is considered worth the investment due to its extensive capabilities and long-term benefits.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Active Directory vs. Thales SafeNet Trusted Access Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Active Directory vs. Thales SafeNet Trusted Access

December 2025

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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

Ranking in other categories

Active Directory Management (2nd)

Thales SafeNet Trusted Access

Ranking in Single Sign-On (SSO)

20th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) (25th), Access Management (23rd)

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Single Sign-On (SSO) category, the mindshare of Microsoft Active Directory is 3.1%, up from 2.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Thales SafeNet Trusted Access is 1.5%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Single Sign-On (SSO) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Microsoft Active Directory	3.1%
Thales SafeNet Trusted Access	1.5%
Other	95.4%

Single Sign-On (SSO)

Featured Reviews

Eko Kurniawan

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.

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GauravMathur

Vice President Information Technology at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Simple to use, easy to set up, and performs well

I'm not saying that we want to switch the product, however, since the requirement has increased, we are looking at other options that may be better suited. The scalability may not there. We have a few specific use cases where we have to avoid the cloud. Especially in Europe, we're not allowed to carry their phone in factories. We need some sort of secure access solution. There's a dependency on Microsoft Azure. I am paying to SafeNet and in parallel, I also need to pay Microsoft to use the same service. That makes no sense, to pay double. If they could do something about it, that would be very good.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Audit, authentication and authorization are the best features."

"I advise consideration of this solution. The overall product rating is ten out of ten."

"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 product is very stable and flexible. You can also integrate the solution with other products like mail solutions."

"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, because when they log in to their computer, the application will automatically log in with their credentials."

"The Solution's most important feature is that it can merge with a cloud-based active directory via Azure AD Connect."

"One noteworthy aspect we discovered is the ability to exercise tight control over systems, specifically Windows PCs. This pertains to the management of policies, usage patterns, and user access on these devices, particularly within the framework of Active Directory which is extremely well thought. This actually works better with on-premises solutions. However, as the global trend shifts towards cloud and hybrid environments, Active Directory and its use is diminishing. Yet, it hasn't entirely lost its relevance and remains a presence that cannot be entirely disregarded."

"It is easy to handle, and it gives a hundred percent results with the group policies."

More Microsoft Active Directory pros

"The solution is simple to use."

"The validation and integrity features of the endpoint are great."

"The interface is easy to use."

Cons

"There are no reporting features."

"There could be enough material to learn about the product."

"Sometimes support takes long to engage and resolve, extending over weeks or even months."

"The cloud service of Microsoft Active Directory is an area with certain shortcomings that need improvement."

"There is room for improvement in the support."

"The security features could be improved."

"Perhaps the synchronization could be simpler and more controllable."

"In my experience, it's difficult to manage Microsoft Active Directory when the server is attacked by a threat or malware."

More Microsoft Active Directory cons

"There's a dependency on Microsoft Azure."

"Lacks the ability to integrate network monitoring solutions and authenticate the app users."

"SafeNet's reporting and monitoring features could be improved."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We purchase the license for the solution on a yearly basis."

"The pricing is not very expensive. I rate the pricing a five out of ten."

"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."

"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 is perpetual and the cost is minimal. If you purchase Microsoft Windows then Microsoft Active Directory comes with the package."

"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."

"The price of Microsoft Active Directory could improve. We pay annually for the solution."

"The license per user can probably be reduced."

More Microsoft Active Directory pricing and cost advice

Information not available

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Healthcare Company

Performing Arts

10%

Manufacturing Company

Legal Firm

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	20
Midsize Enterprise	7
Large Enterprise	20

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.

See all answers

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...

See all answers

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.

See all answers

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Comparisons

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Compared 12% of the time

Microsoft Entra ID vs Microsoft Active Directory

Compared 11% of the time

JumpCloud vs Microsoft Active Directory

Compared 8% of the time

CyberArk Identity vs Microsoft Active Directory

Compared 6% of the time

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Compared 19% of the time

Okta Platform vs Thales SafeNet Trusted Access

Compared 12% of the time

CyberArk Identity vs Thales SafeNet Trusted Access

Compared 12% of the time

Ping Identity Platform vs Thales SafeNet Trusted Access

Compared 10% of the time

Fortinet FortiAuthenticator vs Thales SafeNet Trusted Access

Compared 10% of the time

More Thales SafeNet Trusted Access Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Active Directory

December 2025

Download Microsoft Active Directory product report

Buyer's Guide

Single Sign-On (SSO)

December 2025

Download Thales SafeNet Trusted Access product report

Also Known As

No data available

SafeNet Trusted Access, Gemalto SafeNet Trusted Access

Overview

Active Directory stores information about objects on the network and makes this information easy for administrators and users to find and use. Active Directory uses a structured data store as the basis for a logical, hierarchical organization of directory information.

This data store, also known as the directory, contains information about Active Directory objects. These objects typically include shared resources such as servers, volumes, printers, and the network user and computer accounts.

Security is integrated with Active Directory through logon authentication and access control to objects in the directory. With a single network logon, administrators can manage directory data and organization throughout their network, and authorized network users can access resources anywhere on the network. Policy-based administration eases the management of even the most complex network.

Microsoft

Thales SafeNet Trusted Access is a comprehensive access management solution that provides secure and seamless access to cloud and web applications. It offers a range of features, including multi-factor authentication, single sign-on, and adaptive authentication. With SafeNet, organizations can easily manage user access, enforce security policies, and monitor user activity to prevent cyber threats.

The solution is highly scalable and can be customized to meet the unique needs of any organization. Overall, SafeNet is a reliable and effective solution for preventing cyber threats and ensuring secure access to critical applications and data.

Thales

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

IBM, Western Union, Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, Novartis, and AT&T.

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Active Directory vs. Thales SafeNet Trusted Access

December 2025

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