Microsoft Entra External ID vs Okta Customer Identity comparison

Microsoft and Okta are both solutions in the Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) category. Microsoft is ranked #4 with an average rating of 7.7, while Okta is ranked #5 with an average rating of 9.0. Microsoft holds a 8.4% mindshare in CIaA, compared to Okta’s 8.4% mindshare. Additionally, 80% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Okta users who would recommend it.

Microsoft Entra External ID

Read 16 Microsoft Entra External ID reviews

1,414 Views
636 Comparison Views

80% willing to recommend

Okta Customer Identity

Read 18 Okta Customer Identity reviews

807 Views
807 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Microsoft Entra External ID

Okta Customer Identity

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 21, 2025

Okta Customer Identity and Microsoft Entra External ID both compete in the identity management solutions category. Okta seems to have the upper hand in customization and scalability, appealing to businesses looking for tailored security functionalities. Microsoft Entra, meanwhile, holds a distinct advantage with its seamless integration with Microsoft services, making it appealing for enterprises within the Microsoft ecosystem.

Features: Okta offers intuitive customization options, extensive application integration, and a powerful API for seamless user management. Microsoft Entra’s features emphasize deep integration within the Microsoft suite, offering unified identity management, advanced security protocols, and secure single sign-on capabilities.

Room for Improvement: Okta could benefit from enhancing its integration with non-standard applications and improving its role-based access controls. Further optimization of its real-time threat detection capabilities and streamlining mobile two-factor authentication may also enhance its offering. Microsoft Entra could improve by expanding support for non-Microsoft applications, simplifying initial setup to reduce complexity, and offering better guidance for organizations not entrenched in the Microsoft ecosystem.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Okta is known for its straightforward deployment process and responsive customer service, which supports a quicker setup across various environments. Microsoft Entra benefits from easy integration for existing Microsoft users, although initial setup can be more complex due to specificity in requirements. Microsoft's support is well-suited for those with existing knowledge of its ecosystem.

Pricing and ROI: Okta Customer Identity provides competitive pricing with long-term value, thanks to its wide range of features and scalability, appealing to smaller enterprises. Microsoft Entra may have higher initial costs but offers strong ROI for organizations leveraging the environment, as additional integrations can compound benefits. Each solution offers distinct financial considerations based on organizational needs.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Entra External ID vs. Okta Customer Identity Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Entra External ID vs. Okta Customer Identity

September 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 Entra External ID

Ranking in Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM)

4th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

5.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) (8th), Microsoft Security Suite (21st)

Okta Customer Identity

Ranking in Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM)

5th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) category, the mindshare of Microsoft Entra External ID is 8.4%, up from 4.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Okta Customer Identity is 8.4%, up from 7.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Microsoft Entra External ID	8.4%
Okta Customer Identity	8.4%
Other	83.2%

Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM)

Featured Reviews

Suresh Kumar Subramaniyan

Manager, Identity & Access Management at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

Has supported secure access but still lacks full coverage for external identity challenges

The user experience is acceptable, but Microsoft Entra External ID is not a full-fledged IGA solution. We use different products for complete Identity Governance Administration. Microsoft Entra External ID is suitable for small-scale enterprises implementing identity lifecycle management since most have Active Directory. However, there are several challenges. The out-of-the-box connector has limited features for applications, requiring us to build scheme connectors. While small-scale enterprises can benefit from Microsoft Entra External ID's Identity Governance solution, large-scale enterprises might need different tools from leading market vendors such as SailPoint or Saviynt. Customers face particular challenges with contractor and B2B accounts. Microsoft Entra External ID isn't a complete cloud-based account solution, as it must handle internal employees and collaborate with internal Active Directory. There are delays in the identity lifecycle process, especially for contract partners during onboarding and off-boarding. This might be due to back-end syncing with Active Directory. B2B account removal and provisioning take considerable time. Access governance, particularly access certification for guest users, is time-consuming. Multi-factor authentication enforcement also presents challenges for external users.

Read full review

Chetanya Sharma

IT Administrator at SentinelOne

Has improved secure access to all applications through a single login point

Stability and the UI/UX of Okta Customer Identity are fine as they are; I do not see any need for improvement in those areas. From the user perspective, everything is good and no change is needed. I do not think any biometrical features for authentication or limitations from Okta Customer Identity on request systems can be added at this moment. Some users face challenges after upgrades. Whenever we upgrade Okta Customer Identity, there is no challenge or blocker from Okta Customer Identity. However, I have seen cases where there might be issues with InTune or JumpCloud due to sync delays from their end; Okta Customer Identity was fine at that moment. After Okta Customer Identity made an upgrade process, we had some challenges with the integration of Okta Customer Identity and Jamf. The only issue with Okta Customer Identity is after the upgrade process; we have some issues with the integration between Okta Customer Identity and Jamf. The only point for improvement is the upgrade process.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The positive impact of Microsoft Entra External ID on my organization is that it enhances ease of use for the administrative side."

"The single sign-on access is the most useful feature we use."

"The fact that it is quite integrated into the entire Microsoft environment makes it quite easy to use."

"It's similar to using a Microsoft account to create accounts on other websites. We are also using Microsoft Entra to monitor which applications our guests are using. This allows us to filter, block, or adjust permissions for these applications as needed for our collaborators."

"The most valuable feature for me is the firewall capabilities."

"Microsoft Entra External ID is more secure, offering a secure environment."

"The most valuable feature for me is the firewall capabilities."

"The fact that it is quite integrated into the entire Microsoft environment makes it quite easy to use."

More Microsoft Entra External ID pros

"The solution has great multifactor authentication."

"The most valuable features of Okta Customer Identity are there is no infrastructure cost, integrated, has plenty of documentation, and is user-friendly."

"The most valuable feature of Okta Customer Identity is its SSO because it's very easy to use and it's user-friendly. Even the admin portal of the solution is very user-friendly, and you can walk through it with ease. Okta Customer Identity is not a complicated solution, and even the workflow automation feature is very, very easy to understand."

"There is no password hash saved on the cloud, which is the part that I like the most."

"We primarily use it to manage the community onboarding and offboarding of users, and it's quite a simple solution for that."

"The end user's ease of use is the most valuable feature."

"Okta has more when it comes to the policy level. It has distinctive features where you can do a mix and combination to have users access applications for various business cases."

"The main benefits Okta Customer Identity provides to users include single point of login for all applications and single authentication, which saves time and reduces frustration."

More Okta Customer Identity pros

Cons

"Technical support needs improvement."

"The quality of Microsoft customer support varies. With an enterprise contract, good resources are usually provided, especially in regions like Saudi Arabia or UAE. However, we have faced challenges with support quality, especially in some subcontinent areas where the resources might not be as experienced."

"I would like to see faster synchronization."

"The support engineers are not as skilled as our engineers. When they say something would not work, or there is no solution, we usually hear that Microsoft would not support this."

"Single sign-on for external applications such as Oracle could be improved to be a little bit cheaper."

"There is room for improvement in AI technology for Microsoft Entra External ID, particularly in providing detailed alerts."

"A common concern among the customers I visit is the unpredictability of Microsoft's costs at every renewal. This is really bothersome for the customer, and I would say it is the worst element I have seen in these years."

"The only problem that you might face with Microsoft now is their complex licensing model."

More Microsoft Entra External ID cons

"Some limitations in scalability. Each application we work with can be completely different, resulting in highly variable implementation processes."

"The only issue with Okta Customer Identity is after the upgrade process; we have some issues with the integration between Okta Customer Identity and Jamf."

"In Okta Identity Governance and Okta Privileged Access, some features are still being developed. Integration with Active Directory servers, Cisco routers, and switches is not currently available."

"The initial setup could be easier to do."

"Okta has a limitation with directory integrations. If you have multiple Active Directory integrations, the user distinguished name (DN) and the manager DN don't get imported properly into the Okta user profile."

"The only issue with Okta Customer Identity is after the upgrade process; we have some issues with the integration between Okta Customer Identity and Jamf."

"There is an access request system that is very limited access to the systems available for end-users. The access request should improve in Okta Customer Identity."

"The product must be provided for free."

More Okta Customer Identity cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We don't pay separately for Microsoft Entra External ID as it's part of our Microsoft Exchange subscription."

"The price of the solution is fair for what it offers."

"We pay 23 pence (approximately $0.30 USD) per user, annually, for 150,000 users."

"The solution is really expensive."

"Okta's pricing is right where it needs to be and right in the middle of the market."

"Pricing might be high, but it comes down when the number of people using the product goes up."

"Okta Customer Identity is not an expensive solution."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Computer Software Company

12%

Marketing Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	6

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	10

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Entra External ID?

The only problem that you might face with Microsoft now is their complex licensing model.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Microsoft Entra External ID?

For the last four or five years, I have been in an IT manager function, focusing on making things happen and having technical persons execute tasks. In the last three months, I have transitioned to...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Microsoft Entra External ID?

I am looking for a new solution and investigating existing products. We are already working with Microsoft Intune and SOTI. I have been working in the past with a Kaseya product, specifically Datto...

See all answers

What do you like most about Okta Customer Identity?

Okta has more when it comes to the policy level. It has distinctive features where you can do a mix and combination to have users access applications for various business cases.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Okta Customer Identity?

Okta Customer Identity is considered cheaper compared to other tools in the market, such as IBM and CyberArk products. Further details on costs would require consultation with our sales team.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Okta Customer Identity?

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 21% of the time

Microsoft Entra ID vs Microsoft Entra External ID

Compared 20% of the time

AWS Directory Service vs Microsoft Entra External ID

Compared 5% of the time

Google Cloud Identity vs Microsoft Entra External ID

Compared 4% of the time

Okta Workforce Identity vs Microsoft Entra External ID

Compared 4% of the time

More Microsoft Entra External ID Competitors

Auth0 vs Okta Customer Identity

Compared 30% of the time

ForgeRock vs Okta Customer Identity

Compared 12% of the time

Microsoft Entra Verified ID vs Okta Customer Identity

Compared 9% of the time

Salesforce Identity vs Okta Customer Identity

Compared 8% of the time

Ping Identity Platform vs Okta Customer Identity

Compared 7% of the time

More Okta Customer Identity Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Entra External ID

October 2025

Download Microsoft Entra External ID product report

Buyer's Guide

Okta Customer Identity

October 2025

Download Okta Customer Identity product report

Also Known As

Azure Active Directory External Identities

No data available

Overview

Microsoft Entra External ID, part of Microsoft Entra, provides highly secure digital experiences for partners, customers, citizens, patients, or any users outside your organization with customization controls. Combine external identities and user directories in one portal to seamlessly manage access across the organization.

Microsoft Entra External ID refers to all the ways you can securely interact with users outside of your organization. If you want to collaborate with partners, distributors, suppliers, or vendors, you can share your resources and define how your internal users can access external organizations. If you're a developer creating consumer-facing apps, you can manage your customers' identity experiences.

With External ID, external users can "bring their own identities." Whether they have a corporate or government-issued digital identity, or an unmanaged social identity like Google or Facebook, they can use their own credentials to sign in. The external user’s identity provider manages their identity, and you manage access to your apps with Entra ID or Entra External ID to keep your resources protected.

The following capabilities make up External ID:

B2B collaboration - Collaborate with external users by letting them use their preferred identity to sign in to your Microsoft applications or other enterprise applications (SaaS apps, custom-developed apps, etc.). B2B collaboration users are represented in your directory, typically as guest users.
B2B direct connect - Establish a mutual, two-way trust with another Azure AD organization for seamless collaboration. B2B direct connect currently supports Teams shared channels, enabling external users to access your resources from within their home instances of Teams. B2B direct connect users aren't represented in your directory, but they're visible from within the Teams shared channel and can be monitored in Teams admin center reports.
Azure AD B2C - Publish modern SaaS apps or custom-developed apps (excluding Microsoft apps) to consumers and customers, while using Azure AD B2C for identity and access management.

Microsoft

Okta Customer Identity is an identity service that enables frictionless experience, speed-to-market, centralized management, and internet-scale security. Okta Customer Identity is developer friendly and secure with minimal custom code.

Okta

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

FedEx, Adobe, National Geographic, Tyson, Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Entra External ID vs. Okta Customer Identity

September 2025

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