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Microsoft Entra ID vs One Identity Defender comparison

Microsoft and One Identity are both solutions in the Authentication Systems category. Microsoft is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.7, while One Identity is ranked #15 with an average rating of 10.0. Microsoft holds a 15.7% mindshare in AS, compared to One Identity’s 0.7% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of One Identity users who would recommend it.
Microsoft Entra ID
Read 234 Microsoft Entra ID reviews
  • 8,927 Views
  • 4,600 Comparison Views
95% willing to recommend
One Identity Defender
Read 3 One Identity Defender reviews
  • 283 Views
  • 109 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 11, 2024

Microsoft Entra ID and One Identity Defender are both robust identity management solutions. Users appear more satisfied with the pricing and support of Microsoft Entra ID. Yet, One Identity Defender seems to excel in feature richness, making it potentially worth the higher expense.

What features are offered by Microsoft Entra ID in comparison to One Identity Defender?

Microsoft Entra ID is praised for its seamless integration with other Microsoft services, effective multi-factor authentication, and ease of use. One Identity Defender stands out for its extensive scalability, advanced security features, and superior customizability.

What areas of improvement can be found in Microsoft Entra ID in comparison to One Identity Defender?

Microsoft Entra ID users highlight concerns about limited customization options, occasional performance issues, and insufficient advanced features for complex environments. One Identity Defender users point out that its interface can be somewhat convoluted, documentation is lacking, and initial setup can be challenging.

How is the ease of deployment and customer service of Microsoft Entra ID in comparison to One Identity Defender?

Both products receive positive feedback for deployment, but Microsoft Entra ID is noted for quicker setup times due to its integration with existing Microsoft infrastructure. Customer service for Microsoft Entra ID is valued for responsiveness, while One Identity Defender’s support is praised for its in-depth technical assistance.

What setup costs and ROI can be seen with Microsoft Entra ID in comparison to One Identity Defender?

Microsoft Entra ID users find the product to be cost-effective with a good return on investment, especially for businesses already using Microsoft services. One Identity Defender, though more expensive, is considered worth the investment by users who need its advanced capabilities. Microsoft Entra ID appeals to those seeking cost efficiency, while One Identity Defender justifies its higher price with superior features.

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To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Entra ID vs. One Identity Defender Report (Updated: June 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Entra ID vs. One Identity Defender
June 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 ID
Ranking in Authentication Systems
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
234
Ranking in other categories
Single Sign-On (SSO) (1st), Identity Management (IM) (2nd), Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) (1st), Access Management (1st), Microsoft Security Suite (2nd)
One Identity Defender
Ranking in Authentication Systems
15th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.8
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Authentication Systems category, the mindshare of Microsoft Entra ID is 15.7%, down from 20.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of One Identity Defender is 0.7%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Authentication Systems
 

Featured Reviews

Bahram Piri - PeerSpot reviewer
Security focus and seamless implementation increase platform productivity
Microsoft Entra ID can be improved in many ways, and there's a big wish list.If we're focusing on security, something that I definitely expect is improvement in the UI and UX for frontline workers. This is important, especially for non-tech savvy individuals. It is something Microsoft Entra ID could do to improve for a wider audience. It's important to focus on the frontline workers since they are non-tech savvy individuals. They are not like those back-office engineering C-level employees who are constantly dealing with computers, and we need to build a specific user experience and user interface for them to handle this stuff. That's something I expect Microsoft to focus on more for Microsoft Entra ID.
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Maksym Tkachenko - PeerSpot reviewer
Good compatibility, responsive support, and a nice interface
The solution works very well. The initial setup is pretty easy. It is stable and pretty reliable in general. We find that the product scales very well.  Technical support is responsive. The interface is good.  It is compatible with other products.  It has everything we need right now. The login…
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

"Microsoft Entra ID scales effectively with the growing needs of our organization, as we have never faced any challenges with its scalability."
"Having worked as an IT consultant mainly with the Microsoft stack across various industries, I have experience with different identity management solutions. Microsoft Entra ID remains the best option."
"Microsoft Entra ID's integration capabilities influence our Zero Trust model by allowing us to enforce our Zero Trust model."
"The tool's most valuable feature is auto logs. It helps with user activity and monitoring. It also assists us with GLBA policies and procedures. Microsoft Entra ID gives a 360 view of what the user has access to, what applications are available to them, when they are logging in and out, etc. It makes knowing what is happening to our tenants incredibly powerful."
"Entra ID provides an excellent overview of the applications and the options applied to them."
"The identity and access management piece is probably the most valuable to us."
"The way the laptops are joined is valuable. We can take advantage of that in terms of being able to log in and do things. It is easier to change passwords or set things up."
"Having access to Azure Active Directory on the cloud gives us speed and use of the latest technology. The application services are very good, such as GitHub."
More Microsoft Entra ID pros
"We find that the product scales very well."
"It's very fast, and it's easy to use because it's integrated with Active Directory."
"One Identity Defender has good network protection."
 

Cons

"Entra ID needs to improve its application credentials and use of ID permissions. There are challenges with the management layer. We want to create access down to the Graph level while invoking some management logic. That also means that if an application comes in, we cannot send that to the Graph because we would need an ID on behalf of the cloud hook."
"Rule management and permissions need improvements. I have had discussions with product managers about these challenges and sent emails regarding them. Additionally, improvements are needed in the Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) side of things."
"To improve Microsoft Entra ID, it should be made simpler because there is a lot of stuff to do in the platform, which could be reduced to fewer buttons."
"For example, there were some authentication features that, for security purposes, had certain limitations. Those limitations still exist, but the portal now has options so that the customers can make custom features to manage their identity."
"They can combine conditional access for user actions and application filtering. Currently, they are separated, and we cannot mix the two. I do not know how it would be possible, but it would be interesting."
"The integration between the Azure active directory and the traditional active directory could be improved upon."
"Microsoft support has some room for improvement. I avoid contacting them because it can be time-consuming."
"The solution was difficult to scale because the group's configuration was complex. I would rate the scalability level of Azure Active Directory a five out of ten."
More Microsoft Entra ID cons
"We have some clients that are wanting to protect their Apache web servers with One Identity Defender but all the research I have done says cannot be done. It can only be oriented to an IIS server. One Identity Defender should have more integration with more types of web servers."
"The login capabilities could be better."
"Maybe it could provide support for more web applications. It seems more focused on IIS web applications."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We got a good deal. If you get rid of all the products providing features that Azure Suite can provide, then it makes sense cost-wise."
"It's really affordable."
"Azure Active Directory is expensive."
"Pricing could always be better. You pay the premium for Microsoft. Sometimes, it is worth it, and at other times, you wish to have more licensing options, especially for smaller companies."
"Most features of Entra ID are part of Microsoft's ecosystem and included in Microsoft 365 bundles, which means there are no additional costs associated with pricing and licensing."
"It is not too expensive."
"For you to make use of some of the security features, you need to upgrade your licenses. If it is possible, could they just make some features free? For instance, for the Condition Access policy, you need to set that up and be on Azure AD P2 licensing. So if they could make it free or reduce the licensing for small businesses, that would be cool, as I believe security is for everyone."
"The pricing for companies and businesses is okay, it's fair. But if you are trying to teach someone about Azure AD, there is no licensing option for that... It would be nice to have a 'learning' license, one that is cheaper for a single person."
More Microsoft Entra ID pricing and cost advice
Information not available
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
21%
Computer Software Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Non Profit
16%
Financial Services Firm
14%
Retailer
12%
Government
10%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

How does Duo Security compare with Microsoft Authenticator?
We switched to Duo Security for identity verification. We’d been using a competitor but got the chance to evaluate Duo for 30 days, and we could not be happier. Duo Security is easy to configure a...
See all answers
What do you like most about Azure Active Directory?
It is very simple. The Active Directory functions are very easy for us. Its integration with anything is very easy. We can easily do third-party multifactor authentication.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure Active Directory?
Our experience with the pricing, setup costs, and licensing of Microsoft Entra ID involves leveraging Microsoft 365 E5 licensing, so it's included. Being included in Microsoft licensing makes it mu...
See all answers
What do you like most about One Identity Defender?
It's very fast, and it's easy to use because it's integrated with Active Directory.
See all answers
What needs improvement with One Identity Defender?
Maybe it could provide support for more web applications. It would be useful to focus on other web applications. For example, if an application needs to be installed on an iOS server and it's not, ...
See all answers
What is your primary use case for One Identity Defender?
Our primary use cases include functions such as role-based access control, user registration, and integration with other systems. We use it to improve the security of our web applications. Addition...
See all answers
 

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Compared 48% of the time
More One Identity Defender Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Entra ID
May 2025
Microsoft Entra ID reportDownload Microsoft Entra ID product report
Buyer's Guide
Authentication Systems
June 2025
One Identity Defender reportDownload One Identity Defender product report
 

Also Known As

Azure AD, Azure Active Directory, Azure Active Directory, Microsoft Authenticator
No data available
 

Interactive Demo

Microsoft
Demo not available
One Identity
 

Overview

Microsoft Entra ID is used for extending on-premises Active Directory to the cloud, managing application access, enabling multi-factor authentication, and single sign-on. It facilitates policy enforcement and secure access, ensuring centralized identity management across cloud and on-premises resources.

Organizations utilize Microsoft Entra ID for robust user and group management, identity synchronization, and conditional access. Its seamless integration with third-party apps, scalability, and support for remote work make it a preferred choice. The admin center streamlines identity and access tasks, enhancing efficiency and security with features like privileged identity management and audit logs.

What are the key features of Microsoft Entra ID?
  • Single Sign-On: Simplifies user access to multiple applications with one login.
  • Multifactor Authentication: Enhances security by requiring additional verification.
  • Conditional Access: Establishes policies that determine how users' access cloud apps.
  • Integration: Easily integrates with various third-party applications.
  • User Identity Protection: Safeguards user identities from threats.
  • Privileged Identity Management: Manages elevated access to sensitive resources.
  • Audit Logs: Provides thorough activity logs for oversight and compliance.
What benefits should users look for in Microsoft Entra ID reviews?
  • Enhanced Security: Offers strong multifactor authentication and identity protection.
  • Administrative Efficiency: Simplifies identity and access management tasks.
  • Scalability: Supports growing user bases and remote work environments.
  • Integration Capabilities: Compatible with numerous third-party applications.
  • User-Friendly Interface: Makes managing user identities straightforward.

Microsoft Entra ID implementation varies across industries. Tech firms leverage it for secure, scalable access management, while healthcare organizations utilize its identity protection features to safeguard patient data. Educational institutions adopt Entra ID for streamlined user management and policy enforcement, ensuring secure access for students and staff across on-premises and cloud resources.

Microsoft

Defender enhances security by requiring two-factor authentication to gain access to your network resources. Defender uses your current identity store within Microsoft Active Directory (AD) to enable two-factor authentication.

One Identity
 

Sample Customers

Microsoft Entre ID is trusted by companies of all sizes and industries including Walmart, Zscaler, Uniper, Amtrak, monday.com, and more.
Bakersfield Police Department, Village of Westmont, Illinois
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Entra ID vs. One Identity Defender
June 2025
Free Report: Microsoft Entra ID vs. One Identity Defender
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Entra ID vs. One Identity Defender and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
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