Microsoft Entra ID vs Thales Authenticators comparison

Microsoft and Thales Cloud Security are both solutions in the Authentication Systems category. Microsoft is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.7, while Thales Cloud Security is ranked #14 with an average rating of 8.0. Microsoft holds a 15.3% mindshare in AS, compared to Thales Cloud Security’s 2.4% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Thales Cloud Security users who would recommend it.

Microsoft Entra ID

Read 234 Microsoft Entra ID reviews

25,521 Views
7,912 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Thales Authenticators

Read 6 Thales Authenticators reviews

1,215 Views
1,008 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Microsoft Entra ID

Thales Authenticators

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 11, 2024

Thales Authenticators and Microsoft Entra ID compete in the authentication space. Microsoft Entra ID seems to have the upper hand due to its extensive features, seamless integration, and broader support despite higher costs.

What features are offered by Thales Authenticators in comparison to Microsoft Entra ID?

Thales Authenticators offer robust security measures, ease of use, and a feature-rich environment. Microsoft Entra ID presents advanced integration capabilities, extensive compatibility with various platforms, and a broader feature set appealing to users.

What areas of improvement can be found in Thales Authenticators in comparison to Microsoft Entra ID?

Thales Authenticators need enhanced customer support, more flexible deployment options, and better support for diverse environments. Microsoft Entra ID requires a less complex system, more intuitive setup procedures, and easier navigation for users.

How is the ease of deployment and customer service of Thales Authenticators in comparison to Microsoft Entra ID?

Thales Authenticators are noted for an easy deployment process but have mixed reviews on customer service. Microsoft Entra ID offers a more complex deployment experience but superior customer service support, presenting different challenges with better support from Microsoft.

What setup costs and ROI can be seen with Thales Authenticators in comparison to Microsoft Entra ID?

Thales Authenticators have moderate pricing with a good return on investment. Microsoft Entra ID is more expensive but provides higher perceived value due to its features and support, justifying the extra cost for many users.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Entra ID vs. Thales Authenticators Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Entra ID vs. Thales Authenticators

July 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)

Thales Authenticators

Ranking in Authentication Systems

14th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Authentication Systems category, the mindshare of Microsoft Entra ID is 15.3%, down from 19.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Thales Authenticators is 2.4%, up from 2.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Authentication Systems

Featured Reviews

Bahram Piri

Chief Executive Officer & Founder at IDmelon Technologies

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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Gustavo Merighi

Automation and Telecommunications Analyst at Grupo Energisa

Has an easy-to-use management interface and a straightforward initial setup process

Our primary use cases include multifactor authentication for VPN connections and access to security tools like jump servers and firewalls. We also use it to enhance security measures in an enterprise environment The most valuable feature is the YAML 2.0 integration. It has an easy-to-use…

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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 features I find most valuable are conditional access, privilege management, and dynamic groups."

"The most valuable feature for us is the B2C functionality of Microsoft Entra ID, which is essential due to our need for external and internal users to log into our system."

"Microsoft Entra ID efficiently responds to numerous requests, and we have not faced significant connectivity issues, making it reliable."

"The two-factor authentication provides an additional layer of security for our organizational data, so Microsoft Authenticator plays a crucial role in making our confidential data more secure."

"Our most valuable features are conditional access and Azure application proxy."

"The most valuable feature is the authentication platform."

"From an administrative perspective, we can now manage users from a single pane of glass, which enhances efficiency."

"It's not intuitive and we use it mainly for our Office 365 files. The integration between the two is interesting. However, the learning curve is high."

More Microsoft Entra ID pros

"We use this solution to log into virtual machines like VMware and VMware Horizon."

"I like how the solution allows me to support different types of hardware tokens and integrate with OTP."

"One valuable feature is Thales' ability to provide off-site tokens."

"The technical support services are good."

"The most valuable feature of SafeNet Authentication Manager is authentication."

"Scalable and stable."

Cons

"There are many new features being added all the time, and Microsoft is advancing at a pace that aligns with our needs. I can't think of anything immediate that needs improvement."

"If your organization requires additional security then the subscription will be more expensive."

"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."

"When you fix the rules and permissions, working directly on the manifest, you really need to have in-depth knowledge. If there were a graphical user interface to update the manifest, that would be good."

"We have a custom solution now running to tie all those Azure ADs together. We use the B2B functionality for that. Improvements are already on the roadmap for Azure AD in that area. I think they will make it easier to work together between two different tenants in Azure AD, because normally one tenant is a security boundary. For example, company one has a tenant and company two has a tenant, and then you can do B2B collaboration between those, but it is still quite limited. For our use case, it is enough currently. However, if we want to extend the collaboration even further, then we need an easier way to collaborate between two tenants, but I think that is already on the roadmap of Azure AD anyway."

"In terms of connecting the web application, there is technology for single sign-on. When we use it, the solution opens very slowly. It might be a bandwidth issue, and some content will not work on that portal."

"The security policy of Azure Active Directory should be based on a matrix so that we can easily visualize which users have access to what."

"The synchronization between my AD and Azure AD needs improvement."

More Microsoft Entra ID cons

"The product could be improved by adding more features for sending tokens via SMS or phone calls."

"The solution should allow for support of multi-tenant architecture."

"The stability could improve."

"We faced issues due to slow ticket responses, which improved over time."

"The problem with SafeNet is that it's not integrated with Microsoft 365."

"Lacks integration with other platforms."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is bundled with other services and the pricing is quite reasonable."

"Licenses are based on the usage. There is no cap. It's based on the number of users we provision."

"It is a packaged license. We have a Premium P1 subscription of Office 365, and it came with that."

"Microsoft Entra ID's pricing is reasonable."

"Entra has P1 and P2 licenses that are bundled with lots of applications."

"The licensing is really not clear unless you are a premium client."

"Microsoft Authenticator is included in the package when we purchase a license from Microsoft."

"Azure Active Directory has a very extensive licensing model. Most of the features are available in the free and basic version, and then there are premium P1 and P2 editions. The licensing model is based on how many users you have per month. In Australia, for a P1 license, the cost is 8 dollars. With P1 and P2 licenses, you get a lot of goodies around the security side of things. For example, User Identity Protection is available only in P2. These are extra features that allow you to have a pretty good security posture, but most of the required things are available in the free and basic version."

More Microsoft Entra ID pricing and cost advice

"There is an annual licensing fee."

"Thales is more expensive than its competitors."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

Government

12%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

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...

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What needs improvement with Thales Authenticators?

Currently, the solution fulfills our requirements. We are very satisfied with its features, and do not have any specific ideas for improvement right now. Perhaps, in the future, three-factor authen...

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What is your primary use case for Thales Authenticators?

Our employees, whether working on-site or remotely, use Thales Authenticators for two-factor authentication to log in to their laptops or PCs. This is our primary use case.

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Thales Authenticators?

From our past years of experience, the solution is very smooth, and we have had a good experience with it. We would definitely recommend Thales to others for its reliability and features. I'd rate ...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 11% of the time

Microsoft Intune vs Microsoft Entra ID

Compared 9% of the time

Okta Workforce Identity vs Microsoft Entra ID

Compared 6% of the time

Auth0 vs Microsoft Entra ID

Compared 5% of the time

Amazon Cognito vs Microsoft Entra ID

Compared 5% of the time

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Utimaco SecurityServer vs Thales Authenticators

Compared 23% of the time

Yubico YubiKey vs Thales Authenticators

Compared 22% of the time

Atalla Hardware Security Module vs Thales Authenticators

Compared 9% of the time

RSA SecurID vs Thales Authenticators

Compared 7% of the time

Cisco Duo vs Thales Authenticators

Compared 7% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Entra ID

July 2025

Download Microsoft Entra ID product report

Buyer's Guide

Authentication Systems

July 2025

Download Thales Authenticators product report

Also Known As

Azure AD, Azure Active Directory, Azure Active Directory, Microsoft Authenticator

Gemalto Ezio, Ezio, Gemalto Authenticators, SafeNet Authentication Manager

Interactive Demo

Microsoft

Demo not available

Thales Cloud Security

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

Offering the broadest range of authentication methods and form factors, Thales allows customers to address numerous use cases, assurance levels, and threat vectors with unified, centrally managed policies—managed from one authentication back end delivered in the cloud or on premise.

Thales Cloud Security

Sample Customers

Microsoft Entre ID is trusted by companies of all sizes and industries including Walmart, Zscaler, Uniper, Amtrak, monday.com, and more.

Standard Chartered Bank (SCB)

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Entra ID vs. Thales Authenticators

July 2025

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