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Microsoft Identity Manager vs OpenIAM Identity Governance 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 Identity Manager
Ranking in Identity Management (IM)
11th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
25
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
OpenIAM Identity Governance
Ranking in Identity Management (IM)
26th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
1
Ranking in other categories
User Provisioning Software (15th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2026, in the Identity Management (IM) category, the mindshare of Microsoft Identity Manager is 2.3%, down from 4.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of OpenIAM Identity Governance is 1.3%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Identity Management (IM) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Microsoft Identity Manager2.3%
OpenIAM Identity Governance1.3%
Other96.4%
Identity Management (IM)
 

Featured Reviews

RameshKumar9 - PeerSpot reviewer
Consultant at IOM - UN Migration
Supports reliable identity management and custom policy design
Microsoft Identity Manager can be improved by integrating it with Entra ID as a SaaS application or by having a cloud-based connector, as it is currently limited to on-prem scenarios, and a combination of both would be a great solution compared to competitors such as SailPoint or One Identity Manager. While the initial setup of Microsoft Identity Manager is not completely complex, migrating or upgrading to a new version can be complex and requires multiple backups to ensure it goes smoothly.
SM
Lead Consultant at a security firm with 51-200 employees
Manages user identities and application access in a centralized way from a single console/portal
OpenIAM provides an Identity and Access Management platform which includes identity and access management (i.e., SSO, Multi-factor Authentication, password synchronization, and RBAC). Below are the features : Lower Cost of Implementation & Total Cost of Ownership: * OpenIAM uses tools, such as Groovy script to implement business rules, Grails to create new UI functionality, Activiti for workflow, PowerShell, etc. It also support web services. So it is important to find skilled technical resources readily and at reasonable cost in comparison to the large vendors, which use proprietary tools for developing custom connector or product customization as per business requirement. * OpenIAM is also based on Open Source technologies (i.e., JBoss, Apache, MySQL, CentOS), so Total Cost of Ownership is very low in comparison to other IAM products. * Compliance with standards simplifies integration. * Subscription-based license model. Ease of Use: OpenIAM offers a single unified Admin console and a single unified self-service portal for customers to use and manage the IAM suite (i.e. Identity Management, Access Management, and Multi-Factor Authentication). Modern Architecture: * Built from the ground up, not through acquisitions and proprietary technology. * SOA architecture * Cloud-enabled Enterprise Grade Product: Even though OpenIAM is based on Open Source technologies, it is: * Built on industry standards * Simplified integration * Uses established industry frameworks

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The feature that I find most valuable is the security layer of the identity and access management solution. The ability to secure on-premises and cloud-based workloads and to provide seamless authentication into hybrid workloads, which is also both on-premises and in cloud environments."
"The product’s most valuable feature is stability."
"Very powerful synchronization tool."
"The tool's only feature that is generating value for us is the login process for our clients."
"Microsoft Identity Manager's documentation is good, and its end-user portal is user-friendly."
"I would say that it's the best solution on the market and I would go ahead with it."
"I would recommend Microsoft Identity Manager to others anytime."
"What makes this solution attractive is the licensing model, as Microsoft Identity Manager is included in premium versions of Azure AD and in enterprise agreements such as E3, which makes the solution very attractive to many of our clients who are subscribed to those products."
"Customer support is very good and available in almost all time zones."
 

Cons

"The security could be slightly improved."
"Instead of using the connectors from the third-party companies, they should make the Microsoft templates available with this product. If Microsoft would increase the number of the box connectors that would be helpful to all the customers who use it daily."
"Microsoft Identity Manager can be improved by integrating it with Entra ID as a SaaS application or by having a cloud-based connector, as it is currently limited to on-prem scenarios, and a combination of both would be a great solution compared to competitors such as SailPoint or One Identity Manager."
"They have to improve the User Entity and Behavioral Analysis."
"In terms of scalability, they don't have a proper roadmap. It's one of the disadvantages of the solution and one of the reasons we're looking for an alternative."
"This product was only launched two or three years ago and it is still in the process of becoming stable."
"The information that is available for the Active Directory portal is segregated here and there."
"It requires a lot of improvements. Microsoft is killing this product and migrating some of the features to Azure AD."
"OpenIAM should improve the product/API documentation on portal which gives more flexibility to developers for product customization and connector development."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The prices can always be improved. I'd rate it a 4 out of 10 in terms of pricing."
"Microsoft Identity Manager comes with the premium or community license. If the customer doesn't have a premium license, the reseller who sells the licenses of Microsoft to the enterprise can extend the license for the client."
"The tool's price is low for my company."
"The solution is included in the Microsoft E3 license and premium subscriptions of Azure AD."
"When comparing the cost, Microsoft Identity Manager is the best solution because it is free if you have an Azure P2 license."
"MIM is free with a Microsoft Azure license."
"My rating for the pricing of Microsoft Identity Manager is average, neither too expensive nor too cheap."
"The solution is expensive."
Information not available
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Government
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Educational Organization
7%
University
14%
Construction Company
11%
Outsourcing Company
9%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business13
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise11
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Identity Manager?
Regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing of Microsoft Identity Manager, it has a couple of cloud connectors that can sync directly with the O365 admin center, which is good enough, but Entra I...
What needs improvement with Microsoft Identity Manager?
Microsoft Identity Manager could be improved in several areas. The solution uses a batching process that executes at scheduled times, which differs from other vendor solutions. It is missing capabi...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Identity Manager?
Microsoft Identity Manager is used primarily in the retail business. The implementation is enterprise-level within a national company, specifically at JCPenney, which is a large organization.
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Also Known As

MIM, Forefront Identity Manager, FIM, MS Identity Manager
OpenIAM, OpenIAM IGA
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Dow Chemical Company (Dow), Whole Foods Market
Citicorp, Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, Marsh and McLennan, SBC Warburg, GE Electric Insurance, Tata Communications, NettBuss, AMSCAN, Time Warner, MultiPlan, Stater Bros., County of Orange - California, TUI Hotels, NV Energy, EMCOR Group, Previred
Find out what your peers are saying about SailPoint, Microsoft, One Identity and others in Identity Management (IM). Updated: February 2026.
885,667 professionals have used our research since 2012.