Compare Tools
Side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right tool for your organisation.
Microsoft Entra ID
Microsoft
Okta
Okta
Tagline
Cloud identity and access management (formerly Azure Active Directory)
Identity-first security and SSO platform
Category
Identity & Access
Identity & Access
Importance
★★★★★
★★★★☆
UK Pricing
Free tier included with M365. Entra ID P1 (~£5.10/user/mo), P2 (~£7.70/user/mo). P1 included in M365 Business Premium.
Workforce Identity from ~£2/user/mo (basic SSO). Customer Identity (CIAM) separate pricing.
Target Size
Any size using Microsoft 365
50+ users, especially with mixed SaaS environments
Pros
- Foundation of the Microsoft security stack — required for Conditional Access
- P1 included in M365 Business Premium
- Seamless SSO across thousands of SaaS apps
- Self-service password reset reduces helpdesk load
- Privileged Identity Management (P2) for just-in-time admin access
- Vendor-neutral — works across Microsoft, Google, AWS, and any SAML/OIDC app
- Excellent user lifecycle management (provisioning/deprovisioning)
- Advanced MFA options including FIDO2/passkeys
- Strong developer API for custom integrations
- Okta Workflows (no-code automation) for identity processes
Cons
- P2 features (PIM, Identity Protection) require expensive E5 or separate P2 licence
- Hybrid environments (on-prem AD sync) add complexity
- Conditional Access policies require careful design to avoid user lockouts
- Guest B2B access management can become complex at scale
- Rebranding from Azure AD causes documentation confusion
- More expensive than Entra ID P1 for Microsoft-heavy environments
- 2022 security breach damaged trust (since remediated)
- Overlaps with Entra ID if you're already on M365 — can cause confusion
- Lifecycle management setup requires significant initial configuration
- Customer support quality mixed for smaller accounts
Cyber Essentials
Access ControlUser Authentication
Access ControlUser Authentication
Integrations
Microsoft IntuneMicrosoft 365 AppsMicrosoft Defender XDROkta (federation)Salesforce
Microsoft 365 / Entra ID (federation)Google WorkspaceSalesforceSlackAWS IAM
Why Use It
Entra ID is non-negotiable if you're on Microsoft 365. It's the identity backbone that makes Conditional Access, Intune compliance policies, and Defender signals all work together. Without properly configured Entra ID, your other Microsoft tools are significantly weaker.
Okta excels when your organisation is not all-in on Microsoft, or when you need strong identity governance across a diverse SaaS portfolio. Its Workflows feature can automate complex onboarding/offboarding processes that would otherwise require custom scripting.