Okta and Microsoft Entra ID are the strongest picks for workforce identity at scale, covering SSO, MFA, directory sync, and lifecycle control in one platform. Duo and Google Cloud Identity give small teams the lowest cost entry point, with Duo Free for up to 10 users and Cloud Identity Free for up to 50 users. Auth0 is the best fit for customer facing apps, with a free tier up to 25,000 monthly active users and Essentials from $35 per month.
We compared 7 options for best cloud identity software. Each profile below lists the price, free plan, pros and cons as published by the company.
On this page
Best cloud identity software: comparison table
Swipe the table sideways on a phone to see every column.
| # | Name | Best for | Starting price | Free plan / trial | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Okta | Workforce SSO and MFA at scale | $6 per user/month | Free trial | Visit |
| 2 | Microsoft Entra ID | Microsoft 365 and Azure shops | quote only | Yes | Visit |
| 3 | JumpCloud | Directory plus device management | quote only | Free trial (30 days) | Visit |
| 4 | OneLogin | Mid size workforce identity | quote only | No | Visit |
| 5 | Auth0 | Customer facing login and signup | $35 per month | Yes | Visit |
| 6 | Duo | Simple MFA and SSO for small teams | $3 per user/month | Yes | Visit |
| 7 | Google Cloud Identity | Google Workspace organisations | quote only | Yes | Visit |
The 7 best best cloud identity software tools, in detail
Okta
Best for: Workforce SSO and MFA at scale
Okta is a cloud identity platform built around single sign-on, multi-factor authentication, and a universal directory. The Starter plan lists at $6 per user per month and covers SSO, universal directory, and core access management. Essentials rises to $17 per user per month and adds lifecycle management and more workflow capacity.
- Professional and Enterprise plans are quoted, and they add endpoint security, identity threat protection, and governance features.
- The strength of Okta is breadth.
- Its integration catalog covers thousands of cloud apps, so most teams can connect the tools they already use without custom work.
- Admins can set sign-on policies, enforce MFA, and automate joiner, mover, and leaver steps.
Pros
- Broad catalog of prebuilt app integrations
- Adaptive MFA and lifecycle automation on higher tiers
Cons
- Advanced security features sit behind higher tiers and add-ons
- Starter limits Workflows to 5 flows
Microsoft Entra ID
Best for: Microsoft 365 and Azure shops
Microsoft Entra ID is the identity service behind Microsoft 365 and Azure, and it was formerly known as Azure Active Directory. The Free edition is included with Microsoft cloud subscriptions and covers user and group management, MFA through security defaults, unlimited SaaS SSO, and basic reports. P1 adds Conditional Access, hybrid identity, dynamic groups, and self-service password reset with writeback.
- P2 adds ID Protection and Privileged Identity Management, while the Entra Suite bundles governance with network access.
- The main reason to choose Entra ID is fit.
- If a team already runs Microsoft 365, many users already have an Entra ID Free account, and P1 is included in Microsoft 365 E3 and Business Premium, w
- That bundling can remove a separate identity purchase entirely.
Pros
- Deep fit with Microsoft 365, Azure, and Intune
- Conditional Access and hybrid identity on P1
Cons
- List prices are not shown in the pricing page text, so buyers must check the Microsoft store flow
- full governance needs the Suite or add-ons
JumpCloud
Best for: Directory plus device management
JumpCloud is a cloud directory platform that combines user identity with device management. It covers SSO, MFA, directory services, and endpoint controls from one admin console, which suits teams without an on-premises Active Directory server. The platform supports Windows, Mac, and Linux devices, and it can sync with HR systems and other directories.
- A 30-day free trial is offered with full function, and premium support is included during the trial period.
- The appeal of JumpCloud is consolidation.
- Instead of running a separate directory, a separate MFA tool, and a separate device manager, a small IT team can run all three from one place.
- That matters most for teams of 10 to 500 people with mixed device fleets and a mix of cloud apps.
Pros
- Directory, device management, SSO, and MFA in one console
- 30-day trial with full function
Cons
- The public pricing page does not show list prices in the page text, so buyers must check inside the console
- suspended users still count as billable per the pricing FAQ
OneLogin
Best for: Mid size workforce identity
OneLogin is a workforce identity platform from One Identity that covers SSO, MFA, directory sync, and lifecycle management. Every plan includes SSO with unlimited SAML and OIDC, a cloud directory, password policy management, and prebuilt integrations from the OneLogin app catalog. MFA adds TOTP and hardware tokens, OneLogin Protect, email and SMS factors, and WebAuthn biometric factors including Windows Hello and Touch ID.
- The platform stands out for lifecycle control.
- Automated user provisioning and deprovisioning, custom attributes, entitlement mappings, and admin approval workflows help IT teams keep access correc
- HR-driven identity syncs with Workday, UKG, Namely, and BambooHR, and role-based access control is included in the HR-driven identity feature set.
- SmartFactor adds risk-based authentication, policy-driven access denial, and compromised credential checks on Business and Enterprise plans.
Pros
- Wide SSO and MFA feature set with passkeys and WebAuthn
- HR-driven provisioning with Workday, UKG, Namely, and BambooHR
Cons
- No public starting price on the pricing page, so budgeting needs a sales quote
- SmartFactor needs higher plans plus SSO and MFA
Auth0
Best for: Customer facing login and signup
Auth0, part of Okta, is a customer identity platform for apps and APIs. The Free plan costs $0 per month for up to 25,000 monthly active users and includes passwordless authentication, unlimited social connections, brand customization, basic attack protection, and 5 organizations. Essentials costs $35 per month for up to 500 monthly active users and adds pro MFA, role-based access control per organization, and standard support.
- Professional costs $240 per month and adds enterprise MFA, custom database connections, and enhanced attack protection.
- Auth0 is built for developers and product teams rather than internal IT.
- It handles login, signup, social login, passkeys, and machine-to-machine tokens, and it offers Actions and Forms for custom login flows.
- The platform supports separate production and development environments from Essentials upward, and log streaming to Datadog, Splunk, AWS, and Azure.
Pros
- Free tier covers up to 25,000 monthly active users
- passwordless, social login, and passkeys included
Cons
- Log retention is 1 day on Free and 5 days on Essentials
- enterprise MFA and adaptive MFA need higher plans or add-ons
Duo
Best for: Simple MFA and SSO for small teams
Duo, from Cisco, is an identity security product built around MFA, SSO, and device trust. Duo Free costs $0 per user per month for up to 10 users and includes strong MFA, the Duo Mobile authenticator app, and core integrations. Duo Essentials costs $3 per user per month and adds Duo Directory, phishing-resistant MFA, complete passwordless authentication, SSO, Trusted Endpoints, and unlimited applications.
- Advantage costs $6 per user per month and adds risk-based authentication, session theft protection, and Cisco Identity Intelligence.
- Duo is the easiest option on this list to start with.
- A small team can turn on MFA in minutes, add the Duo Mobile app, and protect core apps without running a directory project.
- The 30-day free trial applies to the listed editions, and plans can be changed at any time.
Pros
- Free edition for up to 10 users
- Essentials adds SSO and phishing-resistant MFA at $3 per user per month
Cons
- Full device trust and VPN-less access need the $9 Premier edition
- Duo is MFA-first, so directory depth is thinner than full identity platforms
Google Cloud Identity
Best for: Google Workspace organisations
Google Cloud Identity is the identity layer behind Google Workspace and Google Cloud. It comes in two editions: Free and Premium. The Free edition covers core identity and endpoint management for users who do not need Google Workspace services such as Gmail and Google Calendar, and it increases the user cap by 50.
- The Premium edition adds enterprise security, application management, and device management, including secure LDAP, automated user provisioning, and c
- The Free edition is genuinely useful.
- It includes basic directory management, unlimited organizational units and groups, Google Cloud Directory Sync from Active Directory or LDAP, 2-Step V
- Premium adds advanced and enterprise endpoint management, mobile device certificates, device log events, and BigQuery export of log events.
Pros
- Free edition covers core directory and endpoint management
- Premium adds secure LDAP, context-aware access, and automated provisioning
Cons
- Premium pricing is not shown on the editions page, so buyers must check Google billing docs
- some Security Center features are not in Premium
How we chose
We opened each vendor pricing page on 2026-11-12 and took the starting price from that page, writing quote only where the page did not show a list price in the page text. We then checked the vendor docs and plan pages for the feature set, the free plan limits, and the real limits that became the cons in each block. We compared the tools on SSO, MFA, directory depth, lifecycle automation, device control, and fit for workforce or customer users. We did not claim hands-on testing, and we did not use review scores, awards, or customer counts. Prices can change, so check the pricing URL for each tool in Sources before buying.
Pick by team size and budget
| Team size | First pick | Monthly cost at that size | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 10 users | Duo Free | $0 | Free MFA and authenticator app for up to 10 users |
| 11 to 50 users | Google Cloud Identity Free | $0 | Free directory and endpoint management for up to 50 users |
| 25 users | Duo Essentials | $75 | $3 per user per month, with SSO and phishing-resistant MFA |
| 100 users | Okta Starter | $600 | $6 per user per month, with SSO and universal directory |
| 500 monthly active users | Auth0 Essentials | $35 | Flat monthly price for customer login at that volume |
| 201 to 1,000 users | Microsoft Entra ID P1 or Okta Essentials | quote only for Entra, $17 per user per month for Okta Essentials | Conditional Access or lifecycle automation at scale |
| Over 1,000 users | Okta Enterprise or Entra Suite | quote only | Governance, threat protection, and network access in one contract |
Frequently asked questions
What is cloud identity software?
Cloud identity software is a hosted service that controls who can sign in to apps and what they can reach after signing in. It stores user accounts and groups, runs single sign-on and multi-factor authentication, and applies access rules based on role, device, and risk. It replaces an on-premises directory server for most teams, and it connects cloud apps, on-premises apps, and devices through standard protocols such as SAML, OIDC, and LDAP.
Which cloud identity software is best for a small business?
Duo and Google Cloud Identity are the best starting points for a small business. Duo Free covers up to 10 users at no cost, and Essentials adds SSO and phishing-resistant MFA at $3 per user per month. Google Cloud Identity Free covers core directory and endpoint management for up to 50 users. Both can be set up quickly, and both let a small team add stronger controls later without changing the identity provider.
Is Okta or Microsoft Entra ID better?
The answer depends on the stack a team already runs. Okta fits teams with many different apps and a need for a neutral identity layer, with Starter at $6 per user per month and a broad integration catalog. Entra ID fits teams that run Microsoft 365 and Azure, since Free is included with Microsoft cloud subscriptions and P1 is included in Microsoft 365 E3 and Business Premium. Teams on Google Workspace will usually prefer Google Cloud Identity instead.
Does cloud identity software replace Active Directory?
It can replace Active Directory for cloud-first teams, but not for every team. JumpCloud, Okta, and Entra ID can act as the main directory for users, groups, and cloud app access, and they sync with Active Directory where a hybrid setup is needed. Teams that run legacy on-premises apps, Group Policy, or complex Windows domain services may still need Active Directory alongside a cloud identity tool, with sync between the two.
What does Auth0 cost for a small app?
Auth0 Free costs $0 per month for up to 25,000 monthly active users, which covers many small apps. Essentials costs $35 per month for up to 500 monthly active users and adds pro MFA, role-based access control, and standard support. Costs rise with active users, so model growth before choosing a plan.
Sources
- https://www.okta.com/
- https://www.okta.com/pricing/
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/business/microsoft-entra
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/business/microsoft-entra-pricing
- https://jumpcloud.com/
- https://jumpcloud.com/pricing
- https://www.onelogin.com/
- https://www.onelogin.com/product/pricing
- https://auth0.com/
- https://auth0.com/pricing
- https://duo.com/
- https://duo.com/pricing
- https://cloud.google.com/identity
- https://cloud.google.com/identity/docs/editions
Prices and features were read on each company’s own website in November 2026. They change often, so confirm the current offer on the official site before you sign up or buy.