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IdP comparison

Okta vs Entra ID.
Neutrality vs gravity.

The most common identity bake-off in the enterprise: the neutral specialist against the ecosystem default. Here is how they actually differ — and the deployment question neither of them can answer.

Okta

The independent identity leader: a vendor-neutral cloud IdP with the largest third-party integration network and a product for nearly every workforce identity need.

Strengths
  • Vendor-neutral — treats every app and cloud equally
  • 7,000+ app integration network with deep SAML/SCIM coverage
  • Mature admin experience and documentation
  • Broad product family across workforce and customer identity
Considerations
  • SaaS-only — no self-hosted option for sovereignty requirements
  • Per-user pricing with a $1,500 annual minimum; costs stack per SKU
  • Governance (OIG) and privileged access (OPA) are separate paid products
  • Your identity plane depends on a third-party cloud’s availability

Microsoft Entra ID

Microsoft’s identity platform (formerly Azure AD): the default choice for Microsoft-centric estates, bundled into M365 licensing with deep Windows and Azure integration.

Strengths
  • Effectively included with M365 E3/E5 licensing many orgs already own
  • Deep integration with Windows, Azure, and Office
  • Strong conditional access engine
  • Hybrid story with on-prem Active Directory
Considerations
  • Optimized for the Microsoft ecosystem — third-party depth varies
  • Full capabilities require P2 / E5 tiers and add-ons
  • Complex licensing matrix across P1, P2, Governance, and Suite add-ons
  • Non-Microsoft legacy apps often need extra tooling
Side by side

Dimension by dimension.

Deployment model
Okta
SaaS only
Microsoft Entra ID
SaaS (hybrid via AD Connect)
Monofor
Self-hosted or SaaS — same product
Third-party app catalog
Okta
7,000+ (OIN)
Microsoft Entra ID
Large, Microsoft-first depth
Monofor
7,000+ pre-built
MFA incl. passkeys
Okta
Yes
Microsoft Entra ID
Yes
Monofor
Yes
Conditional / adaptive access
Okta
Yes
Microsoft Entra ID
Yes — strong
Monofor
Yes
Identity governance
Access reviews, certification
Okta
Separate SKU (OIG)
Microsoft Entra ID
P2 / Governance add-on
Monofor
Included
Privileged access management
Okta
Separate SKU (OPA)
Microsoft Entra ID
PIM (Azure-centric)
Monofor
Full PAM in platform (Monopam)
Legacy protocol bridges
RADIUS, LDAP, header-based apps
Okta
Partial
Microsoft Entra ID
Partial (via Azure services)
Monofor
RADIUS + LDAP + access gateway included
Vendor neutrality
Okta
High
Microsoft Entra ID
Microsoft-centric
Monofor
High
Pricing
Okta
From ~$6/user/mo + $1,500 min; per-SKU stacking
Microsoft Entra ID
Bundled / P1 / P2 tiers + add-ons
Monofor
From $4/user/mo, support included
Data sovereignty control
Okta
Regional cloud tenants
Microsoft Entra ID
Regional cloud tenants
Monofor
Full — runs in your infrastructure
Comparison based on publicly available information as of July 2026. Okta and Microsoft Entra ID are trademarks of their respective owners; Monofor is not affiliated with or endorsed by either. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

Choose Okta if…

  • Your stack is genuinely multi-vendor and you want an identity plane with no ecosystem agenda.
  • Best-of-breed SaaS integration depth matters more than bundle economics.
  • You are comfortable with SaaS-only identity and per-SKU pricing.

Choose Microsoft Entra ID if…

  • Your estate is Microsoft-first and E3/E5 licensing is already budgeted.
  • Windows, Azure, and Office integration outweigh third-party depth.
  • Hybrid AD continuity is a hard requirement.
The third option

Or take the neutrality
without giving up your infrastructure.

Monosign is vendor-neutral like Okta, with a 7,000+ app catalog — and it deploys self-hosted in your own datacenter or cloud tenant, which neither Okta nor Entra ID offers. Governance and privileged access ship in the same platform instead of as add-on SKUs, from $4 per user per month.

Self-hosted or cloud — the sovereignty answer SaaS-only IdPs can’t give
IGA and PAM included, not separate SKUs
Federates with Entra ID and consumes Okta during migration
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FAQ

Common questions.

Okta vs Entra ID — which should we choose?
If your estate is Microsoft-first and E3/E5 licensing is already on the table, Entra ID is hard to beat economically. If you run a heterogeneous stack and want an identity plane that treats every vendor equally, Okta’s neutrality and integration network are its case. The trade-offs are cost stacking on Okta’s side and ecosystem gravity on Microsoft’s.
Where does Monofor fit into this comparison?
Monofor keeps Okta-style vendor neutrality and a comparable app catalog, then adds what neither offers together: a self-hosted deployment option for sovereignty-bound organizations, plus governance and full PAM included in the same platform rather than sold as separate SKUs.
Can Monofor coexist with Entra ID?
Yes — this is common. Entra ID stays as the Microsoft ecosystem directory while Monosign federates with it and handles the rest: non-Microsoft SaaS, legacy web apps via the access gateway, VPNs via RADIUS, and appliances via LDAP. You keep E3 value without forcing everything through one vendor.
What about migrating away from Okta?
Monosign consumes Okta as an upstream IdP during transition, so apps move one at a time with no sign-in disruption. Directory sync keeps both sides consistent until cutover, and per-user pricing without an annual minimum typically lands materially below an equivalent Okta stack.

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