Skip to main content

EPC Group — founded in 1997, headquartered in Houston, a Microsoft Solutions Partner holding all six solutions designations — publishes this guide.

AZURE Ad vs Okta is a frequent enterprise comparison question. EPC Group helps Fortune 500 organizations evaluate platforms, score against compliance and total cost of ownership requirements, and select the right Microsoft-ecosystem fit. Microsoft enterprise consulting experience since 1997.

Key Facts

  • Enterprise platform selection methodology covers TCO, compliance, scalability, and integration footprint.
  • EPC Group has delivered 1,500+ Power BI deployments and 6,500+ SharePoint implementations.
  • Compliance-native delivery across HIPAA, SOC 2, FedRAMP, FINRA, CMMC, and GxP.
  • Free platform-selection consultation available.
  • Microsoft Solutions Partner with experience across core current designations.
  • Senior architect named on every engagement Statement of Work.

Last updated by Errin O'Connor, Founder & Chief AI Architect, EPC Group

Executive Summary

Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) is the better choice for over 75% of enterprises. Many organizations already use Microsoft 365. Entra ID comes with M365 subscriptions and provides smooth integration within the Microsoft ecosystem.

It also provides strong zero trust capabilities through:

  • Conditional access
  • Defender
  • Intune integration

Okta is a leading identity solution that works across different platforms. It offers the largest app integration catalog, featuring over 7,000 applications.

This makes it an ideal choice for:

  • Multi-cloud organizations with limited Microsoft investment
  • Enterprises that need to manage identity across diverse technology stacks

Quick Comparison: Entra ID vs Okta

Feature and pricing overview for 2026

CategoryMicrosoft Entra IDOkta
Pricing
Free tier included with M365
P1: $6/user/mo
P2: $9/user/mo
SSO: $2/user/mo
MFA: $3/user/mo
Enterprise: $9-$15/user/mo
SSO3,500+ pre-integrated apps 7,000+ OIN integrations
MFA Authenticator, FIDO2, phone, SMSOkta Verify, FIDO2, push, SMS
Zero Trust Conditional Access + Defender + IntuneAdaptive MFA, ThreatInsight, FastPass
Identity Governance Access reviews, PIM, entitlement mgmtOkta Identity Governance (add-on)
M365 Integration Native (required for M365)Federation (adds complexity)
ComplianceSOC 2, HIPAA, FedRAMP, ISO 27001SOC 2, HIPAA, FedRAMP, ISO 27001
Best ForMicrosoft-centric, M365 orgs, Azure workloadsMulti-cloud, platform-agnostic, broad app diversity

Detailed Feature Analysis

Zero Trust & Conditional Access

Microsoft Entra ID

  • Conditional Access policies evaluate 200+ signals including device compliance (Intune), location, risk level, client app, and session controls to make real-time access decisions.
  • Identity Protection uses ML-based risk detection for sign-in risk and user risk, automatically blocking or requiring step-up authentication for risky sessions.
  • Privileged Identity Management (PIM) provides just-in-time privileged access, access reviews, and role activation workflows for administrative accounts.
  • Microsoft Defender integration correlates identity signals with endpoint, email, and cloud app threat intelligence for unified zero trust enforcement.

Okta

  • Adaptive MFA adjusts authentication requirements based on context (device, location, network, behavior) with configurable risk policies.
  • ThreatInsight leverages Okta's network-wide threat intelligence to block malicious authentication attempts before they reach your tenant.
  • FastPass provides passwordless, phishing-resistant authentication using device-bound credentials for a seamless user experience.
  • Limited endpoint correlation: Okta partners with third-party EDR/MDM tools rather than providing native endpoint security integration.

EPC Group Verdict: Entra ID is the best choice for organizations using the Microsoft security stack. It offers strong integration with:

  • Conditional Access
  • Defender
  • Intune
  • Sentinel

This integration builds a defense-in-depth zero trust model that Okta cannot match without several third-party integrations.

Total Cost of Ownership

Annual identity management costs

500 Users

Mid enterprise (M365 E3)

Entra ID P1

  • Often included in M365 E3
  • Standalone: $36,000/yr
  • Incremental: $0 (if M365 E3)

Okta Enterprise

  • SSO + MFA + Lifecycle: $54,000-$90,000/yr
  • Still need Entra ID for M365
  • Total: $54,000 - $90,000/yr
Save 100%

if included in M365 E3

Most Common

2,000 Users

Large enterprise

Entra ID P2

  • Included in M365 E5
  • Standalone: $216,000/yr
  • Incremental: $0 (if M365 E5)

Okta Enterprise

  • Full suite: $216,000-$360,000/yr
  • Plus Entra ID still needed
  • Total: $216,000 - $360,000/yr
Save 40-100%

with Entra ID

10,000 Users

Large enterprise

Entra ID P2

  • EA pricing available
  • $540,000 - $1,080,000/yr

Okta Enterprise

  • Volume pricing negotiated
  • $900,000 - $1,800,000/yr
Save 40-60%

with Entra ID

When to Choose Entra ID

You use Microsoft 365

Entra ID is natively required for M365 and often included in E3/E5 licenses at zero incremental cost.

Azure is your cloud platform

Native Azure resource access control, managed identities, and Azure security integration provide seamless cloud governance.

Microsoft security stack is deployed

Defender, Intune, Sentinel, and Purview integrate natively with Entra ID for unified zero trust.

Identity governance is critical

PIM, access reviews, entitlement management, and lifecycle workflows are built-in for regulated industries.

When to Choose Okta

Multi-cloud or platform-agnostic strategy

Okta is cloud-neutral, providing consistent identity across AWS, GCP, and Azure without favoring any platform.

Broadest app integration needed

Okta Integration Network (OIN) has 7,000+ pre-built integrations, valuable for heterogeneous SaaS environments.

Minimal Microsoft investment

Organizations not using M365 or Azure benefit from Okta as a standalone identity platform without Microsoft ecosystem dependency.

Workforce Identity + Customer Identity

Okta Auth0 (Customer Identity Cloud) provides purpose-built CIAM alongside workforce identity in one platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

Entra ID vs Okta identity management questions

Is Azure AD (Entra ID) better than Okta?

Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) is better for organizations using Microsoft 365, Azure, and the Microsoft security ecosystem. It provides native integration with Teams, SharePoint, Intune, Defender, and 3,500+ pre-integrated SaaS apps. Okta is better for multi-cloud, platform-agnostic organizations that need a vendor-neutral identity solution with best-in-class app integration breadth (7,000+ pre-built integrations). For Microsoft-centric enterprises, Entra ID offers 40-60% lower TCO.

How much does Azure AD cost compared to Okta?

Microsoft Entra ID Free is included with every Microsoft 365 subscription. Entra ID P1 costs $6/user/month and P2 costs $9/user/month. Okta SSO starts at $2/user/month, MFA at $3/user/month, and Lifecycle Management at $4/user/month. For equivalent enterprise features (SSO + MFA + conditional access + governance), Entra ID P2 at $9/user/month compares to Okta at $9-$15/user/month, but Entra ID is often already included in Microsoft 365 E3/E5 licenses.

Can Okta replace Azure AD for Microsoft 365?

Okta can serve as the primary identity provider (IdP) for Microsoft 365 through federation, but this adds complexity and cost. Azure AD/Entra ID is natively required for Microsoft 365 licensing and management. Using Okta as the IdP for M365 creates a dual-identity situation that increases administration overhead. For organizations heavily invested in Microsoft 365, using Entra ID as the primary IdP is simpler and more cost-effective. Okta can manage SSO for Microsoft 365 apps, but it cannot replace Entra ID for Conditional Access on Azure services, Intune device compliance policies, Defender integration, or Entra ID Governance workflows.

Which has better zero trust capabilities?

Microsoft Entra ID has deeper zero trust capabilities when combined with the Microsoft security ecosystem (Defender, Intune, Sentinel, Purview). Conditional Access policies can evaluate device compliance, location, risk level, and application sensitivity. Okta offers strong zero trust through its Adaptive MFA, ThreatInsight, and FastPass, plus broader third-party security integration. For Microsoft-centric security stacks, Entra ID zero trust is more comprehensive.

Does Okta have better app integration than Azure AD?

Okta has the broadest pre-built app catalog with 7,000+ integrations and the Okta Integration Network (OIN). Entra ID supports 3,500+ pre-integrated apps plus custom app registration. For common enterprise SaaS apps (Salesforce, Workday, ServiceNow, etc.), both platforms provide excellent integration. Okta advantage is in the long tail of niche applications. For Microsoft apps (Teams, SharePoint, Power BI, Azure), Entra ID integration is native and superior.

Which is better for compliance: Entra ID or Okta?

Both platforms hold major compliance certifications (SOC 2, ISO 27001, FedRAMP). Microsoft Entra ID has an advantage for organizations needing integrated compliance through Microsoft Purview (data governance), Microsoft Defender (threat protection), and Sentinel (SIEM). Entra ID also supports HIPAA BAAs through Microsoft enterprise agreements. Okta provides compliance through its own certifications plus partner integrations for governance.

How do Entra ID and Okta compare for customer identity (CIAM)?

Okta Customer Identity (CIAM), the Auth0-based Customer Identity Cloud, is more mature for customer-facing identity needs than the Microsoft equivalent, Entra External ID (B2C). Okta offers workforce identity and customer identity in one platform.

Need Help with Identity & Access Management?

EPC Group designs and implements enterprise identity solutions using Microsoft Entra ID, conditional access, and zero trust frameworks. Schedule a complimentary security assessment.

Schedule Security Assessment View All Services

About the Author

Errin O'Connor is the Founder and Chief AI Architect at EPC Group. He has since 1997 of experience in enterprise consulting.

Errin has created identity and access management architectures for Fortune 500 companies in various sectors, including:

  • Healthcare
  • Financial services
  • Government

Related Resources

Azure Cloud Services

Enterprise Azure architecture, deployment, and management including identity, security, and governance frameworks.

Microsoft Entra ID Enterprise Guide

Deploy and manage Microsoft Entra ID with conditional access, PIM, identity governance, and zero trust architecture.

Azure Security Best Practices

Implement enterprise Azure security with Defender, Sentinel, key vault management, and network security controls.

Microsoft 365 Security Best Practices

Harden your Microsoft 365 environment with security baselines, conditional access, DLP policies, and threat protection.

Microsoft Purview Data Governance Guide

Implement data governance with Microsoft Purview for data classification, sensitivity labels, and compliance management.

Microsoft Intune Endpoint Management

Manage enterprise devices and applications with Intune MDM/MAM, compliance policies, and conditional access integration.

Related guides and articles

Microsoft Entra ID inside the broader Azure platform

Okta has strong universal directory depth, but Microsoft Entra ID is not just an IdP — it is the identity plane the rest of the Microsoft platform binds to: Azure Arc registers hybrid resources against it, Azure Bicep and Azure Resource Manager templates reference its role assignments, Microsoft Defender for Cloud scores its conditional-access posture, Azure Monitor consumes its sign-in logs, Azure Front Door enforces its policies at the edge, and Azure Kubernetes Service uses its workload identity. That platform binding is the dimension Okta cannot match natively.

MAKING THIS CALL FOR YOUR ORG?

Have a senior architect pressure-test your decision — free, 30 minutes.

We've implemented both sides of this comparison. Get the answer for YOUR environment, not the generic one.

How we workEngagement CharterIs EPC Group the right fit?Case studies, named and classified
G2 Leader — seven consecutive quartersSix Microsoft Solutions Partner DesignationsSince 1997, Microsoft-Only

Related reading

AI assistant — not a human