Azure AD (Entra ID) vs Okta
Identity management features, SSO, security, and which is best for enterprise authentication.
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Identity management features, SSO, security, and which is best for enterprise authentication.
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.
By Errin O'Connor, Founder & Chief AI Architect, EPC Group
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:
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:
Feature and pricing overview for 2026
| Category | Microsoft Entra ID | Okta |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| SSO | 3,500+ pre-integrated apps | 7,000+ OIN integrations |
| MFA | Authenticator, FIDO2, phone, SMS | Okta Verify, FIDO2, push, SMS |
| Zero Trust | Conditional Access + Defender + Intune | Adaptive MFA, ThreatInsight, FastPass |
| Identity Governance | Access reviews, PIM, entitlement mgmt | Okta Identity Governance (add-on) |
| M365 Integration | Native (required for M365) | Federation (adds complexity) |
| Compliance | SOC 2, HIPAA, FedRAMP, ISO 27001 | SOC 2, HIPAA, FedRAMP, ISO 27001 |
| Best For | Microsoft-centric, M365 orgs, Azure workloads | Multi-cloud, platform-agnostic, broad app diversity |
EPC Group Verdict: Entra ID is the best choice for organizations using the Microsoft security stack. It offers strong integration with:
This integration builds a defense-in-depth zero trust model that Okta cannot match without several third-party integrations.
Annual identity management costs
Mid enterprise (M365 E3)
if included in M365 E3
Large enterprise
with Entra ID
Large enterprise
with Entra ID
Entra ID is natively required for M365 and often included in E3/E5 licenses at zero incremental cost.
Native Azure resource access control, managed identities, and Azure security integration provide seamless cloud governance.
Defender, Intune, Sentinel, and Purview integrate natively with Entra ID for unified zero trust.
PIM, access reviews, entitlement management, and lifecycle workflows are built-in for regulated industries.
Okta is cloud-neutral, providing consistent identity across AWS, GCP, and Azure without favoring any platform.
Okta Integration Network (OIN) has 7,000+ pre-built integrations, valuable for heterogeneous SaaS environments.
Organizations not using M365 or Azure benefit from Okta as a standalone identity platform without Microsoft ecosystem dependency.
Okta Auth0 (Customer Identity Cloud) provides purpose-built CIAM alongside workforce identity in one platform.
Entra ID vs Okta identity management questions
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
EPC Group designs and implements enterprise identity solutions using Microsoft Entra ID, conditional access, and zero trust frameworks. Schedule a complimentary security assessment.
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:
Enterprise Azure architecture, deployment, and management including identity, security, and governance frameworks.
Deploy and manage Microsoft Entra ID with conditional access, PIM, identity governance, and zero trust architecture.
Implement enterprise Azure security with Defender, Sentinel, key vault management, and network security controls.
Harden your Microsoft 365 environment with security baselines, conditional access, DLP policies, and threat protection.
Implement data governance with Microsoft Purview for data classification, sensitivity labels, and compliance management.
Manage enterprise devices and applications with Intune MDM/MAM, compliance policies, and conditional access integration.
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Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) and Okta both offer enterprise SSO, MFA, and Zero Trust identity management.
Entra ID is better for:
Okta is better for:
Pricing, features, and TCO vary significantly at scale.
| Category | Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) | Okta |
|---|---|---|
| Primary strength | Microsoft 365 and Azure integration | Third-party app breadth and multi-cloud SSO |
| SSO app catalog | 3,500+ pre-integrated apps | 7,000+ pre-integrated apps |
| Zero Trust | Conditional Access, Identity Protection, PIM, Defender integration | Adaptive MFA, ThreatInsight, FastPass passwordless |
| Pricing (P1) | Entra ID P1: $6/user/month | Okta Workforce Identity: $2–$15/user/month by tier |
| Pricing (P2/advanced) | Entra ID P2: $9/user/month | Okta Enterprise: custom pricing |
| Microsoft 365 integration | Native — included with M365 licensing | Supported but requires configuration |
| Endpoint integration | Native with Intune and Defender for Endpoint | Partner integrations with third-party MDM/EDR |
| Governance | Entra ID Governance: access reviews, entitlement management, PIM | Okta Identity Governance (separate license) |
| Customer Identity | Entra External ID (B2C) | Okta Customer Identity (CIAM) |
For Microsoft 365 organizations, Entra ID P1 is often included in existing M365 licensing at no extra cost. It works seamlessly with:
However, Okta is a better choice for multi-cloud environments that lack a significant Microsoft investment.
Entra ID P1 costs $6 per user each month. Entra ID P2 costs $9 per user each month.
These plans are often part of Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 licenses.
Okta Workforce Identity pricing starts at about $2 per user each month for basic Single Sign-On (SSO). This cost can rise to more than $15 per user each month for advanced governance and lifecycle management.
Okta can manage SSO for Microsoft 365 apps. However, it cannot replace Entra ID for several key functions:
Most Microsoft 365 organizations use Entra ID as their main identity system, even if they incorporate Okta.
Entra ID offers enhanced Zero Trust integration specifically for Microsoft environments. Its Conditional Access feature evaluates over 200 signals. It also integrates seamlessly with:
While Okta's Adaptive MFA and ThreatInsight are effective for third-party app access, they do not provide native integration with Microsoft security.
Both solutions meet the requirements of HIPAA, SOC 2, FedRAMP, and GDPR. Entra ID offers a compliance advantage for organizations using Microsoft Purview. The features that come directly from Entra ID through the Microsoft compliance stack include:
In contrast, Okta requires separate integration for these controls.
Talk to a senior Microsoft identity architect about Entra ID or IAM strategy. Call (888) 381-9725 or request a 30-minute discovery call.
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.
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