# Microsoft Entra ID vs PingFederate Comparison
---
## AI Generated Summary
- **G2 reviewers report** that Microsoft Entra ID excels in user experience, particularly with its intuitive layout and easy-to-understand areas. Users appreciate how this design has significantly reduced training time for staff when making configuration changes, making it a strong choice for organizations looking for a user-friendly interface.
- **Users say** that Microsoft Entra ID's implementation process is straightforward, with many highlighting the ease of initial setup once the agent is installed. This contrasts with PingFederate, where some users have noted that while it is easy to configure connections, the overall onboarding experience can be less seamless.
- **Reviewers mention** that Microsoft Entra ID offers robust security features, including single sign-on and multi-factor authentication, which are crucial for organizations managing hybrid environments. This capability is often cited as a key advantage over PingFederate, which, while also secure, does not receive the same level of praise for its security features.
- **According to verified reviews** , PingFederate shines in its technical support and ease of configuring identity provider (IDP) and service provider (SP) connections. Users have expressed satisfaction with the support they receive for IAM-related issues, making it a reliable option for organizations that prioritize ongoing assistance.
- **G2 reviewers highlight** that Microsoft Entra ID has a significantly higher volume of recent reviews, indicating a more active user base and up-to-date feedback. This suggests that potential buyers can expect a more current perspective on the product's performance compared to PingFederate, which has fewer recent reviews.
- **Users report** that while both products have similar scores for ease of setup, Microsoft Entra ID's overall user satisfaction is higher, as reflected in its G2 Score. This suggests that users find it not only easy to set up but also more effective in meeting their needs in day-to-day operations.



| | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **Star Rating** | 4.5 out of 5 | 4.6 out of 5 | 
| **Total Reviews** | 903 | 33 | 
| **Largest Market Segment** | Mid-Market (40.0% of reviews) | Enterprise (77.8% of reviews) | 
| **Entry Level Price** | Free | No pricing available | 

---
## Top Pros & Cons

### Microsoft Entra ID

Pros:
- Ease of Use (129 reviews)
- Security (122 reviews)

Cons:
- Complexity (56 reviews)
- Expensive (53 reviews)

### PingFederate

Pros:
- Customer Support (1 reviews)
- Ease of Implementation (1 reviews)

Cons:
- Missing Features (1 reviews)
- Security Concerns (1 reviews)

---
## Ratings Comparison
| Rating | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
  | **Meets Requirements** | 9.2 (708 reviews) | 9.4 (18 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Use** | 8.8 (713 reviews) | 8.5 (18 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Setup** | 8.6 (436 reviews) | 8.6 (15 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Admin** | 8.8 (394 reviews) | 8.1 (13 reviews) | 
  | **Quality of Support** | 8.7 (648 reviews) | 8.9 (18 reviews) | 
  | **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?** | 9.0 (381 reviews) | 8.7 (15 reviews) | 
  | **Product Direction (% positive)** | 9.4 (688 reviews) | 9.3 (17 reviews) | 

---
## Pricing

### Microsoft Entra ID

#### Entry-Level Pricing

Plan: Azure Active Directory Free

Price: Free

Description: The free edition of Azure AD is included with a subscription of a commercial online service such as Azure, Dynamics 365, Intune, Power Platform, and others.

Key Features:
- Partially Included: Authentication, single sign-on and multifactor authentication (MFA)
- Partially Included: Applications Access
- Partially Included: Authorization and Conditional Access

[Browse all 4 editions](https://www.g2.com/products/microsoft-entra-id/pricing)

#### Free Trial

Yes

### PingFederate

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

No information available

---
## Features Comparison By Category

### Single Sign-On (SSO)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Microsoft Entra ID** | 8.9/10 | 269 |
| **PingFederate** | 8.8/10 | 20 |

#### Authentication Options

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **Authentication User experience** | 9.1 (237 reviews) | 8.9 (16 reviews) | 
| **Supports Required Authentication systems** | 8.9 (206 reviews) | 8.7 (15 reviews) | 
| **Multi-Factor Authentication** | 9.3 (224 reviews) | 9.1 (16 reviews) | 
| **Supports Required Authentication Methods/Protocols** | 8.8 (209 reviews) | 9.2 (16 reviews) | 
| **Federation/SAML support (idp)** | 8.8 (178 reviews) | 9.0 (15 reviews) | 
| **Federation/SAML support (sp)** | 8.9 (165 reviews) | 9.1 (15 reviews) | 

#### Access Control Types

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **Endpoint access** | 8.9 (202 reviews) | 8.9 (16 reviews) | 
| **Local Access** | 8.9 (196 reviews) | 8.8 (16 reviews) | 
| **Remote Access** | 9.0 (198 reviews) | 8.9 (15 reviews) | 
| **Partner Access** | 8.8 (173 reviews) | 8.7 (15 reviews) | 
| **Supports BYOD users** | 8.8 (172 reviews) | 8.8 (13 reviews) | 

#### Administration

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **Ease of installation on server** | 8.9 (195 reviews) | 8.6 (15 reviews) | 
| **Password Policy Enforcement** | 9.0 (204 reviews) | 8.9 (16 reviews) | 
| **Administration Console** | 8.8 (217 reviews) | 8.6 (15 reviews) | 
| **Ease of connecting applications** | 8.7 (214 reviews) | 8.4 (16 reviews) | 
| **Self Service Password Administration** | 9.0 (200 reviews) | 8.9 (14 reviews) | 

#### Platform

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **Multiple Operating system support** | 8.8 (177 reviews) | 8.8 (15 reviews) | 
| **Multi-Domain Support** | 8.9 (174 reviews) | 8.5 (16 reviews) | 
| **Cross Browser support** | 9.0 (192 reviews) | 8.7 (15 reviews) | 
| **Fail over protection** | 8.8 (169 reviews) | 8.6 (16 reviews) | 
| **Reporting** | 8.9 (188 reviews) | 8.8 (15 reviews) | 
| **Auditing** | 8.7 (187 reviews) | 8.4 (15 reviews) | 
| **Third Party Web Services support** | 8.7 (166 reviews) | 8.9 (14 reviews) | 

### User Provisioning and Governance Tools

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Microsoft Entra ID** | 8.9/10 | 91 |
| **PingFederate** | 8.7/10 | 9 |

#### User on/off Boarding

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **Self Service Access requests** | 8.9 (72 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.6 (7 reviews) | 
| **Smart/Automated Provisioning** | 8.7 (75 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.6 (7 reviews) | 
| **Role Management** | 9.1 (82 reviews) ✓ Verified | 9.2 (8 reviews) | 
| **Policy Management** | 9.2 (82 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.8 (8 reviews) | 
| **Access Termination** | 9.0 (80 reviews) ✓ Verified | 9.0 (7 reviews) | 
| **Approval Workflows** | 8.9 (71 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.8 (7 reviews) | 

#### User Maintenance

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **Self Service Password Reset** | 9.0 (77 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.6 (7 reviews) | 
| **Bulk Changes** | 8.5 (74 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.3 (7 reviews) | 
| **Bi-directional Identity Synchronization** | 8.7 (73 reviews) ✓ Verified | 7.6 (7 reviews) | 

#### Governance

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **Identifies and Alerts for Threats** | 8.9 (79 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.8 (7 reviews) | 
| **Compliance Audits** | 8.9 (74 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.6 (7 reviews) | 

#### Administration

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **Reporting** | 8.8 (80 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.8 (7 reviews) | 
| **Mobile App** | 8.4 (67 reviews) ✓ Verified | 9.4 (6 reviews) | 
| **Ease of set up for target systems** | 8.9 (82 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.3 (7 reviews) | 
| **APIs** | 8.9 (74 reviews) ✓ Verified | 9.4 (6 reviews) | 

### Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Microsoft Entra ID** | 8.4/10 | 212 |
| **PingFederate** | N/A | N/A |

#### Authentication type

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **SMS-Based** | 8.1 (160 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Voice-Based Telephony** | 7.3 (141 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Email-Based** | 8.5 (155 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Hardware Token-Based** | 7.9 (140 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Software Token** | 8.8 (162 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Biometric Factor** | 8.7 (162 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Mobile-Push** | 8.9 (170 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Risk-Based Authentication** | 8.5 (151 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Functionality

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **Multi-Device Sync** | 8.9 (170 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Backup** | 8.6 (166 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Implementation

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **Easy Setup** | 8.8 (192 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Mobile SDK** | 8.2 (144 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Web SDK** | 8.1 (132 reviews) | Not enough data | 

### Cloud Directory Services

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Microsoft Entra ID** | 8.8/10 | 202 |
| **PingFederate** | N/A | N/A |

#### Access Control

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **Role Management** | 9.1 (177 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Access Termination** | 8.7 (166 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Remote Access** | 8.8 (159 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Partner Access** | 8.6 (152 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Administration

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **Smart/Automated Provisioning** | 8.6 (160 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Policy Management** | 8.7 (174 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **On-premise identity repositories supported** | 8.7 (159 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Ease of Connecting Applications** | 8.7 (166 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Functionality

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **SSO** | 9.1 (180 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Multi-Factor Authentication** | 9.2 (183 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Supports Required Authentication systems** | 9.0 (163 reviews) | Not enough data | 

### Privileged Access Management (PAM)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Microsoft Entra ID** | 9.1/10 | 102 |
| **PingFederate** | N/A | N/A |

#### Administration

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **Policy, User, and Role Management** | 9.3 (89 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Approval Workflows** | 8.8 (83 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Automated Provisioning** | 9.0 (87 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Bulk Changes** | 8.6 (84 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Centralized Management** | 9.4 (90 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Self-Service Access Requests** | 9.1 (87 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Functionality

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **Multi-Factor Authentication** | 9.5 (87 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Single Sign-On** | 9.4 (90 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **BYOD support** | 9.1 (77 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Password Vault** | 8.9 (82 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Centralized management** | 9.3 (87 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Role-based security** | 9.3 (88 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Live notifications** | 9.0 (85 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Live session recording & playback** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 
| **Hide passwords** | 9.1 (81 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Temporary, time-limited privilege** | 9.2 (81 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Monitoring

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **Audit Logging** | 9.2 (88 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Activity Logging** | 9.2 (88 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Anomaly Detection** | 9.0 (83 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Reporting

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **Audit log** | 9.1 (85 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Reporting** | 9.2 (83 reviews) | Not enough data | 

### Passwordless Authentication

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Microsoft Entra ID** | 8.5/10 | 120 |
| **PingFederate** | N/A | N/A |

#### Functionality

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **FIDO2-compliant** | 8.7 (86 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Works with hardware security keys** | 8.8 (93 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Multiple authentication methods** | 9.1 (113 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Offline or no-phone solution** | 7.6 (100 reviews) | Not enough data | 

### Identity and Access Management (IAM)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Microsoft Entra ID** | 9.0/10 | 313 |
| **PingFederate** | N/A | N/A |

#### Functionality

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **User provisioning** | 9.0 (245 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Password manager** | 8.7 (199 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Single Sign-on** | 9.3 (268 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Enforces policies** | 8.9 (263 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Authentication** | 9.3 (257 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Multi-factor authentication** | 9.3 (260 reviews) | Not enough data | 

####  Type

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **On-premises solution** | 8.6 (206 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Cloud-solution** | 9.3 (242 reviews) | Not enough data | 

####  Reporting

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **Tracking** | 8.8 (211 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Reporting** | 8.8 (220 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Access & Permission Change Reporting** | 9.7 (12 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Compliance & Audit Trail Export** | 8.6 (14 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Authentication & Authorization - Identity and Access Management (IAM)

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **Adaptive & Contextual Access Control** | 9.2 (30 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Administration & Governance - Identity and Access Management (IAM)

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **Identity Lifecycle Management** | 9.4 (22 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Self‑Service Account Management** | 9.3 (12 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Generative AI - Identity and Access Management (IAM)

| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **AI‑Driven Access Anomaly Detection** | 8.3 (12 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Automated Policy Tuning** | 8.5 (9 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Predictive Role Recommendations** | 9.2 (8 reviews) | Not enough data | 

---
## Categories
**Shared Categories (2):** [User Provisioning and Governance Tools](https://www.g2.com/categories/user-provisioning-and-governance-tools), [Single Sign-On (SSO) Solutions](https://www.g2.com/categories/single-sign-on-sso)

**Unique to Microsoft Entra ID (5):** [Passwordless Authentication Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/passwordless-authentication), [Cloud Directory Services](https://www.g2.com/categories/cloud-directory-services), [Privileged Access Management (PAM) Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/privileged-access-management-pam), [Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/multi-factor-authentication-mfa), [Identity and Access Management (IAM) Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/identity-and-access-management-iam)



---
## Reviewer Demographics

### By Company Size

| Segment | Microsoft Entra ID | PingFederate | 
|---|---|---|
| **Small-Business** | 23.1% | 7.4% | 
| **Mid-Market** | 40.0% | 14.8% | 
| **Enterprise** | 36.9% | 77.8% | 

### By Industry

#### Microsoft Entra ID

- **Information Technology and Services:** 26.1%
- **Computer Software:** 9.6%
- **Computer & Network Security:** 6.5%
- **Financial Services:** 4.5%
- **Hospital & Health Care:** 2.6%
- **Higher Education:** 2.5%
- **Banking:** 2.2%
- **Automotive:** 1.8%
- **Retail:** 1.8%
- **Management Consulting:** 1.6%
- **Other:** 40.8%

#### PingFederate

- **Information Technology and Services:** 22.2%
- **Pharmaceuticals:** 11.1%
- **Computer Software:** 11.1%
- **Computer & Network Security:** 7.4%
- **Airlines/Aviation:** 3.7%
- **Banking:** 3.7%
- **Environmental Services:** 3.7%
- **Health, Wellness and Fitness:** 3.7%
- **Hospital & Health Care:** 3.7%
- **Industrial Automation:** 3.7%
- **Other:** 25.9%

---
## Alternatives

### Alternatives to Microsoft Entra ID

- [JumpCloud](https://www.g2.com/products/jumpcloud/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (3933 reviews)
- [CyberArk Workforce Identity](https://www.g2.com/products/cyberark-workforce-identity/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (130 reviews)
- [OneLogin](https://www.g2.com/products/onelogin/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (290 reviews)
- [Okta](https://www.g2.com/products/okta/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (1220 reviews)
- [Cisco Duo](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-duo/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (510 reviews)
- [IBM Verify CIAM](https://www.g2.com/products/ibm-verify-ciam/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (183 reviews)
- [1Password](https://www.g2.com/products/1password/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (1767 reviews)
- [Ping Identity](https://www.g2.com/products/ping-identity/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (112 reviews)
- [Auth0](https://www.g2.com/products/auth0/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (259 reviews)
- [LastPass](https://www.g2.com/products/lastpass/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (2023 reviews)

### Alternatives to PingFederate

- [Okta](https://www.g2.com/products/okta/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (1220 reviews)
- [Symantec SiteMinder](https://www.g2.com/products/symantec-siteminder/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (24 reviews)
- [JumpCloud](https://www.g2.com/products/jumpcloud/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (3933 reviews)
- [LastPass](https://www.g2.com/products/lastpass/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (2023 reviews)
- [Cisco Duo](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-duo/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (510 reviews)
- [1Password](https://www.g2.com/products/1password/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (1767 reviews)
- [Rippling IT](https://www.g2.com/products/rippling-it/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (1074 reviews)
- [NordPass Business](https://www.g2.com/products/nordpass-business/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (641 reviews)
- [Keeper Password Manager](https://www.g2.com/products/keeper-password-manager/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (1193 reviews)
- [Dashlane Password Manager](https://www.g2.com/products/dashlane-password-manager/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (622 reviews)

---
## Top Discussions

### Microsoft Entra ID

- Title: [How good is Microsoft authenticator app?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-good-is-microsoft-authenticator-app) — 4 comments
  > **Top comment:** "excellent and well trusted"
- Title: [Can Microsoft authenticator app be hacked?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/can-microsoft-authenticator-app-be-hacked) — 3 comments
  > **Top comment:** "Microsoft Authenticator is mostly second part in two factor authentication & then also code is also refreshed every 30 second or notification with limited..."
- Title: [Which is better Google Authenticator or Microsoft authenticator?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/which-is-better-google-authenticator-or-microsoft-authenticator) — 3 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "Microsoft Authenticator "
- Title: [Is Azure Active Directory SaaS or PaaS?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-azure-active-directory-saas-or-paas) — 2 comments
  > **Top comment:** "Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) is primarily a SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) offering provided by Microsoft as a cloud-based identity and access management..."
- Title: [What is Microsoft Azure Active Directory used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-microsoft-azure-active-directory-used-for) — 1 comment, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "It is a cloud-based identity and access management service  designed by Microsoft to help organizations manage and secure user identities and access to..."

### PingFederate

No discussions available for this product.

---
**Source:** [G2.com](https://www.g2.com) | [Comparison Page](https://www.g2.com/compare/microsoft-entra-id-vs-ping-identity-pingfederate)