What are Single Sign-On (SSO) Solutions?

Single sign-on (SSO) solutions are user authentication solution that helps companies secure access to business applications and assets. It does so while also providing end users with a convenient, easy-to-use portal that requires them only to sign in and authenticate once to access multiple corporate applications and resources. SSO solutions share authentication sessions between a trusted identity provider, which manages digital identities and applications. In practice, commonly, an identity provider requires the user to log in and authenticate; the identity provider then shares this authentication session with other applications by passing digitally signed tokens for the receiving application to verify that it is coming from a trusted provider before granting the user with access to the application. If the user identity token is accepted, the user is automatically granted access to the application. Companies use SSO software mainly to improve security and enhance the end-user sign-on experience, whether that be internal employees, end customers, or corporate business partners. SSO solutions also centralizes user access management, thus reducing the security management burden on administrators. Using an SSO solution, IT administrators can reduce or eliminate common time-consuming tasks like password resets. SSO products contain features that benefit both end users and administrators. For end users, this includes an easy-to-use user portal, intuitive authentication, and often a mobile application. For administrators, these solutions often include an identity directory or directory integrations, multiple multi-factor authentication (MFA) methods, audit features, and prebuilt application integrations. What Does SSO Stand For? SSO most commonly stands for single sign-on. The acronym SSO is less frequently used to describe same sign-on, which is different from single sign-on; same sign-on does not rely on trusted tokens, but rather credential sharing. Rarely, the acronym SSO is used to describe single sign-out. Other common acronyms people may encounter regarding SSO products include: FIM: federated identity management, of which SSO is a part IAM: identity and access management IdP: identity provider JWT: JSON Web Token, a protocol commonly used in business-to-consumer (B2C) SSO applications LDAP: lightweight directory access protocol, an open protocol used for directory services authentication MFA: multi-factor authentication OIDC: OpenID Connect, an authentication protocol OAuth: an open standard authentication protocol SAML: Security Assertion Markup Language, an open standard used for SSO solutions What Types of Single Sign-On (SSO) Solutions Exist? Business to employee (B2E) Companies use B2E SSO solutions to securely manage their employees’ access to corporate accounts, provide an easy-to-use user experience, and reduce user need for IT administrators services. Business to business (B2B) Companies use B2B SSO solutions to enable their business partners and corporate customers to best utilize the company’s services, using the partner or corporate customer’s preferred identity providers. Business to consumer (B2C) or customer identity and access management (CIAM) In B2C or CIAM use cases, customers are able to sign into other accounts and connect them to the business’ app to provide an SSO experience. Most commonly, customers authenticate using social media identity providers like Facebook or Google enabling them access to connected accounts.

What are the Common Features of Single Sign-On (SSO) Solutions?

The following are some core features within SSO solutions that can help users and administrators. User portal: User portals provide an intuitive, easy-to-use end-user interface. Mobile app: Many SSO solutions offer a mobile app for end users to both authenticate and access the SSO solution from their mobile devices. MFA methods: Most SSO providers offer multiple authentication methods to end users, from software or hardware token-based authentication, to mobile push, passwordless authentication, biometric authentication, or one-time passcodes (OTPs). Adaptive or contextual access: Some SSO software offers advanced authentication tools, such as adaptive or contextual access. Using machine learning to understand a user’s contextual use of the SSO product, such as location, IP address, time, and other real-time factors to create a user baseline profile. This profile is then used to determine anomalous access activity to prevent access when risk is deemed too high. Directory or integration: To assist with user provisioning and management, SSO solutions either integrate with standard directories, such as Microsoft Active Directory, LDAP-based directories, or Google Cloud Directory or offer their own cloud directories built into the SSO software. Prebuilt integration application catalog: SSO solutions commonly provide prebuilt integrations to widely used SaaS applications, which are available on an application catalog. Role management: SSO solutions assist administrators with user provisioning and assigning permissions based on user role for access control. Audit features: Audit features provide administrators audit logs to monitor user access.

What are the Benefits of Single Sign-On (SSO) Solutions?

Increases security: The main benefit of using an SSO solution is for securing user access to company applications and other resources through user authentication. Reduces password authentication risk: Since users must only sign in and authenticate once to access multiple applications, SSO solutions reduce the risks associated with poor password management and using only a single factor for authentication. Saves users time and frustration: SSO solutions reduce the number of logins end users such as employees or customers must remember and SSO solutions reduce user frustration when switching between multiple applications once authenticated. Saves administrators time and money: Users can access their accounts in one centralized location, reducing the number of calls to administrators for password resets, saving time and, therefore money on labor costs. Seamless experience across assets: SSO solutions reduce login friction for end users once authenticated and give them access to multiple accounts. Centralizes consumer profiles: SSO software consolidates end-user experiences in one tool to provide a centralized view of end-user or customer data.

Best Single Sign-On (SSO) Solutions: User Reviews from September 2026

Okta

Okta, Inc. is The World’s Identity Company™. We secure AI, machine, and human identity so everyone is free to safely use any technology. Our customer and workforce solutions empower businesses and developers to protect their AI agents, users, employees, and partners while driving security, efficiencies, and innovation. Learn why the world’s leading brands trust Okta for authentication, authorization, and more at okta.com.

Average Rating: 4.5/5.0

Total Reviews: 1,372

How Do G2 Users Rate Okta?

Has the product been a good partner in doing business?: 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.9/10)
Partner Access: 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
Ease of connecting applications: 9.1/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
Supports BYOD users: 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)

Who Is the Company Behind Okta?

Seller: Okta
Company Website:
Year Founded: 2009
HQ Location: San Francisco, California
Twitter: @okta
42,953 Twitter followers
LinkedIn® Page: www.linkedin.com
7,840 employees on LinkedIn®

Who Uses This Product?

Who Uses This: Software Engineer, Account Executive
Top Industries: Computer Software, Information Technology and Services
Company Size: 50% Medium, 39% Large

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About Okta?

AI-generated summary from verified user reviews

Pros

Users value the ease of use of Okta, appreciating its centralized authentication and simple setup process.
Users value the enhanced security provided by Okta, streamlining logins and supporting various security applications seamlessly.
Users value the strong SSO and MFA capabilities of Okta, which greatly enhance security and user experience.
Users love the efficiency of single sign-on in Okta, streamlining access and enhancing security effortlessly.
Users value the easy access provided by Okta, streamlining app logins and enhancing security across systems.

Cons

Users face authentication issues with Okta, including lockouts and complex setups that hinder smooth access.
Users face login issues with Okta, citing difficulties with repeated sign-ins and dependency on multi-factor authentication.
Users find Okta to be expensive, particularly due to high licensing costs that challenge smaller organizations' adoption.
Users find the initial setup and policy configuration complex with Okta, especially as user numbers grow.
Users find the frequent authentication process in Okta to be tedious, impacting their overall user experience.

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Okta?

"Streamlined, Reliable Identity Management with an Easy-to-Use UI"

Rating: 4.0/5.0 stars

— Eric P.

Product	Best for	User Review
Okta 4.5/5(1,399)	SSO with automated provisioning across SaaS	"Streamlined, Reliable Identity Management with an Easy-to-Use UI"
Rippling IT 4.7/5(1,147)	HR-integrated SSO with automated provisioning	"Rippling IT Makes Device Setup and Inventory Tracking Effortless"
JumpCloud 4.5/5(4,102)	Cloud directory SSO with cross-platform MDM	"Comprehensive Device and User Management Solution"
Microsoft Entra ID 4.5/5(912)	Microsoft ecosystem SSO with conditional access	"Entra ID P2 Makes Conditional Access and Security Policies Easy to Configure"
Cisco Duo 4.5/5(546)	MFA-enabled SSO with SAML flexibility	"Painless MFA with Clear Policy Enforcement"
1Password 4.6/5(1,814)	Team password vaults with granular access control	"Seamless, Simple Password Management Across Desktop and Mobile"
LastPass 4.5/5(2,093)	Password vault with secure credential sharing	"Seamless Cross-Platform Vaults, Easy Admin Console, and Strong Password Tools"
Auth0 4.3/5(277)	Developer-first SSO with extensible authentication workflows	"Auth0 Makes Secure Authentication Easy for a Beginner Developer"
Zscaler Private Access 4.5/5(136)	Zero Trust application access replacing VPNs	"Enhances Security but Needs Improved Admin Features"
Citrix Secure Private Access 4.5/5(71)	VPN-less SSO with zero-trust remote access	"Strong Security, Minor Connection Hiccups"

Best Single Sign-On (SSO) Software

How Many Single Sign-On (SSO) Solutions Products Does G2 Track?

Category Stats (Sep 2026)

How Does G2 Rank Single Sign-On (SSO) Solutions Products?

G2 Grid® for Single Sign-On (SSO) Solutions

How Do G2 Users Rate Okta?

Who Is the Company Behind Okta?

Who Uses This Product?

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About Okta?

Pros

Cons

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Okta?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About Okta?

How Do G2 Users Rate Rippling IT?

Who Is the Company Behind Rippling IT?

Who Uses This Product?

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About Rippling IT?

Pros

Cons

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Rippling IT?

How Do G2 Users Rate JumpCloud?

Who Is the Company Behind JumpCloud?

Who Uses This Product?

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About JumpCloud?

Pros

Cons

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of JumpCloud?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About JumpCloud?

How Do G2 Users Rate Microsoft Entra ID?

Who Is the Company Behind Microsoft Entra ID?

Who Uses This Product?

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About Microsoft Entra ID?

Pros

Cons

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Microsoft Entra ID?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About Microsoft Entra ID?

How Do G2 Users Rate Cisco Duo?

Who Is the Company Behind Cisco Duo?

Who Uses This Product?

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About Cisco Duo?

Pros

Cons

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Cisco Duo?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About Cisco Duo?

G2 Deal: Try 1Password for Free

How Do G2 Users Rate 1Password?

Who Is the Company Behind 1Password?

Who Uses This Product?

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About 1Password?

Pros

Cons

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of 1Password?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About 1Password?

How Do G2 Users Rate LastPass?

Who Is the Company Behind LastPass?

Who Uses This Product?

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About LastPass?

Pros

Cons

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of LastPass?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About LastPass?

How Do G2 Users Rate Auth0?

Who Is the Company Behind Auth0?

Who Uses This Product?

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About Auth0?

Pros

Cons

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Auth0?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About Auth0?

How Do G2 Users Rate Zscaler Private Access?

Who Is the Company Behind Zscaler Private Access?

Who Uses This Product?

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About Zscaler Private Access?

Pros

Cons

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Zscaler Private Access?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About Zscaler Private Access?

How Do G2 Users Rate Citrix Secure Private Access?

Who Is the Company Behind Citrix Secure Private Access?

Who Uses This Product?