Google Cloud Identity & Access Management (IAM) Reviews & Product Details

Google Cloud IAM provides strong, flexible access control across Google Cloud resources, and it makes it easier to implement least-privilege security at scale. The role-based permissions model is clear, and the option to assign predefined or custom roles at the project, folder, or organization level gives teams the control they need without overexposing access. It also integrates smoothly with Google Cloud Identity and service accounts, enabling secure access for both users and workloads. Overall, the auditability and consistent behavior across services make it a dependable foundation for managing cloud security. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

As environments scale, IAM policies can become increasingly complex to manage and troubleshoot, particularly when permissions are inherited across organization, folder, and project levels. Figuring out why a user does (or doesn’t) have access can take more digging than you’d expect, since the effective permissions aren’t always obvious at first glance. The tools themselves are solid, but keeping permissions clean and consistent over the long term typically depends on strong governance, clear naming conventions, and ongoing review and maintenance processes. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What I like most about Google Cloud IAM is the clean, intuitive simplicity of its resource hierarchy. Unlike other cloud providers where permissions can quickly turn into a tangled web, Google’s model of Organizations, Folders, and Projects makes it much easier to manage access at scale. I especially like that I can define a high-level policy at the Folder level—for example, for a “Production” environment—and then have those permissions automatically and consistently inherited by every project underneath it. This inheritance model saves me a huge amount of manual configuration and helps reduce the chance of human error.

I also find the AI-driven IAM Recommender to be a real boost to my security posture. It’s reassuring to have something that proactively reviews my actual usage patterns and flags opportunities to remove over-privileged access. Instead of guessing whether a service account has more permissions than it needs, I can rely on clear guidance on how to reach least privilege without breaking my applications. That kind of proactive support makes it feel like I have a security expert keeping an eye on things, helping me keep my environment both lean and secure. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

One of my biggest frustrations is how complex it is to manage Custom Roles when the predefined roles don’t quite fit. Google offers hundreds of predefined roles, but they’re often either too broad or missing one specific permission I need. When I have to create a custom role, I’m forced to sift through thousands of granular permissions (for example, compute.instances.get vs compute.instances.list), which quickly becomes dizzying and time-consuming. If I miss even one small permission, an entire deployment can fail with a cryptic error message that isn’t always straightforward to debug.

I also dislike how troubleshooting permission issues can feel like a “black box.” Even with the Policy Troubleshooter, I still run into cases where a “Permission Denied” error pops up and it takes far too long to figure out whether the root cause is an IAM policy, an Organization Policy constraint, or a service-specific firewall rule. And while the policy management interface looks clean, it can feel sluggish in large organizations with thousands of service accounts and members, which makes searching and filtering more cumbersome than it should be. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What I like best is the fine-grained control over resource-level permissions. Unlike other platforms that offer broad access, Google IAM allows us to apply the principle of least privilege very precisely—down to individual storage buckets or VM instances—ensuring high security without blocking developer productivity. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

The platform has a steep learning curve and can feel unnecessarily complex for smaller projects. The way permissions are inherited through the Organization, Folder, and Project hierarchy is powerful but makes it easy to accidentally over-provision or lose track of 'who has access to what' without a dedicated security architect. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I use Google Cloud IAM to manage access and permissions in Google Cloud. It helps me control who can do what with cloud resources. I appreciate the role-based access control, which is very useful and gives clear visibility into permissions. It lets me give each user only the permissions they need, so I don’t have to worry about someone accidentally changing important settings. It also makes team management easier, especially with many users. I find it very easy to get started with Google Cloud IAM. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

The interface can be confusing for new users. Setting up custom roles is a bit complicated. Sometimes permissions overlap and cause unexpected access issues. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

The most appealing aspect of Google Cloud IAM, in my experience, is its simplicity. It’s very easy to decide who has access, and to what. Permissions are inherited in a way that stays clear and predictable, so nothing feels confusing. The ready-made roles are thoughtfully designed, and in most cases you won’t need to build anything yourself.

Service accounts are also handled properly. Passwords and keys are no longer required, and the auditing is strong—you can always see who did what and when. Even at a global scale, it still feels safe and manageable. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What I dislike about the Google Cloud IAM service is how confusing it is at the beginning.

There are too many roles with similar names, and it’s hard to tell which one is the right fit. On top of that, the permissions are essentially hidden inside the roles, so you often have to dig around just to understand what level of access is actually being granted.

Even small discrepancies can turn into major access problems, and sometimes something will break for no obvious reason. The UI also isn’t very beginner-friendly, so you end up flipping back and forth trying to make sense of the access. Overall, the power of IAM can’t be overstated, but it comes with a steep learning curve. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I like how Google Cloud Identity & Access Management (IAM) allows me to manage who can access what across a global cloud setup, without things getting messy or risky. It lets me give teams the access they need, key permissions, consistently across regions and environments. The resource hierarchy helps set access consistently across a global setup, and the ability to provide people with only what they need through granular roles is valuable. I also find it practical for managing application security with service accounts instead of using shared credentials. Additionally, the setup was relatively okay for me because there were sufficient tutorials and resources available that helped me quickly understand how the system operates. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

It can become complex quite quick at scale, especially understanding permissions across the hierarchy. Custom roles are powerful but time-consuming to design and maintain. Some kind of AI could be very useful to help with this, potentially to support and assist. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I find Google Cloud Identity & Access Management (IAM) revolutionary for storing my personal and professional data, including audio, video, and files. It's an incredible tool for keeping my important information secure and accessible on the cloud. I appreciate the ease of access and use it offers, as well as the strong security features that help me maintain security and prevent unauthorized access to my data. This security aspect is a key feature for me, allowing me to store my information without worries. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I think sometimes the user interface becomes a little complicated for users who are not that tech-savvy. Easing the user interface would really enable all users to get the best use of it. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I like that Google Cloud Identity & Access Management (IAM) provides predefined roles specifically designed for healthcare data, which is impressive. I also find the Policy Troubleshooter useful in operations for addressing permission errors. Instead of guessing which permissions might be missing, I can simply use the email of the person and the resource they are trying to access to troubleshoot the issue. Additionally, if the team already uses Google Workspace, the initial setup is almost automatic, which makes it easier to get started. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

The interface can be dense. Navigating through hundreds of permissions feels like learning a second language. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I really like how Google Cloud Identity & Access Management (IAM) helps provide security and aids in auditing the cloud environment. It's great for ensuring the principle of least privilege. Its user-friendly environment makes it very easy to manage, and defining roles and access for various users is straightforward. The ability for administrators to easily set up the environment is also a huge plus. The whole setup is quite intuitive, allowing me to quickly create users, and set up privileges and resources from the dashboard. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

It should work on integrating with on-premises systems and other security systems like Windows Security and Linux Security System. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Google Cloud IAM provides strong and flexible access control with detailed permissions, role-based access, and good integration across Google Cloud services. It helps manage users and resources securely while keeping audit logs and compliance tracking easy. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

The main downside is that it can feel complex and confusing at first, especially because there are so many roles and permission settings to navigate. Troubleshooting access issues can sometimes take a while, and the UI and overall permission structure aren’t always very beginner-friendly. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.