Top Okta Alternatives in 2026

Okta is one of the leading identity and access management (IAM) platforms in the world, and is widely used for its single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and lifecycle management features. However, the costs associated with Okta aren’t always ideal, and many businesses either lack the funds or the resources to implement it. As a result, many organizations are now exploring Okta alternatives to reduce costs, improve flexibility, and integrate hybrid or specialized environments more seamlessly. In this guide, we’ll dive into some of the top alternatives to Okta in 2025!

What Is Okta and Why Is It Popular?

Okta is one of the premier cloud-based identity and access management (IAM) platforms in the world. Produced by Okta, Inc., Okta is a cloud-based application that securely connects verified users to any application on any of their devices. Okta manages user logins, access permissions, and identity security, ensuring that users who attempt to access applications or systems have verified access privileges, are routed into the correct systems, and can successfully perform business operations without worrying about data breaches or identity theft.

Okta is a popular identity provider (IdP) for a variety of businesses and corporate entities. It offers comprehensive zero-trust identity security with strong protection against unverified user access, enabling key functions such as MFA to reduce the likelihood of identity breaches. With Okta, users can access key systems quickly and easily without needing to log in multiple times. Okta can also automate the onboarding and offboarding of users into the system via centralized access commands.

Okta is highly-valuable because it is a cloud-based application, allowing it to effectively scale up and integrate with modern tech stacks. As a neutral application, Okta can work with a variety of programs and applications, including other IdPs and on-premises active directories. Okta provides users with a seamless and consistent login experience, and it can also be effectively backed up with failover protocols.

Why Companies Seek Okta Alternatives

While Okta is one of the world’s leading identity providers, many companies find themselves in a position where Okta is not a pragmatic or preferable service for their IAM systems. There are a few different reasons why Okta might not be the best system for your business: 

Common Limitations and Challenges

Many companies seek out alternatives to Okta due to Okta’s high costs, complexity, integration gaps, or more generalized features. Okta is often considered one of the more expensive IdP options, with basic starter plans often costing around $6 per user, per month. For businesses with many users, these prices are simply too high, and as a business grows, scaling up user protection can cause expenses to skyrocket.

Okta also presents issues due to its complexity. It can be challenging to set up and manage, requiring IT support or skills that some companies cannot invest in. While it can integrate with many systems, Okta is often not preferred by businesses who are already invested in competitor systems such as Microsoft. Finally, some of Okta’s features have notable gaps, and their tailoring towards generalized security may not be ideal for businesses in need of specialized security like advanced MFA or unified device/identity management.

What To Look for in an Okta Alternative

If your business is considering an alternative to Okta, there are a few key factors to consider. Firstly, you’ll want your alternative to have most or all of Okta’s existing features, including single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), user lifecycle management, and Role-Based Access Control (RBAC).

Another key feature to look for in an Okta alternative is compatibility with your existing systems. For example, if you use Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Salesforce, or AWS, you’ll want to ensure that your IdP can integrate with those systems. In the same vein, the IdP you choose must operate in accordance with any security and compliance regulations you follow, like SOC 2 or ISO 27001. Final features you will need to verify are your alternative’s ability to provide simple, intuitive login and user experience and its scalability and performance capacity.

Backup and Failover Solutions

Regardless of the Okta alternative you select, you’ll want to ensure backup or failover solutions. These solutions create a backup identity system that can kick in during an outage or malfunction of your primary IdP, allowing users to experience seamless login preservation without any visible interruptions. Failover can be created with a second IdP or a physical system like an active directory.

Comparison Overview: Okta vs. Competitors

Top Okta Alternatives

1. Microsoft Entra ID (Formerly Azure Active Directory)

Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) is an IdP produced by Microsoft. It is best for organizations using Microsoft 365 or Azure ecosystems as their primary operating system. Key Features of Entra ID include conditional access, MFA, identity protection, and integration with Intune.

Entra ID Pros: 

• Native to Microsoft stack
• Strong compliance support

Entra ID Cons:

• Limited custom integrations outside MS products

2. Ping Identity

Ping Identity is an IAM platform that is best for large enterprises that are in need of federated SSO across multiple merged or partner companies, rather than as a single corporate entity. Its key features include SSO, MFA, access management, and risk-based policies.

Ping Identity Pros:

• Hybrid-ready
• Strong policy controls

Ping Identity Cons:

• Complex setup for smaller IT teams

3. CyberArk Identity

CyberArk Identity is an IAM platform produced by CyberArk that is best for enterprises prioritizing privileged access management (PAM), where specific users are only granted access to certain systems. Key Features of CyberArk Identity include identity security, session auditing, and passwordless authentication.

CyberArk Identity Pros:

• Highly secure and audit-friendly

CyberArk Identity Cons:

• Premium pricing
• Advanced configuration required

4. JumpCloud

JumpCloud is a cloud-based IAM platform specifically designed for IT teams and managed service providers. It is generally best for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), as well as hybrid teams needing a cloud directory. Key Features of JumpCloud include Directory-as-a-Service (DaaS) for user management, SSO, MFA, and device management.

JumpCloud Pros:

• Cost-effective
• Integrates with Google and Microsoft

JumpCloud Cons:

• Limited advanced governance features

5. Duo Security

Duo Security is a security-first IAM platform with easy-to-use MFA and smart, risk-based tools aimed at minimizing friction for safe access. It is best for teams focused on strong authentication and device trust. Key Features of Duo Security include adaptive MFA, phishing protection, and endpoint visibility.

Duo Security Pros:

• Lightweight
• Easy to deploy

Duo Security Cons:

• Basic SSO and provisioning capabilities

6. OneLogin

OneLogin is a market-leading IAM platform produced by One Identity specifically aimed at businesses with 50+ employees. OneLogin is best for mid-sized enterprises needing balanced IAM, and its key features include SSO, MFA, provisioning, and directory sync.

OneLogin Pros:

• Clean admin interface
• Quick deployment

OneLogin Cons:

• Fewer integrations than Okta or Entra ID

7. SailPoint Identity Security

SailPoint Identity Security is a cloud-based IAM platform produced by SailPoint. It is best for enterprises requiring deep governance and compliance and has key features such as identity lifecycle management, certification workflows, and audit trails.

SailPoint Identity Security Pros:

• Excellent for regulated industries

SailPoint Identity Security Cons:

• Expensive and complex implementation

8. Keycloak (Open Source)

Keycloak is an open-source IAM solution that can centralize user authentication, authorization, and management across applications and services. As an open-source program, it is totally free, but training, engineering, and infrastructure costs will apply. Keycloak is best for developers needing customizable, self-hosted IAM and has key features such as SSO, OAuth2, SAML, OpenID Connect, and identity brokering.

Keycloak Pros:

• Fully free and open-source

Keycloak Cons:

• Requires in-house expertise and maintenance

9. miniOrange

Produced by miniOrange, miniOrange IAM is a world-class IAM and CIAM platform that is best for SMBs and niche ecosystems such as WordPress, Atlassian, and Salesforce. Key Features of miniOrange include SSO, MFA, directory integration, and user provisioning.

miniOrange Pros:

• Cost-effective and flexible

miniOrange Cons:

• UI less intuitive for large-scale enterprises

10. Rippling or Zluri (IAM + Automation Platforms)

Rippling and Zluri are IAM services that pair with automation platforms to provide security in tandem with critical business departments such as IT and HR. Rippling and Zluri are best for businesses seeking unified IT, HR, and identity management and offer key features like onboarding and offboarding automation, lifecycle management, and app access workflows.

Rippling and Zluri Pros:

• Automates access across HR and IT systems

Rippling and Zluri Cons:

• Focused more on IT automation than pure IAM

Choosing the Right Okta Alternative

Factors To Consider

In order to choose the right alternative to Okta, you’ll have to consider a number of factors related to your business’ needs and finances. The size and complexity of your organization are among the biggest factors to consider. If you run a small business, high-cost IdPs engineered to serve large enterprises with hundreds of users might not be best at first. On the other hand, if you are involved in a major corporation, IdPs that offer scalable plans for many users are best.

Also consider what security and compliance requirements you have to contend with. If you are regulated by the requirements of frameworks such as SOC 2 or ISO 27001, certain IdPs may not be available to you if they do not comply with these regulations.

Your integration ecosystem is also a key facet of your decision to pursue an Okta alternative. If your business operates primarily on Microsoft, AWS, Google, or custom apps, you will need an IdP that can effectively integrate with those systems. Your implementation and support needs will also be important, as IT support and installation/management fees will be added onto your costs in addition to flat fees for your IdP. Overall, your budget and licensing model will determine what IdP plans and features you can purchase and scale.

Decision Framework

To start the process of choosing an Okta alternative, you can follow this basic framework by considering the following categories:

Final Thoughts: Finding the Best Fit

While many different IdPs exist and provide comparable services to Okta, no single Okta alternative fits every business perfectly, just as Okta itself is often not the perfect IdP. Selecting the right solution for your organization depends on balancing security, scalability, and operational simplicity. Your needs will vary depending on your industry, your rate of growth, and your users, and there’s no guarantee that you’ll only ever use one IdP across the life of your business. Therefore, to get a good sense of which IdPs are best for you right now, consider evaluating the various tools out there through free trials or proof-of-concept deployments before committing to a full migration.