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CyberArk Identity vs Microsoft Entra External ID comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 27, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
7.8
CyberArk Identity users report cost savings and time efficiency, ensuring security and long-term value, despite metric unfamiliarity.
Sentiment score
4.3
Users faced challenges with Microsoft Entra External ID but saved costs and time compared to traditional, on-premises solutions.
I have seen over 30% return on investment due to the improvement in operational efficiencies through automation, which enhances productivity.
It has led to cost savings as well as time savings because I can use a single solution for all applications.
Companies can leverage it for setting up external identities without needing to develop their own solutions.
In terms of return on investment, prior to using this product, our company managed our own mail server with all internal authentication happening on premises, resulting in a ROI in the thousands every year.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.6
CyberArk Identity's customer service receives mixed reviews, citing both quick resolutions and areas needing improvement in expertise and service quality.
Sentiment score
4.3
Microsoft Entra External ID support varies; response times, documentation, and regional differences affect user satisfaction and solution accessibility.
They resolved the problem immediately after I reported it, on the same day, within one hour.
They charge reasonable money for the features they provide.
There are times when there is a delay in handling my inquiries via email.
Companies without a Microsoft license for Entra ID or Azure portal cannot add Azure AD B2C, creating logistical issues for some of my clients who are unable to evaluate the platform.
The support for business applications, infrastructure support, and Entra has been mostly positive with highly skilled technicians.
The documentation is very thorough, reducing the need for support.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.9
CyberArk Identity is praised for its scalability, ease of expansion, and superior adaptability, outperforming many competitors in diverse environments.
Sentiment score
7.0
Microsoft Entra External ID offers scalable security for large enterprises, with distinct policies and strong performance despite some latency issues.
We can use it on different phones and computers, demonstrating its scalability.
This is one of EID's weak points compared to Azure AD B2C, which offers customizable authentication options, including attribute and password combinations.
End-user workloads experience increased latency in a cloud environment compared to on-premises resources.
Microsoft Entra External ID is quite scalable, and I would rate its scalability between eight and nine out of ten.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.2
CyberArk Identity is highly reliable, offers 99.9% SLA stability, and receives positive user ratings for stability from seven to nine.
Sentiment score
5.7
Microsoft Entra External ID is highly stable, reliable, and smooth, with minor rare issues, and positive user feedback.
We no longer have our data infiltrated by unauthorized persons, and tracking actions within the system has become very easy.
When you have it in the cloud, you have CyberArk every time you need it.
With respect to stability, I find that stability is very good.
I'd rate the stability of the Microsoft Entra External ID as a 10.
The stability of this solution is very good.
I have not encountered any stability issues with Microsoft Entra External ID.
 

Room For Improvement

CyberArk Identity requires improvements in mobile management, user interface, integrations, scalability, cloud migration, support response, usability, and pricing.
Microsoft Entra External ID needs improved support, integration, pricing, security, UI, and customization for medium-sized businesses.
Integration or deployment is extremely difficult for CyberArk Identity.
There's a need to enhance network performance.
Something they could improve is the management of multifactor authentication.
This is particularly challenging during enterprise agreement renewals, as it's difficult for customers to review costs leading to lengthy negotiations.
Enhanced customizable login options and the ability to use attribute password logins are critical features that are required for Microsoft Entra External ID to gain dominance in the authentication market.
I would like to see a more detailed alert system that provides a summary of why alerts are generated, who is generating them, and the reasons behind it.
 

Setup Cost

CyberArk Identity's pricing is higher but justified by comprehensive features, making it ideal for enterprise needs.
Microsoft Entra External ID pricing is complex, potentially costly, but scalable, benefiting from Azure expertise and existing subscriptions.
Regarding pricing, it can be quite a lot for small companies.
The pricing is acceptable.
If I am not going fully cloud, there are additional resources I will need to purchase, such as spinning more VMs or acquiring an HSM device to encrypt the vault.
Regarding pricing, the cost seems high for single sign-on, especially for external applications like Oracle.
Microsoft's pricing is complex and difficult to fathom due to a range of different licensing options.
The cost can be a factor for Microsoft Entra External ID, but in general, it offers a scalable and efficient solution compared to deploying individual solutions.
 

Valuable Features

CyberArk Identity enhances security with SSO, MFA, and integrations, offering robust identity governance and protection for privileged accounts.
Microsoft Entra External ID enhances security, management, and user experience through integration, single sign-on, and adaptive authentication features.
It impacts zero trust security strategies. It prevents lateral movements in the organization.
It is the most powerful access management system.
Being able to integrate CyberArk Identity with Microsoft Defender is valuable.
It is crucial for hybrid environments, especially for integrating existing on-site infrastructures with cloud-based Active Directory, such as in Office 365 implementations.
EID unifies workforce users with external business partners, which is a very strong feature.
Microsoft's reliability in providing a clear roadmap for the solution is very important, especially at a time when cybersecurity is a risk in every company.
 

Categories and Ranking

CyberArk Identity
Ranking in Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM)
7th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
24
Ranking in other categories
Authentication Systems (9th), Identity Management (IM) (9th), Authorization Software (3rd), Enterprise Password Managers (8th), User Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) (9th), Access Management (5th), Active Directory Management (8th), Cloud Resource Access Management (3rd)
Microsoft Entra External ID
Ranking in Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM)
4th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
5.8
Number of Reviews
13
Ranking in other categories
Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) (9th), Microsoft Security Suite (21st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) category, the mindshare of CyberArk Identity is 3.8%, up from 3.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Entra External ID is 7.9%, up from 3.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM)
 

Featured Reviews

Julio Montero - PeerSpot reviewer
Access management system provides strong security and effortless user authentication
The solution can be deployed on cloud or on-premises. CyberArk is more on the cloud than on local hardware. The deployment is initially quite difficult. That said, when you are doing the implementation of CyberArk, there are so many tutorials that make the learning process very easy. The only complaint could be the language barrier. It's difficult if you don't have a very good level of English. Otherwise, it is very easy. You can have it set up within three months without much difficulty. It's hard to get started, however, once you get going, it gets easier. A full deployment takes half a year or less. There is some maintenance necessary. A company is constantly hiring and letting go of employees. The access is always changing, so access must always be adjusted. Or, if we need another law of filter, we would need to add those, or even take them away. That's another aspect of maintenance.
Corrado Vigano - PeerSpot reviewer
Solution integrates well with existing systems while being easy to use
The fact that it is quite integrated into the entire Microsoft environment makes it quite easy to use. Furthermore, Microsoft's reliability in providing a clear roadmap for the solution is very important, especially at a time when cybersecurity is a risk in every company. The solution is easy to reuse and not difficult to find expertise for in the market because it is widespread. It is gaining attention even from partners and from the market on the offering side. This serves as a good starting point for customers who can develop internal competence on the solution. Additionally, the presence of reliable partners who know the solution and can provide internal knowledge is the best aspect for them.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
14%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Healthcare Company
6%
Computer Software Company
17%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about CyberArk Identity?
The integration capabilities, ability to integrate CyberArk into the overall IBB strategy of our current clients.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for CyberArk Identity?
The pricing is acceptable. It is worth considering what we are protecting with the amount charged.
What needs improvement with CyberArk Identity?
Some areas experience slowness based on the workload. There's a need to enhance network performance despite the good user experience with access management.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Entra External ID?
Concerning the pricing or setup costs for Microsoft Entra External ID, based on my experience with Entra and 365 in general, it shouldn't require a whole education on their software. That's been a ...
What needs improvement with Microsoft Entra External ID?
I haven't utilized the adaptive authentication feature. We haven't used the customization capability for user journeys within the Microsoft Entra External ID. I don't have experience trying to crea...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Entra External ID?
I'm more familiar with the Microsoft Entra External ID, the Active Directory external identities, because we have a hybrid environment. For the parts that I handle, the on-premise part is easier fo...
 

Also Known As

Idaptive
Azure Active Directory External Identities
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

MLB, Citi, Pfizer, SulAmerica, GE Capital, Shiseido
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about CyberArk Identity vs. Microsoft Entra External ID and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
865,295 professionals have used our research since 2012.