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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
5.0
Many users find CyberArk Identity valuable for saving time, enhancing security, fostering efficiency, and yielding beneficial returns.
Sentiment score
4.0
Organizations saved time and costs with Microsoft Entra External ID, despite varied productivity impacts and integration learning curves.
I have seen over 30% return on investment due to the improvement in operational efficiencies through automation, which enhances productivity.
Private Wealth Advisor at Arima Fund Limited
It has led to cost savings as well as time savings because I can use a single solution for all applications.
Associate Director Automation at Dubai Holding
Companies can leverage it for setting up external identities without needing to develop their own solutions.
Lead Enterprise Architect at DigyCorp
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.
Network Security Administrator at a retailer with 51-200 employees
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.4
CyberArk Identity's customer service is generally effective but faces criticism for response delays and expertise inconsistencies.
Sentiment score
4.9
Microsoft Entra External ID support experiences are mixed, with praise for knowledgeable staff but concerns about continuity and accessibility.
They resolved the problem immediately after I reported it, on the same day, within one hour.
Access Management Analyst at Telefónica
They respond immediately when requests are raised, and they are always available for priority one tickets.
Lead Identity Engineer at a tech vendor with 501-1,000 employees
I received prompt responses and support, which I would rate as very good.
Cybersecurity Delivery Analyst at Accenture
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.
Consultant at Artifield
The support for business applications, infrastructure support, and Entra has been mostly positive with highly skilled technicians.
Sales Manager - Program Manger at Altitudo srl
The documentation is very thorough, reducing the need for support.
Cloud Security Consultant at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.4
CyberArk Identity is praised for its scalability, accommodating diverse company sizes and ease of license expansion.
Sentiment score
6.2
Microsoft Entra External ID offers scalability and flexibility but faces latency issues and lacks some authentication methods.
We can use it on different phones and computers, demonstrating its scalability.
Program associate at IMAGINE HER
When delving deep into the concepts, there is a lot to address and learn, especially when facing real-time scenarios.
Cybersecurity Delivery Analyst at Accenture
You can scale it out pretty easily, and you can implement it very small.
Cloud Specialist at Perini Beheer
This is one of EID's weak points compared to Azure AD B2C, which offers customizable authentication options, including attribute and password combinations.
Consultant at Artifield
End-user workloads experience increased latency in a cloud environment compared to on-premises resources.
Director at iicon ltd
Microsoft Entra External ID is quite scalable, and I would rate its scalability between eight and nine out of ten.
Lead Enterprise Architect at DigyCorp
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.0
CyberArk Identity is highly praised for its reliable stability, quick issue resolution, and effective performance, despite network connectivity challenges.
Sentiment score
5.2
Microsoft Entra External ID is a stable SaaS, rated 8-10/10, with minimal downtime, reliable except for occasional external issues.
We no longer have our data infiltrated by unauthorized persons, and tracking actions within the system has become very easy.
Private Wealth Advisor at Arima Fund Limited
When you have it in the cloud, you have CyberArk every time you need it.
Access Management Analyst at Telefónica
With a stable network, due to the redundant data centers across the globe, it is a lot easier to use as a SaaS solution.
Senior Cyber Security Specialist Architect at a tech consulting company with 11-50 employees
I'd rate the stability of the Microsoft Entra External ID as a 10.
Director of Technology at a hospitality company with 51-200 employees
The stability of this solution is very good.
Associate Director Automation at Dubai Holding
I have not encountered any stability issues with Microsoft Entra External ID.
Lead Enterprise Architect at DigyCorp
 

Room For Improvement

CyberArk Identity requires user interface improvements, better integration, enhanced documentation, and easier deployment for improved adoption and operations.
Microsoft Entra External ID needs cost reduction, faster sync, better security, improved SSO, UI, integration, support, and pricing clarity.
It would be helpful if they released a generalized document for processes such as migration.
Cybersecurity Delivery Analyst at Accenture
Integration or deployment is extremely difficult for CyberArk Identity.
Head of IT at Skutin Solutions
There's a need to enhance network performance.
Senior Technology Manager at a outsourcing company with 501-1,000 employees
This is particularly challenging during enterprise agreement renewals, as it's difficult for customers to review costs leading to lengthy negotiations.
Sales Manager - Program Manger at Altitudo srl
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.
Consultant at Artifield
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.
Cloud Security Consultant at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
 

Setup Cost

CyberArk Identity pricing is high but justified for enterprises with discounts and flexible licensing to balance costs.
Microsoft Entra External ID pricing varies, cost-effective for some, expensive for others, challenging cloud transition impacts evaluation.
Regarding pricing, it can be quite a lot for small companies.
Access Management Analyst at Telefónica
The pricing is acceptable.
Program associate at IMAGINE HER
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.
Head of IT at Skutin Solutions
Regarding pricing, the cost seems high for single sign-on, especially for external applications like Oracle.
Associate Director Automation at Dubai Holding
Microsoft's pricing is complex and difficult to fathom due to a range of different licensing options.
Director at iicon ltd
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.
Lead Enterprise Architect at DigyCorp
 

Valuable Features

CyberArk Identity enhances security and efficiency through integrations, password management, user monitoring, and comprehensive compliance and risk analysis tools.
Microsoft Entra External ID enhances security and efficiency by simplifying identity management and integration without on-premises infrastructure.
It impacts zero trust security strategies. It prevents lateral movements in the organization.
Head of IT at Skutin Solutions
The two-factor authentication is very important, but the fact that every account is being regenerated every time we use it is the most important security feature for us.
Cloud Specialist at Perini Beheer
It is the most powerful access management system.
Access Management Analyst at Telefónica
It is crucial for hybrid environments, especially for integrating existing on-site infrastructures with cloud-based Active Directory, such as in Office 365 implementations.
Director at iicon ltd
EID unifies workforce users with external business partners, which is a very strong feature.
Consultant at Artifield
The detailed monitoring and reporting in Microsoft Entra External ID support compliance efforts effectively.
Manager, Identity & Access Management at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
 

Categories and Ranking

CyberArk Identity
Ranking in Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM)
6th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
29
Ranking in other categories
Authentication Systems (9th), Identity Management (IM) (9th), Authorization Software (3rd), Enterprise Password Managers (7th), User Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) (9th), Access Management (7th), Active Directory Management (6th), Cloud Resource Access Management (2nd)
Microsoft Entra External ID
Ranking in Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM)
4th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
5.7
Number of Reviews
17
Ranking in other categories
Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) (9th), Microsoft Security Suite (18th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) category, the mindshare of CyberArk Identity is 3.5%, down from 3.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Entra External ID is 5.8%, up from 5.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Entra External ID5.8%
CyberArk Identity3.5%
Other90.7%
Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM)
 

Featured Reviews

Hariharan Thangasamy - PeerSpot reviewer
Cybersecurity Delivery Analyst at Accenture
Has strengthened privileged access control and improved audit visibility through session monitoring and password rotation
On the identity product side, it is awesome. However, they can improve in the documentation parts. For example, if there is a migration process, I can see the maximum customers are moving from self-hosted to on-premises or from on-premises to the cloud. It would be helpful if they released a generalized document for processes such as migration. A clear overview document would assist us in understanding more about the tool, configurations, and automations to enhance our security. Regarding the initial setup of CyberArk Identity, I faced some challenges. At some points, I could not find proper documentation for deploying, enhancing, or integrating with other components. I could not find the proper documentation in the community portal.
FS
Consultant at Artifield
Offers strong identity unification but needs better customization
Microsoft Entra External ID can be improved with additional features, specifically customizable flexibility and a customizable user interface for the login dialog. Currently, the login dialog has very limited customization options, which only include font styles, colors, text messages, or brand icons. Last month, Entra ID introduced some customizable features in their login dialog, but this does not apply to Microsoft Entra External ID, indicating a significant gap between the two. In theory, Entra External ID can support many external identity providers where custom login dialogs could be integrated, potentially via SSO feature coordination, although I have not yet confirmed this. Hence, 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.
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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) solutions are best for your needs.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
14%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Healthcare Company
6%
Computer Software Company
14%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business20
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise10
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business9
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise6
 

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?
I am not certain about CyberArk Identity's exact pricing model. For comparison, Okta was around five dollars per user. CyberArk Identity offers good discounts to some clients, which influences thei...
What needs improvement with CyberArk Identity?
We do not specifically use the password vaulting feature of CyberArk Identity. The centralized user dashboard of CyberArk Identity has not been that important for us. If it would be possible to sha...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Entra External ID?
The only problem that you might face with Microsoft now is their complex licensing model.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Entra External ID?
For the last four or five years, I have been in an IT manager function, focusing on making things happen and having technical persons execute tasks. In the last three months, I have transitioned to...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Entra External ID?
I am looking for a new solution and investigating existing products. We are already working with Microsoft Intune and SOTI. I have been working in the past with a Kaseya product, specifically Datto...
 

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: December 2025.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.