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IBM Security Identity Governance and Intelligence vs Microsoft Identity Manager comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 1, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

Categories and Ranking

IBM Security Identity Gover...
Ranking in Identity Management (IM)
30th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
User Provisioning Software (14th)
Microsoft Identity Manager
Ranking in Identity Management (IM)
11th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
25
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Identity Management (IM) category, the mindshare of IBM Security Identity Governance and Intelligence is 1.2%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Identity Manager is 2.3%, down from 4.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Identity Management (IM) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Microsoft Identity Manager2.3%
IBM Security Identity Governance and Intelligence1.2%
Other96.5%
Identity Management (IM)
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer1830612 - PeerSpot reviewer
Head, Cybersecurity at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
We use the solution to ensure organizations conform to industry base certifications and best practices
We use the product to ensure organizations conform to industry base certifications and best practices and do not contradict their security policies within the base points they specify in the system, which are used to match everything against their governance use cases I think the product's most…
RameshKumar9 - PeerSpot reviewer
Consultant at IOM - UN Migration
Supports reliable identity management and custom policy design
Microsoft Identity Manager can be improved by integrating it with Entra ID as a SaaS application or by having a cloud-based connector, as it is currently limited to on-prem scenarios, and a combination of both would be a great solution compared to competitors such as SailPoint or One Identity Manager. While the initial setup of Microsoft Identity Manager is not completely complex, migrating or upgrading to a new version can be complex and requires multiple backups to ensure it goes smoothly.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"We use the product to ensure organizations conform to industry base certifications and best practices and do not contradict their security policies within the base points they specify in the system, which are used to match everything against their governance use cases."
"This solution has a very good dashboard and the documentation is also very good, and life cycle management and governance are also good features in this solution."
"Lifecycle management, governance and documentation."
"I would rate the price eight out of 10, with 10 as the best value for money."
"The synchronization tool is very powerful and when compared to other vendors the license fees are great - it comes free with the Windows Server license."
"Very powerful synchronization tool."
"I would say that it's the best solution on the market and I would go ahead with it."
"Its interface and the fact that it's integrated with everything in the Microsoft ecosystem are the most valuable features."
"The product’s most valuable feature is stability."
"This is an all-encompassing product."
"It is one of the easiest products to implement, which is one of the main advantages. The integration is easy. Unlike other products, it is not complicated to integrate."
"Microsoft Identity Manager automates all identities and access on every target system efficiently and quickly."
 

Cons

"The solution is a bit pricey for some regions."
"Self service center is not always easy to understand."
"The solution is also a bit pricey for the Nigeria region."
"I think improvements could be made in the self service center, making it easier for the user to understand."
"All actions require logging in to the server."
"It would be good if Microsoft Identity Manager Maybe could be integrated with Azure Active Directory directly and made as a cloud platform."
"It requires a lot of improvements. Microsoft is killing this product and migrating some of the features to Azure AD. The last version of this solution was 2016. If it is going to stay and integrate with Azure AD, its integration needs to be worked on in terms of connectors, etc. It doesn't seem that they are improving it alone. Microsoft wants to integrate it with Azure AD, but the integration is still not complete."
"Microsoft Identity Manager can be improved by integrating it with Entra ID as a SaaS application or by having a cloud-based connector, as it is currently limited to on-prem scenarios, and a combination of both would be a great solution compared to competitors such as SailPoint or One Identity Manager."
"The security could be slightly improved."
"Integration with third parties and enhanced policy management could be improved."
"The product could be more friendly for non-native English speakers. It would also be better if it were more intuitive and visually attractive."
"Instead of using the connectors from the third-party companies, they should make the Microsoft templates available with this product. If Microsoft would increase the number of the box connectors that would be helpful to all the customers who use it daily."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I would rate the price eight out of 10, with 10 as the best value for money."
"MIM is free with a Microsoft Azure license."
"The tool's price is low for my company."
"The solution is expensive."
"The solution is included in the Microsoft E3 license and premium subscriptions of Azure AD."
"When comparing the cost, Microsoft Identity Manager is the best solution because it is free if you have an Azure P2 license."
"My rating for the pricing of Microsoft Identity Manager is average, neither too expensive nor too cheap."
"The prices can always be improved. I'd rate it a 4 out of 10 in terms of pricing."
"It is an expensive tool."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
16%
Government
14%
Insurance Company
11%
Computer Software Company
10%
Government
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Educational Organization
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business13
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise11
 

Questions from the Community

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Identity Manager?
Regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing of Microsoft Identity Manager, it has a couple of cloud connectors that can sync directly with the O365 admin center, which is good enough, but Entra I...
What needs improvement with Microsoft Identity Manager?
Microsoft Identity Manager could be improved in several areas. The solution uses a batching process that executes at scheduled times, which differs from other vendor solutions. It is missing capabi...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Identity Manager?
Microsoft Identity Manager is used primarily in the retail business. The implementation is enterprise-level within a national company, specifically at JCPenney, which is a large organization.
 

Also Known As

IGI, IBM Security Identity Manager, ISIM
MIM, Forefront Identity Manager, FIM, MS Identity Manager
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

E.ON Global Commodities
Dow Chemical Company (Dow), Whole Foods Market
Find out what your peers are saying about IBM Security Identity Governance and Intelligence vs. Microsoft Identity Manager and other solutions. Updated: March 2026.
884,933 professionals have used our research since 2012.