Imprivata OneSign vs Microsoft Active Directory comparison

Imprivata and Microsoft are both solutions in the Single Sign-On (SSO) category. Imprivata is ranked #12 with an average rating of 9.0, while Microsoft is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.5. Imprivata holds a 2.9% mindshare in SSO, compared to Microsoft’s 3.3% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Imprivata users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 97% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

Imprivata OneSign

Read 4 Imprivata OneSign reviews

1,776 Views
1,492 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Microsoft Active Directory

Read 47 Microsoft Active Directory reviews

2,403 Views
1,562 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

Imprivata OneSign

Microsoft Active Directory

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 18, 2024

Imprivata OneSign and Microsoft Active Directory are compared based on user reviews and specific criteria in identity and access management. Users are happier with the pricing and support of Imprivata OneSign, but Microsoft Active Directory is favored for its features, making it worth the price.

Features: Imprivata OneSign offers single sign-on capabilities, seamless authentication management, and user-friendly access controls. Microsoft Active Directory provides comprehensive identity management, detailed access control policies, and group management functionalities. The key difference is that Imprivata focuses on convenience, while Microsoft offers a wider range of functionalities.

Room for Improvement: Imprivata OneSign needs more integration options, improved user interface design, and enhanced reporting capabilities. Microsoft Active Directory would benefit from reduced complexity, a more intuitive user interface, and better integration with third-party applications. Imprivata has a simpler approach, whereas Microsoft needs usability enhancements.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Imprivata OneSign is recognized for its straightforward deployment and supportive customer service. Microsoft Active Directory has a more complex deployment process and mixed reviews on customer service. Imprivata offers a seamless experience, whereas Microsoft comes with operational challenges.

Pricing and ROI: Imprivata OneSign users find the setup costs reasonable and report positive ROI due to efficiency gains. Microsoft Active Directory users feel the initial costs are higher, but the comprehensive features justify the investment. Imprivata is cost-effective initially, while Microsoft offers value in extended utility.

To learn more, read our detailed Imprivata OneSign vs. Microsoft Active Directory Report (Updated: March 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Imprivata OneSign vs. Microsoft Active Directory

March 2026

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Helped 884,873 peers since 2012

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

Imprivata OneSign

Ranking in Single Sign-On (SSO)

12th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Microsoft Active Directory

Ranking in Single Sign-On (SSO)

9th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Active Directory Management (2nd)

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Single Sign-On (SSO) category, the mindshare of Imprivata OneSign is 2.9%, up from 1.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Active Directory is 3.3%, up from 2.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Single Sign-On (SSO) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Microsoft Active Directory	3.3%
Imprivata OneSign	2.9%
Other	93.8%

Single Sign-On (SSO)

Featured Reviews

Rohit Yamsani

Senior Consultant at HCLSoftware

Single sign-on saves time by seamlessly managing passwords and improving workflow efficiency

What I appreciate best about Imprivata OneSign are the single sign-on and the Confirm ID features. The single sign-on works seamlessly for all the nurses or the end users out there. You just have to log in to the application once and the single sign-on clicks in and works for everyone. Users don't have to manually remember all their passwords. Imprivata OneSign helps by remembering and storing all passwords. The integration capabilities of Imprivata OneSign offer many possibilities, and there are numerous upgrades Imprivata has been implementing. At this point, they are growing rapidly. There are new tools coming out for reporting and generating real-time analysis. Imprivata E-PAM is a new feature that I've been reading about in articles, which is going to help administrator people and enterprise administrator personnel to view real-time records and views for all end customers. Reporting and looking at logs for the users will be seamlessly efficient. I use the reporting tools available in Imprivata OneSign. The admin console itself has a reporting feature, which gives us a list of pre-built templates of reports where you can see how many users have been added, the user policy, the users who have last logged in in specific amounts of days, and the reporting for the EPCS users. There are numerous reporting options available which help with troubleshooting issues. I have seen many benefits from using Imprivata OneSign. It saves substantial time for nurses. As a nurse or doctor, you don't have to spend time remembering passwords or signing into computers. You just need to grab the nearest machine and tap in. You can use the machine anytime if you want. It saves time when dealing with patients. For doctors who might not be tech-savvy, Imprivata OneSign helps them sign in seamlessly.

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Eko Kurniawan

IT Operations & Security at veris

Has simplified credential management and improved secure access control across departments

The features I find most useful in Microsoft Active Directory are especially for the Single Sign-On. This is very useful for users, particularly if they have plenty of applications, such as tablet applications. When they log in to their computer, the application will automatically log in with their credentials. They don't need to remember another user and password to log in to the application because it's already maintained with Microsoft Active Directory using Single Sign-On. To assess the impact of Microsoft Active Directory's centralized domain management on security protocols and access permissions, Microsoft Active Directory itself has constraints with security because when we have a solution such as SSO or Single Sign-On, which makes it easier for users to log in, some parts have security openings. When their computer is compromised with a threat, malware, or other cyber threats, it becomes easier to enter the application without login permission.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I have seen many benefits from using Imprivata OneSign. It saves substantial time for nurses."

"Imprivata OneSign helps customers minimize their work in remembering passwords and enhances their security."

"It provides a service that allows users to sign in to whatever application they are using. This is the most important feature of this solution."

"It has benefited my organization in the way that it makes it more secure by making it harder to hack."

"The scalability of the solution is high...The initial setup of the solution is easy, and I would rate it an eight or nine out of ten on a scale of one to ten, where one being difficult and ten being easy."

"The solution’s management capability is very good. The tool is also very scalable. You can add any number of users that you want to operate. Moreover, you can easily organize the solution."

"One valuable feature is the centralized creation of IDs."

"It is a scalable solution."

"One noteworthy aspect we discovered is the ability to exercise tight control over systems, specifically Windows PCs. This pertains to the management of policies, usage patterns, and user access on these devices, particularly within the framework of Active Directory which is extremely well thought. This actually works better with on-premises solutions. However, as the global trend shifts towards cloud and hybrid environments, Active Directory and its use is diminishing. Yet, it hasn't entirely lost its relevance and remains a presence that cannot be entirely disregarded."

"Active Directory makes managing user policies easier, like when a user wants to share files. We also use it to create and manage our email accounts."

"The user-friendliness of Microsoft Active Directory is a valuable feature."

"Active Directory plays a focal point in security management, encompassing aspects like credential management, lifecycle, dynamic provisioning, and the network infrastructure of customers."

More Microsoft Active Directory pros

Cons

"Imprivata OneSign should have a landing page because most customers prefer this feature, which is currently a strong point for competitors."

"I would like for them to make this solution compatible with Mac OS. I would also like for them to provide a portal so that users can easily integrate it with their applications."

"They should have a landing page."

"Fast user switching and Citrix integration in Imprivata OneSign could improve. There are many options available for VDI connectivity, but I've seen issues with VDI connectivity and Citrix storefront connectivity."

"The challenges everyone now has in mind is how to really migrate fully to the cloud. Many companies face both technical and cost-related challenges when moving from on-premise Active Directory to Microsoft Intra."

"Typically, it depends on the customer's situation. If the customer operates in smaller locations where most PCs are in a common location, we usually aim to consolidate the directory infrastructure for easier maintenance. However, for distributed setups spanning multiple countries, configuring multiple sites becomes necessary and more intricate to handle. Our objective is to minimize the number of sites, simplifying operations for IT administrators and reducing errors. Mistakes in Active Directory can be costly for organizations, as disruptions can occur rapidly. Moreover, when it comes to hybrid single sign-on across various applications, Microsoft hasn't put forth significant effort. Single sign-on has become a challenge for many customers who utilize diverse solutions beyond Microsoft products. While implementing single sign-on is relatively straightforward in the Azure cloud, it's considerably more complex when dealing with the local Active Directory. This presents a big challenge for many of our customers."

"The interface hasn't changed much over the years. It's suitable for my tastes, but that doesn't mean everybody likes it."

"UI is not very user-friendly."

"The solution could be made more safe by using authentication mechanisms."

"Microsoft Active Directory could improve by having better integration with other solutions."

"The solution should maintain the infrastructure according to the period you are in and the security changes."

"It's not the tendency of Microsoft to use a standard, but to modify it to their needs. This is catastrophic if you have to integrate other applications that use the same standard."

More Microsoft Active Directory cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price is reasonable, it's an affordable solution."

"At the moment, I believe the price is reasonable."

"The pricing is not very expensive. I rate the pricing a five out of ten."

"We have to purchase a license for the solution."

"The price of Microsoft Active Directory could improve. We pay annually for the solution."

"Microsoft Active Directory is not an expensive solution."

"The solution is based on a licensing model."

"We purchase the license for the solution on a yearly basis."

"The license is perpetual and the cost is minimal. If you purchase Microsoft Windows then Microsoft Active Directory comes with the package."

"I'm unsure about the cost of the solution, as I was never involved in that aspect. However, I don't think it would be expensive. It might be average, around four or five out of ten."

More Microsoft Active Directory pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Healthcare Company

27%

Outsourcing Company

Comms Service Provider

Government

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Healthcare Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	20
Midsize Enterprise	7
Large Enterprise	20

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Imprivata OneSign?

Fast user switching and Citrix integration in Imprivata OneSign could improve. There are many options available for VDI connectivity, but I've seen issues with VDI connectivity and Citrix storefron...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Imprivata OneSign?

I have experience with Imprivata OneSign and Imprivata Confirm ID. For the past three and a half years, I've been using Imprivata OneSign 7.9 and Confirm ID 7.9 versions. The client I'm working wit...

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What advice do you have for others considering Imprivata OneSign?

As an end user, it's easy to use Imprivata OneSign. Users don't have to rely much on knowledge to use that tool. It's basic, just an agent that sits on your machine and you shouldn't worry about an...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Microsoft Active Directory?

The best way to protect this is to use Microsoft Defender. For Microsoft support for Microsoft Active Directory, I would rate it as eight. If I give it 10, it would be too perfect. Eight is fair. M...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Microsoft Active Directory?

My main use cases for Microsoft Active Directory are to manage user access and credentials.

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Microsoft Active Directory?

Regarding Microsoft Active Directory's integration with third-party applications, it depends on the requirements. It's not always linked or combined with Microsoft Active Directory. In my experienc...

See all answers

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Single Sign-On (SSO)

March 2026

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Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Active Directory

March 2026

Download Microsoft Active Directory product report

Also Known As

OneSign, Imprivata OneSign Authentication Management

No data available

Overview

Imprivata OneSign delivers fast, secure no-click-access to the applications and information that care providers need, whenever and wherever they need it.

Security and regulatory compliance requirements mandate user authentication technology for accessing workstations and applications. As a result, care providers need to enter unique usernames and passwords (or PINs) for order signing, documentation signing, medication reconciliation and most other applications throughout their workflow. These laborious login requirements can disrupt clinical focus and obstruct patient care.

Imprivata

Active Directory stores information about objects on the network and makes this information easy for administrators and users to find and use. Active Directory uses a structured data store as the basis for a logical, hierarchical organization of directory information.

This data store, also known as the directory, contains information about Active Directory objects. These objects typically include shared resources such as servers, volumes, printers, and the network user and computer accounts.

Security is integrated with Active Directory through logon authentication and access control to objects in the directory. With a single network logon, administrators can manage directory data and organization throughout their network, and authorized network users can access resources anywhere on the network. Policy-based administration eases the management of even the most complex network.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

AZ Groeninge, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool Womens NHS Foundation Trust, Mahaska Health Partnership, Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, Boulder Community Hospital, City of Marietta, Spencer Hospital, Southwest Washington Medical Center, South Shore Hospital

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Imprivata OneSign vs. Microsoft Active Directory

March 2026

Free Report: Imprivata OneSign vs. Microsoft Active Directory

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