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Microsoft Active Directory vs Tenable Identity Exposure comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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

Microsoft Active Directory
Ranking in Active Directory Management
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
47
Ranking in other categories
Single Sign-On (SSO) (8th)
Tenable Identity Exposure
Ranking in Active Directory Management
12th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
8.0
Number of Reviews
1
Ranking in other categories
Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) (24th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Active Directory Management category, the mindshare of Microsoft Active Directory is 6.3%, up from 6.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Tenable Identity Exposure is 3.5%, down from 7.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Active Directory Management Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Microsoft Active Directory6.3%
Tenable Identity Exposure3.5%
Other90.2%
Active Directory Management
 

Featured Reviews

Eko Kurniawan - PeerSpot reviewer
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.
Alexandru Cioruta - PeerSpot reviewer
Global Cybersecurity Presales Domain Lead Architect at Eviden France
An easy-to-implement solution that provides good reporting features and protects users’ AD infrastructure
We use Tenable Identity Exposure for our customers who have legacy AD still in use to see any exposure and protect their AD infrastructure as much as possible The solution is easy to implement, and its reporting is great. From the start, you get to see the exposure of your AD. So, it doesn't need…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Active Directory is the ability to search for computers and users. While I do not have administrative privileges to reset passwords, I can view user information such as department, and communicate with someone who can make the changes."
"It is easy to understand all the components."
"It is an all-in-one solution for cybersecurity and is available at a very low price."
"The solution is stable."
"We use the tool for FSMO, policies, and customized user registrations."
"We can also have separate domain controllers in different Active Directory sites based on their location."
"It is a scalable solution."
"One advantage of Active Directory is that you can sync it with Microsoft Office 365, so you can manage on-premise and cloud operations, which can have different requirements. The flexibility of a hybrid management solution is valuable."
"The solution is easy to implement, and its reporting is great."
 

Cons

"I have encountered a few stability issues."
"I would like to see more integration with cloud-based applications. This would make it easier to manage users and devices across multiple platforms."
"Short-term fixes are like band-aids."
"Could use more structure in the cloud version."
"There are no reporting features."
"There has been a change in the layout of the user information. Previously, I had to go to properties to view the information, but now it is displayed directly below the search results. It takes some time to get used to."
"I would like to see the integration with Mac and IOS products improved."
"Sometimes support takes long to engage and resolve, extending over weeks or even months."
"Tenable Identity Exposure is more expensive than Defender for Identity."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The license is perpetual and the cost is minimal. If you purchase Microsoft Windows then Microsoft Active Directory comes with the package."
"The product's premium support services are expensive."
"Microsoft Active Directory is not an expensive solution."
"I rate the product’s pricing a five out of ten."
"It's not overly expensive. It's considered a base function by Microsoft."
"Active Directory is built-in into Microsoft Windows 10. I'm not an administrator and would not be involved in purchasing decisions for new versions of the software. I have only used the client portion of it, I do not know if there is a cost to using the solution."
"The pricing is not very expensive. I rate the pricing a five out of ten."
"Its price is reasonable."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
8%
Healthcare Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
16%
Computer Software Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business21
Midsize Enterprise7
Large Enterprise20
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

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...
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.
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...
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Also Known As

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Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about One Identity, Microsoft, Netwrix and others in Active Directory Management. Updated: June 2026.
900,747 professionals have used our research since 2012.