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Microsoft Active Directory vs Thales SafeNet Trusted Access comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 18, 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

Microsoft Active Directory
Ranking in Single Sign-On (SSO)
8th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
47
Ranking in other categories
Active Directory Management (2nd)
Thales SafeNet Trusted Access
Ranking in Single Sign-On (SSO)
19th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) (25th), Access Management (28th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2026, in the Single Sign-On (SSO) category, the mindshare of Microsoft Active Directory is 2.8%, down from 3.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Thales SafeNet Trusted Access is 1.9%, up from 1.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Single Sign-On (SSO) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Microsoft Active Directory2.8%
Thales SafeNet Trusted Access1.9%
Other95.3%
Single Sign-On (SSO)
 

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.
reviewer1719510 - PeerSpot reviewer
Regional Sales Manager at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Great validation and integrity features of the endpoint
Our primary use case of Safenet is for cybersecurity incidents, particularly for remote users.  I'm the customer sales leader and a key account manager and we are customers of Thales.  The validation and integrity features of the endpoint are great. Whether you're using a Mac OS or other operating…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"We can also have separate domain controllers in different Active Directory sites based on their location."
"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 is easy to install and has good reliability."
"The most valuable feature is the configured appliance system in Hypervisor."
"Stability and performance are good. So far, we have not observed any major downtime or performance issues since we deployed it."
"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, because when they log in to their computer, the application will automatically log in with their credentials."
"It is a stable solution."
"Active Directory plays a focal point in security management, encompassing aspects like credential management, lifecycle, dynamic provisioning, and the network infrastructure of customers."
"The solution is simple to use."
"I recommend this solution because it protects information."
"The interface is easy to use."
"Right now, we only have a small use case for the product, however, it has performed well."
"The validation and integrity features of the endpoint are great."
 

Cons

"Microsoft Active Directory could improve by having better integration with other solutions."
"In my experience, it's difficult to manage Microsoft Active Directory when the server is attacked by a threat or malware."
"We may occasionally experience difficulty integrating some solutions with Microsoft Active Directory, but I am unsure whether the issue lies with Microsoft Active Directory or the other solution."
"I would like to see the integration with Mac and IOS products improved."
"There is room for improvement in the support."
"The interface hasn't changed much over the years. It's suitable for my tastes, but that doesn't mean everybody likes it."
"Microsoft Active Directory restricts most of the features our company's employees want to use since they are involved in research and development activities."
"The solution needs to be simplified to navigate."
"I'd like to see more networking features, such as the ability to integrate network monitoring solutions and authenticate the app users."
"The scalability may not be there."
"There's a dependency on Microsoft Azure."
"SafeNet's reporting and monitoring features could be improved."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We have to purchase a license for the solution."
"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."
"We purchase the license for the solution on a yearly basis."
"Its price is reasonable."
"The license is perpetual and the cost is minimal. If you purchase Microsoft Windows then Microsoft Active Directory comes with the package."
"I rate the product’s pricing a five out of ten."
"The version of Microsoft Active Directory I was using was expensive because it was used for large companies."
"My company makes payments every quarter towards the licensing costs of the product."
Information not available
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Outsourcing Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Healthcare Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Construction Company
10%
Performing Arts
9%
Legal Firm
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...
Ask a question
Earn 20 points
 

Also Known As

No data available
SafeNet Trusted Access, Gemalto SafeNet Trusted Access
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
IBM, Western Union, Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, Novartis, and AT&T.
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Active Directory vs. Thales SafeNet Trusted Access and other solutions. Updated: September 2026.
913,683 professionals have used our research since 2012.