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Microsoft Entra External ID vs Salesforce Identity comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 3, 2026

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 Entra External ID
Ranking in Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM)
6th
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) (10th), Microsoft Security Suite (16th)
Salesforce Identity
Ranking in Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM)
10th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
5.0
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
Mobile Identity (3rd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2026, in the Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) category, the mindshare of Microsoft Entra External ID is 3.5%, down from 7.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Salesforce Identity is 2.5%, down from 2.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Microsoft Entra External ID3.5%
Salesforce Identity2.5%
Other94.0%
Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM)
 

Featured Reviews

Sameh Andrawes - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Manager at Alex Apparels
Identity platform has strengthened policy control, security monitoring, and user management
Not really at the moment, but perhaps when we go deeper into using Microsoft Entra External ID, we may experience some things we may not prefer. However, up to now, we have not encountered anything that I consider a problem or disadvantage. If we apply more features, let's say we applied mobile device management for a few machines, a few mobiles, and some computers, and it worked, but I do not know what will happen when we apply this to the rest of the network, which is 1,500 computers and more than 2,000 mobiles. I do not know what to say regarding new features that could be added to Microsoft Entra External ID. Perhaps we can integrate this with our ERP systems for the HR systems that we are going to have. Perhaps with this integration, we can find this application more practical.
NavinJacob - PeerSpot reviewer
Chief Digital Officer at Cipher7
Structured operations and analytics have transformed how my teams manage customers and sales
I see room for improvement regarding financial operations and FinOps. If they are not being controlled correctly, Salesforce billings can get huge. They charge for everything: license costs, storage costs, and transaction costs, and it can really end up blowing budgets if it is not controlled. Those controls should be something that is easy to manage. With Salesforce, it is pretty difficult to manage unless you are a very advanced user. Normal regular users may not be able to keep the costs in control. This ends up resulting in bill shocks where you suddenly receive a bill which you may not be expecting.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Primarily Microsoft Entra External ID SSO is valuable as it works with everything when it comes to integration."
"For policy management in my organization, I would say it is perfect."
"It's similar to using a Microsoft account to create accounts on other websites. We are also using Microsoft Entra to monitor which applications our guests are using. This allows us to filter, block, or adjust permissions for these applications as needed for our collaborators."
"Microsoft Entra External ID offers numerous advantages; there's no need to maintain anything on-premises, which results in a significant IT infrastructure cost saving."
"When it comes to Microsoft Entra External ID, Microsoft itself is the best distributor."
"The single sign-on access is the most useful feature we use."
"It's quite easy to manage and monitor."
"The best features of Microsoft Entra External ID include its unification of B2C functionality and B2E features."
"The most valuable features are the pipeline management, being able to track the pipeline anytime, and the ability to get in touch with our high management team or board members."
"Salesforce Identity is a very user-friendly solution."
"The user experience was great because it had all the features that the client needed, it was fully customized for the client, and it was very simple, making it the best solution at that time."
"The solution is very easy to understand."
"The single sign-on feature of Salesforce Identity enhances our organization's security posture overall."
"The best features of Salesforce Platform that I appreciate are that it is very configurable and easy for both developers as well as customers to use."
 

Cons

"The cost is very high."
"The training generally is complicated to understand, leading us to often go through a managed service provider."
"As of latest, when it comes to my experience, I am not satisfied."
"Microsoft Entra External ID isn't a complete cloud-based account solution, as it must handle internal employees and collaborate with internal Active Directory."
"The only problem that you might face with Microsoft now is their complex licensing model."
"The problem with Microsoft products is that they often cater to enterprise-level needs, which can be too costly for medium-sized businesses."
"Single sign-on for external applications such as Oracle could be improved to be a little bit cheaper."
"There is room for improvement in AI technology for Microsoft Entra External ID, particularly in providing detailed alerts."
"The product is slow."
"Salesforce Identity needs more expertise in the application."
"Salesforce could make it more user-friendly and easier to implement. Currently, there's a lot of coding and technical work required. I would appreciate a more plug-and-play approach where you could set it up without needing a dedicated technical person."
"The interface should be simplified and the dashboard has a lot of options but could be improved."
"The most wanted feature on such platforms nowadays is artificial intelligence, especially for marketing activities. This is also my area of expertise, so it would be very interesting to see AI in these platforms."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We don't pay separately for Microsoft Entra External ID as it's part of our Microsoft Exchange subscription."
"On a scale of one to ten, where one is a very low price and ten is a very high price, I rate Salesforce Identity's pricing a six out of ten."
"I'd recommend Salesforce for larger products where you really need a robust CRM. It's expensive, so for smaller websites or products, it might not be the most cost-effective solution."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
14%
Computer Software Company
10%
Outsourcing Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
20%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Construction Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business9
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise6
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Entra External ID?
Microsoft is flexible in the pricing for the product, so I cannot say that it is expensive, but definitely they are flexible in the price lists and their ways of doing payments.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Entra External ID?
Not really at the moment, but perhaps when we go deeper into using Microsoft Entra External ID, we may experience some things we may not prefer. However, up to now, we have not encountered anything...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Entra External ID?
When I say identity, I mean Microsoft Entra External ID. We have been using Microsoft Entra External ID since the beginning of 2022. I am using it as a client. The purposes for using Microsoft Entr...
What needs improvement with Salesforce Identity?
I see room for improvement regarding financial operations and FinOps. If they are not being controlled correctly, Salesforce billings can get huge. They charge for everything: license costs, storag...
What is your primary use case for Salesforce Identity?
My overall experience in this current field I am working spans different areas. One area is for service management, contact centers, BPOs, and customer relationship management. Others are for sales...
What advice do you have for others considering Salesforce Identity?
I have extensive experience with Salesforce Identity, although I have been in the middle of something about Salesforce Identity and cannot speak more about it currently due to customer confidential...
 

Also Known As

Azure Active Directory External Identities
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
SAP, Microsoft, Workday, Servicenow, ADP, Google Apps, box, Oracle
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Entra External ID vs. Salesforce Identity and other solutions. Updated: September 2026.
913,806 professionals have used our research since 2012.