Microsoft Entra ID vs Thales Authenticators comparison

Microsoft and Thales are both solutions in the Authentication Systems category. Microsoft is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.7, while Thales is ranked #13 with an average rating of 8.0. Microsoft holds a 14.8% mindshare in AS, compared to Thales’s 2.5% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Thales users who would recommend it.

Microsoft Entra ID

Read 235 Microsoft Entra ID reviews

23,813 Views
7,144 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Thales Authenticators

Read 6 Thales Authenticators reviews

1,242 Views
994 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Microsoft Entra ID

Thales Authenticators

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 11, 2024

Thales Authenticators and Microsoft Entra ID compete in the authentication space. Microsoft Entra ID seems to have the upper hand due to its extensive features, seamless integration, and broader support despite higher costs.

What features are offered by Thales Authenticators in comparison to Microsoft Entra ID?

Thales Authenticators offer robust security measures, ease of use, and a feature-rich environment. Microsoft Entra ID presents advanced integration capabilities, extensive compatibility with various platforms, and a broader feature set appealing to users.

What areas of improvement can be found in Thales Authenticators in comparison to Microsoft Entra ID?

Thales Authenticators need enhanced customer support, more flexible deployment options, and better support for diverse environments. Microsoft Entra ID requires a less complex system, more intuitive setup procedures, and easier navigation for users.

How is the ease of deployment and customer service of Thales Authenticators in comparison to Microsoft Entra ID?

Thales Authenticators are noted for an easy deployment process but have mixed reviews on customer service. Microsoft Entra ID offers a more complex deployment experience but superior customer service support, presenting different challenges with better support from Microsoft.

What setup costs and ROI can be seen with Thales Authenticators in comparison to Microsoft Entra ID?

Thales Authenticators have moderate pricing with a good return on investment. Microsoft Entra ID is more expensive but provides higher perceived value due to its features and support, justifying the extra cost for many users.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Entra ID vs. Thales Authenticators Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Entra ID vs. Thales Authenticators

July 2025

Download the complete report

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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 ID

Ranking in Authentication Systems

1st

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

235

Ranking in other categories

Single Sign-On (SSO) (1st), Identity Management (IM) (2nd), Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) (1st), Access Management (1st), Microsoft Security Suite (2nd)

Thales Authenticators

Ranking in Authentication Systems

13th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Authentication Systems category, the mindshare of Microsoft Entra ID is 14.8%, down from 19.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Thales Authenticators is 2.5%, up from 2.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Authentication Systems

Featured Reviews

Bahram Piri

Chief Executive Officer & Founder at IDmelon Technologies

Security focus and seamless implementation increase platform productivity

Microsoft Entra ID can be improved in many ways, and there's a big wish list.If we're focusing on security, something that I definitely expect is improvement in the UI and UX for frontline workers. This is important, especially for non-tech savvy individuals. It is something Microsoft Entra ID could do to improve for a wider audience. It's important to focus on the frontline workers since they are non-tech savvy individuals. They are not like those back-office engineering C-level employees who are constantly dealing with computers, and we need to build a specific user experience and user interface for them to handle this stuff. That's something I expect Microsoft to focus on more for Microsoft Entra ID.

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Gustavo Merighi

Automation and Telecommunications Analyst at Grupo Energisa

Has an easy-to-use management interface and a straightforward initial setup process

Our primary use cases include multifactor authentication for VPN connections and access to security tools like jump servers and firewalls. We also use it to enhance security measures in an enterprise environment The most valuable feature is the YAML 2.0 integration. It has an easy-to-use…

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It's a very scalable solution."

"https://www.itcentralstation.com/product_reviews/microsoft-bi-review-52460-by-amanda-zhou"

"When logging on to Azure AD it's pretty quick."

"The centralized management feature is very valuable."

"The security and infrastructure management features are the most valuable ones for us."

"Microsoft Entra ID provides granular role assignments for Azure permissions or Azure AD roles. Using a privileged identity manager allows us to give specific access to certain groups of employees for a limited time. Entra's ability to integrate Azure Virtual Machines and security benefits has been exceptional, especially for managing infrastructure and applications."

"Customer service and technical support for Microsoft Entra ID are very good because I open many tickets with the support and get straight answers."

"Using [Azure AD's] passwordless technology, you're not even using a password anymore. You're basically just creating a logon request without actually sending or typing or storing the password. This is awesome for any user, regardless of whether you're a factory worker or a CFO. It's secure and super-simple."

More Microsoft Entra ID pros

"One valuable feature is Thales' ability to provide off-site tokens."

"The technical support services are good."

"The most valuable feature of SafeNet Authentication Manager is authentication."

"Scalable and stable."

"We use this solution to log into virtual machines like VMware and VMware Horizon."

"I like how the solution allows me to support different types of hardware tokens and integrate with OTP."

Cons

"One area that can be improved is ensuring that detailed documentation is being produced in a timely fashion. There have been many instances where documentation either hasn't been updated to reflect recent changes or is either non-existent or not very accessible."

"The frequent changes in branding cause confusion among customers who struggle to keep track of product names and functions."

"Adding a new account can be tricky."

"When it comes to identity governance, the governance features in Azure AD are very focused on Microsoft products. I would like to see those governance and life cycle management features offered for non-Microsoft products connected to Azure AD."

"We have a custom solution now running to tie all those Azure ADs together. We use the B2B functionality for that. Improvements are already on the roadmap for Azure AD in that area. I think they will make it easier to work together between two different tenants in Azure AD, because normally one tenant is a security boundary. For example, company one has a tenant and company two has a tenant, and then you can do B2B collaboration between those, but it is still quite limited. For our use case, it is enough currently. However, if we want to extend the collaboration even further, then we need an easier way to collaborate between two tenants, but I think that is already on the roadmap of Azure AD anyway."

"I'm satisfied with the features provided by Microsoft. They are continually improving their offerings, and I don't have any downsides or issues with Microsoft Entra ID. We're integrating a lot of Azure virtual machines and utilizing the Azure side. We love Microsoft licensing, all that stuff. And Yeah. It's just, you know, just using the CSP portal as well has just been a game changer for us too."

"Definitely, the price could be lower. When we moved from AWS to Azure, we started paying more."

"Microsoft services and most familiar third-party applications are currently supported, but we can't find many other platforms that integrate with Office 365 or Azure Active Directory. Microsoft should develop connectors for different applications and collaborate more with other vendors to cover a broader range of applications."

More Microsoft Entra ID cons

"Lacks integration with other platforms."

"The stability could improve."

"The product could be improved by adding more features for sending tokens via SMS or phone calls."

"The problem with SafeNet is that it's not integrated with Microsoft 365."

"We faced issues due to slow ticket responses, which improved over time."

"The solution should allow for support of multi-tenant architecture."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I work for an academic medical center, where there is a watch kept over every dollar spent. I do have concerns about the micro charges for different levels or features of the product."

"Entra's pricing is somewhat higher compared to AWS."

"I give the cost a three out of ten."

"From a pricing standpoint, with all the services that we get, we are okay. I do not see a problem with the pricing structure. We are getting our money's worth."

"As a nonprofit, we have A5 licenses for nonprofits in education, so we at least have some reduced costs."

"The price is good, and we have no complaints."

"Pricing could always be better. You pay the premium for Microsoft. Sometimes, it is worth it, and at other times, you wish to have more licensing options, especially for smaller companies."

"It is a packaged license. We have a Premium P1 subscription of Office 365, and it came with that."

More Microsoft Entra ID pricing and cost advice

"There is an annual licensing fee."

"Thales is more expensive than its competitors."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Financial Services Firm

13%

Government

12%

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

How does Duo Security compare with Microsoft Authenticator?

We switched to Duo Security for identity verification. We’d been using a competitor but got the chance to evaluate Duo for 30 days, and we could not be happier. Duo Security is easy to configure a...

See all answers

What do you like most about Azure Active Directory?

It is very simple. The Active Directory functions are very easy for us. Its integration with anything is very easy. We can easily do third-party multifactor authentication.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure Active Directory?

Our experience with the pricing, setup costs, and licensing of Microsoft Entra ID involves leveraging Microsoft 365 E5 licensing, so it's included. Being included in Microsoft licensing makes it mu...

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What needs improvement with Thales Authenticators?

Currently, the solution fulfills our requirements. We are very satisfied with its features, and do not have any specific ideas for improvement right now. Perhaps, in the future, three-factor authen...

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What is your primary use case for Thales Authenticators?

Our employees, whether working on-site or remotely, use Thales Authenticators for two-factor authentication to log in to their laptops or PCs. This is our primary use case.

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Thales Authenticators?

From our past years of experience, the solution is very smooth, and we have had a good experience with it. We would definitely recommend Thales to others for its reliability and features. I'd rate ...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 11% of the time

Microsoft Intune vs Microsoft Entra ID

Compared 8% of the time

Amazon Cognito vs Microsoft Entra ID

Compared 5% of the time

Okta Workforce Identity vs Microsoft Entra ID

Compared 5% of the time

Auth0 vs Microsoft Entra ID

Compared 5% of the time

More Microsoft Entra ID Competitors

Utimaco SecurityServer vs Thales Authenticators

Compared 22% of the time

Yubico YubiKey vs Thales Authenticators

Compared 22% of the time

Atalla Hardware Security Module vs Thales Authenticators

Compared 10% of the time

RSA SecurID vs Thales Authenticators

Compared 7% of the time

Cisco Duo vs Thales Authenticators

Compared 6% of the time

More Thales Authenticators Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Entra ID

August 2025

Download Microsoft Entra ID product report

Buyer's Guide

Authentication Systems

July 2025

Download Thales Authenticators product report

Also Known As

Azure AD, Azure Active Directory, Azure Active Directory, Microsoft Authenticator

Gemalto Ezio, Ezio, Gemalto Authenticators, SafeNet Authentication Manager

Interactive Demo

Microsoft

Demo not available

Thales

Overview

Microsoft Entra ID is used for extending on-premises Active Directory to the cloud, managing application access, enabling multi-factor authentication, and single sign-on. It facilitates policy enforcement and secure access, ensuring centralized identity management across cloud and on-premises resources.

Organizations utilize Microsoft Entra ID for robust user and group management, identity synchronization, and conditional access. Its seamless integration with third-party apps, scalability, and support for remote work make it a preferred choice. The admin center streamlines identity and access tasks, enhancing efficiency and security with features like privileged identity management and audit logs.

What are the key features of Microsoft Entra ID?

Single Sign-On: Simplifies user access to multiple applications with one login.
Multifactor Authentication: Enhances security by requiring additional verification.
Conditional Access: Establishes policies that determine how users' access cloud apps.
Integration: Easily integrates with various third-party applications.
User Identity Protection: Safeguards user identities from threats.
Privileged Identity Management: Manages elevated access to sensitive resources.
Audit Logs: Provides thorough activity logs for oversight and compliance.

What benefits should users look for in Microsoft Entra ID reviews?

Enhanced Security: Offers strong multifactor authentication and identity protection.
Administrative Efficiency: Simplifies identity and access management tasks.
Scalability: Supports growing user bases and remote work environments.
Integration Capabilities: Compatible with numerous third-party applications.
User-Friendly Interface: Makes managing user identities straightforward.

Microsoft Entra ID implementation varies across industries. Tech firms leverage it for secure, scalable access management, while healthcare organizations utilize its identity protection features to safeguard patient data. Educational institutions adopt Entra ID for streamlined user management and policy enforcement, ensuring secure access for students and staff across on-premises and cloud resources.

Microsoft

Offering the broadest range of authentication methods and form factors, Thales allows customers to address numerous use cases, assurance levels, and threat vectors with unified, centrally managed policies—managed from one authentication back end delivered in the cloud or on premise.

Thales

Sample Customers

Microsoft Entre ID is trusted by companies of all sizes and industries including Walmart, Zscaler, Uniper, Amtrak, monday.com, and more.

Standard Chartered Bank (SCB)

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Entra ID vs. Thales Authenticators

July 2025

Free Report: Microsoft Entra ID vs. Thales Authenticators

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