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Microsoft Entra ID vs Yubico YubiKey comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 11, 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 Entra ID
Ranking in Authentication Systems
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
278
Ranking in other categories
Single Sign-On (SSO) (2nd), Identity Management (IM) (3rd), Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) (1st), Access Management (1st), Microsoft Security Suite (2nd)
Yubico YubiKey
Ranking in Authentication Systems
9th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
Passwordless Authentication (2nd), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) (4th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Authentication Systems category, the mindshare of Microsoft Entra ID is 5.6%, down from 11.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Yubico YubiKey is 2.6%, down from 7.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Authentication Systems Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Microsoft Entra ID5.6%
Yubico YubiKey2.6%
Other91.8%
Authentication Systems
 

Featured Reviews

Stafin Jacob - PeerSpot reviewer
Microsoft 365 Security & Compliance Practice Lead at Invoke
Identity has become our central gatekeeper and has provided secure single sign-on for all users
Microsoft Entra ID can improve by focusing more on new passwordless methods and becoming a primary adopter. One feature we would like to see is the ability to have security questions for password resets. I know the current capability is phasing out, so we do not have an alternative method yet. Customers who already use security questions require a smoother transition for that capability to be available. My experience with the deployment has had some challenges, particularly around the Microsoft MFA campaigns. The hardest part is moving users from a different MFA provider to the Microsoft MFA provider, as it ultimately depends on user activity. In large enterprises with numerous users across various geographies, this transition takes time. If there are ways to exert more control around that process, it would improve the situation.
reviewer2859021 - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr Security Engineer at a tech vendor with 5,001-10,000 employees
Hardware authentication has reduced password resets and now secures access against phishing
The best features Yubico YubiKey offers are the major reasons we use it as a hardware MFA to create a token because it is phishing resistant. It guarantees the authentication works on a valid cryptographically verified domain, and it supports multiple protocols and authenticator capability. It is based on challenge-response mode, and it has extremely physical durability. It has a dual interface where you can plug it into a laptop or against an iOS and Android mobile phone. The private keys are generated directly on the internal secure chip and can never be exported by the host system or malware. Reducing password reset and MFA lockout support tickets by 75% has reclaimed the engineering capacity, which can be redirected towards more core infrastructure priorities, such as automating the security pipelines, improving asset management, and building internal CLI AI tooling. It has eliminated employee downtime and has simpler compliance and lower operational friction.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The premier services we have are very good."
"The solution scales well."
"It has improved our security posture a lot, with features like conditional access, single sign-on, and multi-factor authentication making access easier for users while significantly strengthening protection of our applications and data."
"The scalability capabilities are quite high."
"The solution has improved things a lot for our organization because it has improved productivity."
"Microsoft Authenticator is highly secure."
"The advantage of Azure Active Directory is that it's a cloud environment, so just about anybody can get to it."
"After implementing Microsoft Entra ID, secure access to apps has become seamless."
"Yubico YubiKey is highly valued for its anti-phishing feature, which prevents phishing of OTPs that are normally obtained through phones."
"Reducing password reset and MFA lockout support tickets by 75% has reclaimed the engineering capacity, which can be redirected towards more core infrastructure priorities, such as automating the security pipelines, improving asset management, and building internal CLI AI tooling."
"It's small and lightweight. Like a phone, it doesn't run out of battery. It also doesn't have to be unlocked. It doesn't break. Moreover, they're very durable and it's very convenient."
"YubiKey is a hardware security device with advanced security features."
"The most valuable feature of Yubico YubiKey is security."
"The solution is simple to use and we have installed it in our clients' endpoints. The tool is just plug-and-play for the end user. The end user can just put in the key to the security computer and log in without any hassle. The solution is efficient, user-friendly, and easy to use."
 

Cons

"One area where it can improve is connectivity with other systems."
"The documentation could be better."
"The synchronization with the local Active Directory and synchronization with all of the users on the local and cloud could be better."
"Azure AD needs to be more in sync. The synchronization can be time-consuming."
"The monitoring dashboard could be a bit better."
"I think there is room for improvement with actually discussing, and advertising Microsoft as a an authenticator. Many people just get confused and use Google, and I think if Microsoft would make more of an effort to penetrate the market, that would be key."
"I suggest improving the connector part. For technical users like me, it is manageable, but having comprehensive documentation for those who aren't familiar with the system would be beneficial."
"I think something can be improved, but it's working."
"Yubico YubiKey is one per user and I do not believe it is very scalable."
"Currently, an area where the product lacks is in addressing service needs."
"Yubico YubiKey is inconvient. No one likes the idea of having to put a USB device into the system, having to remember to take it out, and having passwords. It may be very good for security but it is not great for people to use."
"It would be better if the product can come up with a serial number for the keys. It would be nice if they had a numbering system as a configuration identity that would help the IT and technical teams to identify the keys because they look all the same. It would be more like putting a tag on them."
"It's a hardware device, so it isn't cost-effective to use for all your accounts. You might have a hard time getting budget approval. It's better to take a strategic approach and use it only for critical accounts. You can use other forms of authentication for the rest."
"Yubico YubiKey could be improved by allowing for centralized administration, which is not currently available in India."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of Azure Active Directory and Amazon AWS, are almost the same, but most people prefer Amazon AWS because they find it's a little cheaper to some extent and an easier platform to use."
"Pricing-wise, they offer a stepladder approach. You can start with the lowest level features, then start increasing based on new requirements."
"I don't pay for it. Going by how I feel, I see the prices for any MFA solution going down because the more different alternatives there are, the cheaper things should be. Microsoft Authenticator app would be the preferred application, but there are too many ways to implement MFA. I don't know how much it cost, but the price should go down."
"It is costly."
"It is in line. Because we are so early, we have not had to come back on a cycle where we are having to negotiate again."
"We have a yearly license."
"We are working with the Premium P2 licenses, which are reasonable. If you invest in the on-premises environment setup, then it costs so much. However, on-prem AD gives you the ability to manage your organization in a very organized manner, where you can create a group policy."
"As a nonprofit, we have A5 licenses for nonprofits in education, so we at least have some reduced costs."
"We paid 100 bucks for one Yubikey."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Outsourcing Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
6%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business91
Midsize Enterprise42
Large Enterprise162
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...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure Active Directory?
I primarily use Microsoft Entra ID's free tier, so I have not faced any issues with pricing; I hope this free tier remains available for some time.
What needs improvement with Azure Active Directory?
To improve Microsoft Entra ID, I believe it should be openable with third-party applications to use Microsoft Authenticator, which is currently tied to Entra. There should definitely be a way to re...
What needs improvement with Yubico YubiKey?
Yubico YubiKey is an industry gold standard for phishing-resistant hardware, though immutable firmware and password key storage limits keep it just shy of a perfect score. The immutable firmware an...
What is your primary use case for Yubico YubiKey?
Yubico YubiKey is my main hardware security key designed to provide multifactor authentication and for logging into my account. I typically use Yubico YubiKey to log into my corporate infrastructur...
What advice do you have for others considering Yubico YubiKey?
Regarding Yubico YubiKey's AI capabilities, it does not embed AI or machine learning capabilities in itself. Rather than introducing AI vulnerabilities, Yubico YubiKey serves as deterministic, non-...
 

Also Known As

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

Interactive Demo

Demo not available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Microsoft Entre ID is trusted by companies of all sizes and industries including Walmart, Zscaler, Uniper, Amtrak, monday.com, and more.
Google Inc., Salesforce, Novartis, Facebook, GitHub, CERN, Duke University, Code Enigma, Luther Burbank High School, ZorgSaam, Agfa, Santa Clara County Fire Department, Dyson Ltd, Portugal Telecom, Boral, Canonical Ltd
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Entra ID vs. Yubico YubiKey and other solutions. Updated: November 2026.
920,929 professionals have used our research since 2012.