Entra ID covers our entire user identity stack, including authentication. Interactive capabilities are particularly useful.
Senior Technology Architect at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
It integrates well with other solutions by the same vendor to deliver excellent security
Pros and Cons
- "The integration with all Microsoft services and external applications is crucial. Microsoft Entra ID has helped the company with user identities, user device management, and endpoint management. Integration capabilities are significant."
- "There should be a clearer separation between objects held in Entra and Azure, so we don't need to approach the Entra ID team to create rules, policies, and app registrations. It would help if we could make independent IDs on the Azure side to go through that team to create a role, change permissions, or create something for a specific task."
What is our primary use case?
How has it helped my organization?
Microsoft Entra ID has helped the company with user identities, user device management, and endpoint management. We use it with other Microsoft products like Defender for Endpoint and Sentinel to improve our security.
Active Directory has conditional access, so you only log in from a company device. You also have multi-factor authentication and other systems generate tokens. It's well protected.
What is most valuable?
The integration with all Microsoft services and external applications is crucial. Microsoft Entra ID has helped the company with user identities, user device management, and endpoint management. Integration capabilities are significant.
What needs improvement?
There should be a clearer separation between objects held in Entra and Azure, so we don't need to approach the Entra ID team to create rules, policies, and app registrations. It would help if we could make independent IDs on the Azure side to go through that team to create a role, change permissions, or create something for a specific task.
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Entra ID
June 2026
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Entra ID. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: June 2026.
900,838 professionals have used our research since 2012.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used Entra for the last couple of years but have worked with Microsoft solutions for 30 years. Entra ID is the successor to Azure Active Directory
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Microsoft Entra ID is a stable platform. There was a big incident with Azure Active Directory a few years ago, but since then, Microsoft has worked to distribute the risk properly.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
There is no issue with scalability.
How are customer service and support?
I rate Microsoft support eight out of 10. They respond quickly, but the solutions aren't always satisfactory. Microsoft cannot test some things internally when you face a problem.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before Entra ID, I used the on-prem Active Directory for around 30 years. The foundation of Entra and Azure Active Directory comes from Active Directory.
How was the initial setup?
Initially, we could complete the setup by following the guides, but now the setup is more complicated.
What about the implementation team?
We try to handle implementation in-house, supported by an external company that acts as an outsourced part of the team.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I am aware of the tier we use and know the pricing per user or account, but I am not in procurement.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Entra ID nine out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partners
Consolidated authentication boosts app security while addressing Multi-Factor Authentication challenges
Pros and Cons
- "After implementing Microsoft Entra ID, secure access to apps has become seamless."
- "Microsoft plans to move away from SMS authentication for Multi-Factor Authentication and only implement application-based authenticator, which will be challenging for retail outlets reliant on Microsoft Active Directory."
What is our primary use case?
We use Microsoft Entra ID for authentication purposes and are planning to implement additional modules like Mobile Device Management. Our current use is mainly for integrating third-party applications for distributed applications to centralize authentication.
What is most valuable?
The major feature we utilize is the ability to perform third-party validations. This functionality allows our distributed applications to be integrated with a single authentication system using Microsoft Entra ID. Previously, each application had standalone authentications, but with Microsoft Entra ID, we have consolidated them. After implementing Microsoft Entra ID, secure access to apps has become seamless.
What needs improvement?
There are a couple of main concerns. Microsoft plans to move away from SMS authentication for Multi-Factor Authentication and only implement application-based authenticator, which will be challenging for retail outlets reliant on Microsoft Active Directory. Additionally, the pricing for Microsoft services is rising. Furthermore, there is a tool to measure resource usage in Power BI, but it is not functioning properly, making it difficult to understand resource consumption.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Microsoft Entra ID for three and a half years. Initially, it was Azure Active Directory before transitioning to Microsoft Entra ID, and we've mostly used it over the last three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable without any latency issues. However, in the last two quarters, we experienced three Power BI outages.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
There are no current issues with scalability.
How are customer service and support?
Support could be better at times. There was an incident where I couldn’t get help with deleting an unused subscription and another where Power BI support took weeks without providing a solution. Overall, the support incidents mentioned involved delays and inefficiencies.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have been with Microsoft from the start and have not explored other solutions.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup for Microsoft Entra ID was straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
The setup was done in-house. I personally handled it without needing a full team.
What was our ROI?
We did not perform a detailed ROI analysis, but using Microsoft Entra ID has saved about fifteen percent of resources since one person used to manage login details, a task now simplified by the integration.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Microsoft's pricing is increasing significantly. The Office suite has undergone multiple licensing changes, driving up costs, and this also applies to Microsoft Entra ID.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We have been with Microsoft since the beginning and did not evaluate alternative solutions.
What other advice do I have?
One additional feedback is that Microsoft plans to discontinue SMS functionality for Multi-Factor Authentication, which poses a challenge for retailers without mobile application authentication. This requires having an authenticator for Windows, so retail operations dependent on Microsoft Entra will not encounter authentication issues. Furthermore, the overall rating I would give this solution is seven due to issues with support. The MFA upcoming changes must be addressed before they cause further complications.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Entra ID
June 2026
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Entra ID. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: June 2026.
900,838 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Cybersecurity Engineer at a manufacturing company with 501-1,000 employees
Enhance security with granular identity controls and conditional access policies
Pros and Cons
- "The best feature of Microsoft Entra ID is that it provides more granular control over user identities."
- "In terms of improvement, we face issues with latency and responsiveness. Changes take some time to reflect across all users, sometimes up to twenty-four hours, which can be challenging when we need to implement drastic changes."
What is our primary use case?
We are using Microsoft Entra ID for multiple purposes, such as managing all authentications and changing passwords online. Previously, we relied on an on-premise network, which required us to be on-site to change passwords. With Microsoft Entra ID, we can synchronize it from anywhere on the network. We have an Azure AD Premium license and utilize features like conditional access policies to control identities. We use it primarily for managing identities inside the organization.
What is most valuable?
The best feature of Microsoft Entra ID is that it provides more granular control over user identities. The conditional access policy feature is particularly valuable, and it's something we use frequently. Microsoft Entra ID helps us manage identities according to security standards, and it allows us to implement least privilege access effectively. The logging and monitoring capabilities give us insights into activities, offering a single pane of visibility to detect anomalies, ensuring enhanced security.
What needs improvement?
In terms of improvement, we face issues with latency and responsiveness. Changes take some time to reflect across all users, sometimes up to twenty-four hours, which can be challenging when we need to implement drastic changes. Additionally, Microsoft's documentation can be insufficient. Some technical configuration details are missing, requiring us to consult external sources like forums or communities. They need to improve their documentation to ensure all necessary technical information is covered.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Microsoft Entra ID for six to seven years. Before that, we had an on-premises Active Directory environment, and then we transitioned to a hybrid setup with Azure connect. This has been our setup for around six to seven years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Microsoft Entra ID is stable. It functions as it is designed, but improvements regarding the responsiveness of the solution are needed. Sometimes, rolling back changes takes longer than expected, affecting our operations.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Microsoft Entra ID is scalable. It integrates well with third-party tools.
How are customer service and support?
I have experienced mixed results with technical support. Sometimes the support is excellent and technical issues are resolved quickly. However, there are times when complex tickets are assigned to non-technical personnel, which prolongs resolution times. After a delay, we might find out that an issue is out of scope for a particular agent, causing further delays.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used on-premises Active Directory and switched to Microsoft Entra ID to reduce infrastructure. We have a hybrid environment now but maintain some local infrastructure for testing purposes.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of Microsoft Entra ID is not straightforward; it sits between easy and tough. Implementing features requires vigilance and certainty before making changes due to its complexity. Microsoft's documentation misses some technical details, creating a need to refer to external resources for certain configurations.
What about the implementation team?
Our deployment was done in-house. We did not use an integrator, reseller, or managed service provider.
What was our ROI?
Microsoft Entra ID provides visibility for security, such as tracking identity movements. By not relying on an on-premises solution, our infrastructure management is simplified, which aids in disaster recovery planning. We also integrate security features like risky users policies that enhance our security architecture. This contributes to a good ROI.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Microsoft Entra ID at eight to 8.5 out of 10 overall. The solution is mature, with a big community and a strong reputation in the market. It's recommended due to its features and community support, though implementation challenges and documentation issues require attention. Community support and Microsoft's reputation are valuable, but the latency and documentation need improvement.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Administrative(Hands on) at Click Bond, Inc.
We can now manage users from a single pane of glass, enhancing efficiency
Pros and Cons
- "We haven't implemented permission identity management, but we plan to use it. Entitlement management and dynamic grouping of Microsoft 365 groups are features I enjoy. From an administrative perspective, we can now manage users from a single pane of glass, which enhances efficiency. MFA will improve the user experience and increase organizational efficiency."
- "From an administrative perspective, we can now manage users from a single pane of glass, which enhances efficiency."
- "The implementation of other third-party MFA such as Okta or Duo could be improved, even though Duo is integratable. The response from actual support tickets is a bit laggy, and I would like them to be more responsive."
What is our primary use case?
We are using Microsoft Entra ID for single sign-on with our hybrid domain environment and for identity management with multi-factor authentication using Microsoft Authenticator. We plan to migrate our whole user base over to Microsoft Authenticator with MFA capabilities, possibly with certificate-based authentication.
How has it helped my organization?
We're still testing Entra and having implemented it on the application side. We'll soon start using application proxies to get into our line-of-sight businesses on-prem.
We follow a least privileged access model, and Entra ID has helped us to avoid overextending access from the administrative side. And we plan also to implement it with devices. Our administrators are more careful when auditing access and ensuring everyone has access.
What is most valuable?
We haven't implemented permission identity management, but we plan to use it. Entitlement management and dynamic grouping of Microsoft 365 groups are features I enjoy. From an administrative perspective, we can now manage users from a single pane of glass, which enhances efficiency. MFA will improve the user experience and increase organizational efficiency.
What needs improvement?
The implementation of other third-party MFA such as Okta or Duo could be improved, even though Duo is integratable. The response from actual support tickets is a bit laggy, and I would like them to be more responsive.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Microsoft Entra ID for about two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Entra's stability is great and consistently meets our expectations.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is excellent. We can scale Entra up and down as needed efficiently.
How are customer service and support?
Our consultants are excellent and provide consistent help, but there is room for improvement in the responsiveness of actual support tickets.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used on-prem Active Directory as our solution.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
We did it all in house without any additional team.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We go through a reseller, CDW, who walked us step-by-step through the process. The pricing, setup cost, and licensing have been fairly straightforward.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Senior Security Engineer at a financial services firm with 501-1,000 employees
Enables us to implement security easily and effectively
Pros and Cons
- "Conditional access and Privileged Identity Management (PIM) are the most valuable features from a security perspective."
- "Entra ID enables us to implement security easily and effectively."
- "Rule management and permissions need improvements. I have had discussions with product managers about these challenges and sent emails regarding them. Additionally, improvements are needed in the Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) side of things."
- "Rule management and permissions need improvements."
What is our primary use case?
Entra ID serves as our primary identity security tool.
How has it helped my organization?
Entra ID enables us to implement security easily and effectively. It has built-in integration with all the Microsoft tools, like SharePoint, Outlook, Teams, etc., the condition access we discussed earlier. It's our primary identity security tool. We can't live without Entra ID.
Using Entra ID has improved our security. Our security score is close to 80 percent, which is a critical metric because that includes everything under the hood. We have continuously improved in the last two or three years. We have implemented many improvements since the pandemic, so the number of incidents has decreased a bit, and automation has been throttled up.
What is most valuable?
Conditional access and Privileged Identity Management (PIM) are the most valuable features from a security perspective.
What needs improvement?
Rule management and permissions need improvements. I have had discussions with product managers about these challenges and sent emails regarding them. Additionally, improvements are needed in the Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) side of things.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Entra ID for around six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate Entra ID 10 out of 10 for stability. I have not encountered any issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate Entra ID's scalability 10 out of 10. It's great.
How are customer service and support?
Customer service has been very good. I have raised sophisticated queries and received responses within a day.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have never used a different solution and have always worked with Entra ID.
How was the initial setup?
What about the implementation team?
I have not personally deployed Microsoft Entra ID. However, I have integrated the solution, and we have worked with integrators to set it up.
What was our ROI?
The biggest return on investment is the seamless integration with all Microsoft apps and services. If you choose something new and integrate it, it can take a lot of time.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Entra ID eight out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Cloud Solution architect at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Integrated multiple enterprise-level apps with single sign-on and reduced operational costs using cloud transition
Pros and Cons
- "I would rate the solution as 9. It is a very good solution for unified management."
- "Sometimes, level-one support lacks the immediate information needed, causing delays in receiving appropriate support."
What is our primary use case?
We have a hybrid environment where we sync our users from on-premises to Microsoft Entra ID. The main purpose is to utilize Microsoft applications and services, like Microsoft 365 applications. We also use different integrations with Microsoft Entra ID for other cloud-based apps like Salesforce, enabling Single Sign-On integration.
What is most valuable?
One of the best features is that if users are synced with Microsoft Entra ID, you can integrate different enterprise-level apps like Salesforce, Oracle, and CyberArk. There are hundreds of apps you can integrate. Enabling Single Sign-On using Microsoft Entra users with these other cloud apps is a significant advantage. Single Sign-On is highly valuable.
What needs improvement?
Microsoft could enhance features regarding user retention for inactive accounts on Microsoft Entra ID. Another improvement needed is in the report customization for enterprise application configurations, making them more graphical and suitable for management presentation. Additionally, the freedom for Group Policies needs enhancement in Microsoft services like Intune.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft Entra ID for 6 years, and it is now going to be 7 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Microsoft Entra ID is a stable solution. We have been using it for the last 7 years, and it continues to improve with feedback from customers. It is a very stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable solution. We previously had 300 users and now have 1,000 users. The number of licenses has increased, and Microsoft Entra ID has helped manage various Microsoft services under one platform.
How are customer service and support?
Microsoft's technical support can be rated as 7 for front-end support and 8 for tier-two or advanced level support. Sometimes, level-one support lacks the immediate information needed, causing delays in receiving appropriate support.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We were using Microsoft's on-premises Active Directory and a different Endpoint Protection. Now, we use Microsoft's Endpoint Protection due to licensing benefits. We also switched from another system to Microsoft Dynamics. These changes have helped reduce both capitalized and operational costs.
How was the initial setup?
The setup process was relatively straightforward due to Entra Connect, which syncs on-prem users to Microsoft Entra. However, managing Group Policies in Microsoft services is still somewhat complex.
What about the implementation team?
We engaged integrators, resellers, and Managed Service Providers for various projects. These service providers supported our deployment.
What was our ROI?
I cannot provide a specific figure, but moving our CRM and ERP to the cloud has reduced the need for on-premises management, saving on both capitalized and operational costs. This transition has allowed us to reallocate budget to more productive activities.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Licensing with Microsoft 365 often comes bundled, which simplifies license management. This unification reduces the need for separate licenses for Office applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Before choosing Microsoft Entra ID, we evaluated other security and identity solutions, including Microsoft's on-premises Active Directory and different Endpoint Protection systems.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate the solution as 9. It is a very good solution for unified management. I rate the overall solution a 9 out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Data Systems Integration Specialist at a government with 1,001-5,000 employees
Simplified central management, including administration and an overview of all logins and user profiles
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature for us is the B2C functionality of Microsoft Entra ID, which is essential due to our need for external and internal users to log into our system."
- "Microsoft Entra ID has simplified central management, including administration and an overview of all logins and user profiles."
- "Microsoft's pricing and licensing are difficult to understand. We engage with Microsoft partners regularly, but Microsoft's frequent rebranding complicates the process for us in the industry."
What is our primary use case?
The primary use case for Microsoft Entra ID is authentication, allowing internal employees and guest users to log into our system.
How has it helped my organization?
Microsoft Entra ID has simplified central management, including administration and an overview of all logins and user profiles. It simplifies logins, not only for internal users but also for guests. We don't need to manage a lot of party sign-on. It has dramatically decreased phishing and other hacking attempts.
It has improved our approach to defending against nation-state attacks and token theft by allowing us to enable MFA and other out-of-the-box capabilities easily. We've also reduced complaints and changed user behavior. It takes them some time to get used to it, but we educate them on how to use the built-in security features.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature for us is the B2C functionality of Microsoft Entra ID, which is essential due to our need for external and internal users to log into our system.
What needs improvement?
Currently, Microsoft Entra ID meets our needs. I could not think of any areas for improvement or additional features for the next release.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used Entra ID for three to four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of Microsoft Entra ID is satisfactory.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Microsoft Entra ID is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
I rate Microsoft support eight out of 10. Internally, we have a feedback system for our customer service. While it may not be perfect, there are noticeably fewer customer complaints.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not use a different solution before Microsoft Entra ID. Since we are deeply embedded in the Microsoft ecosystem, it was the natural choice.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was not difficult.
What about the implementation team?
We did not use an integrator, reseller, or consultant for deployment.
What was our ROI?
I am confident that we have seen a return on investment, but I have not calculated it. Microsoft Entra ID reduces risks and the need to do things manually.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Microsoft's pricing and licensing are difficult to understand. We engage with Microsoft partners regularly, but Microsoft's frequent rebranding complicates the process for us in the industry.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Microsoft Entra ID was a straightforward choice due to our integration within the Microsoft ecosystem.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate Microsoft Entra ID eight out of 10. We are generally satisfied, although understanding the solution fully can be challenging. Once we have the knowledge, implementation becomes easy, but initially, it can be time-consuming.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
System Architect at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Helps us drill down into who can access our secure apps using resource groups
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature is the ability to establish resource groups and set permissions through RBAC across these groups."
- "Scalability has been the biggest benefit."
- "The transition from on-prem Active Directory to the Azure Cloud was difficult because there aren't group policy objectives. This is handled differently in the Azure cloud environment."
What is our primary use case?
We've been using Entra ID in a hybrid scenario. We have an on-premise Active Directory that replicates to the cloud.
How has it helped my organization?
Scalability has been the biggest benefit. Moving more to a cloud footprint and leveraging Azure resources provides increased scalability and security. Entra helps us drill down into who can access our secure apps using resource groups, etc. We haven't had a security incident in the past two years, so we've been secure since going hybrid with Entra.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the ability to establish resource groups and set permissions through RBAC across these groups.
The device-bound passkeys have helped us implement phishing-resistant authentication. We moved everybody to the authenticator app through Microsoft Entra and integrated that with our Azure applications.
We're more secure than we've been in the past. Our security score was poor when we implemented Entra ID. It was about 30 percent. We increased it significantly using recommendations from Microsoft about the authenticator app and other identity measures.
What needs improvement?
The transition from on-prem Active Directory to the Azure Cloud was difficult because there aren't group policy objectives. This is handled differently in the Azure cloud environment.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using Entra ID for a little over two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We haven't had any issues since moving to the platform. It has been one hundred percent reliable without outages.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is perfect, allowing us to easily move more functions to the cloud.
How are customer service and support?
I've never had to reach out to Microsoft support, which I consider a positive aspect. From what I've heard from colleagues, they'd rate Microsoft's technical support around an eight.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used strictly on-premise Active Directory.
How was the initial setup?
It was rough because we didn't have much experience in cloud space. It was pretty seamless after a couple of days of researching and powering through it.
What about the implementation team?
We used Insight for the implementation. Their cloud engineers were amazing and helped us through many challenges.
What was our ROI?
The biggest return on investment is peace of mind, knowing I won't receive phone calls in the night.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The licensing model was straightforward initially. However, it has become more complex. It's not bad. The price has gone up a bit, but it's still affordable.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We evaluated Amazon Web Services but chose Entra due to seamless integration, primarily because we are a Microsoft shop.
What other advice do I have?
I'd rate Microsoft Entra ID as a 10 out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
DevSecOps CISO Architect(Feature Engineer 3)- CISO Cyber Security Dept at ING
Entra Admin Center is a very good portal for managing all identity and access management tasks
Pros and Cons
- "Microsoft Entra ID Protection and Microsoft Sentinel are both excellent monitoring features for Microsoft Entra ID."
- "Compatibility features for legacy system integration with new features will be challenging at times."
What is our primary use case?
The main use case for Entra ID is to move from on-premises to the cloud. I have been doing a lot of cloud transformation work, and I have seen that most organizations that move to the cloud see a lot of benefits in terms of monitoring and IAM. In those cases, we move to Entra ID.
How has it helped my organization?
Entra ID provides a single pane of glass for access management. Microsoft Identity confirms users and the access management grants access. In terms of IT and access management, Entra ID provides better management and monitoring solutions that can be used effectively. Entra ID can be used by IT administrators and app developers. It offers a wide range of options for onboarding applications to the cloud. For example, enabling single sign-on for an on-premises application can be time-consuming. However, moving the application to Entra ID is straightforward. App developers can use Entra ID APIs to build personalized experiences, set up single sign-on, customize applications, and monitor them.
The single pane of glass consistency for user sign-on experience is very good because Entra ID is a solution from Microsoft that is available in different regions around the globe. This means that we always have better visibility and management of user sign-on, and now Microsoft apps also moved to Microsoft Entra. This provides a unified experience where we can manage access and permissions from a single location.
The consistency of our security policy is excellent. It is very granular, allowing us to scope it to groups or access it via the API. We also have Entra ID PIM, which allows us to granularly control access to resources. This is a very good option for access management.
Active Directory's Admin Center is a very good tool for managing all identity and access tasks in our organization. It provides a single pane of glass for managing users, groups, external identities, and roles. It also allows us to create administrative units, which can be used to scope access to a set of users, groups, and devices. We can also use Admin Center to view licenses, company branding, user settings, security settings, sign-in logs, provisioning logs, usage, and insights. Admin Center also makes it easy for admins to troubleshoot problems. For example, if we need to debug something, we can log into Admin Center and check the sign-in logs.
There were many benefits to moving to Entra ID. The main benefit was that it was a game-changer, especially for monitoring. When we were using Active Directory, everything was local. This meant that we had to build our own monitoring solution for each application that was onboarded into AD. This was a time-consuming and expensive process. With Entra ID, we can use Microsoft Sentinel or Entra ID Monitor to monitor all of our applications from a single location. This is a huge time and cost savings. Another benefit of Entra ID is that it makes it easy to onboard new applications. With AD, we had to deploy the application on-premises and then configure IT and access management. This was a complex and time-consuming process. With Entra ID, we can simply onboard the application and then grant Identity Access Management to the application. This is a much simpler and faster process.
Conditional access is a powerful feature that allows us to define a set of conditions that must be met in order for users to access our applications. This can help us to improve security by ensuring that only authorized users can access our data, regardless of where they are or what device they use. For example, we could create a policy that requires users to be located in a specific country or to use a specific device type in order to access our applications. We could also require users to use multi-factor authentication in order to access our applications. Conditional access policies can be applied to all of our applications, including those in Entra ID and Office 365.
Conditional access policy plays a key role in zero trust security. In the conditional access policy, there is a feature called named locations, which allows us to exclude devices from a condition if they are coming from a trusted location. For example, if we add an exclusion for trusted locations to our conditional access policy, it will directly impact our zero trust policy. The main driver for any organization to move to zero trust security is to reduce the number of named locations in their conditional access policies. By reducing the number of named locations, we can increase the security of our organization by making it more difficult for attackers to gain access to our systems.
I have been using the conditional access feature in conjunction with the endpoint manager for a long time. This is a great feature because it helps us to monitor threats and direct users accordingly. It is a very useful feature for monitoring our endpoints. For example, if a user tries to access a service, the check can be done and the endpoint manager will be able to provide us with all the findings.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint can identify any PaaS devices that connect to a network. This includes any unpacked devices that are trying to use an application that is onboarded in Entra ID or any persistent Office 365 application, such as Microsoft Teams, Outlook, or OneDrive.
I have been using Entra Verified ID on the proof of concept. It is one of the best ways to onboard a remote employee. Since COVID in 2020, we have all been working remotely. It is better to onboard an employee who is present remotely in a different location than to ask them to come to the office, collect a laptop, and then onboard them. Verified ID makes this process easier by using preset, already-known information that is present in our company directory. For example, when an employee is interviewed, they are given face verification through a government ID. The ID is collected and a photograph is taken, which is then stored in the HR database. With this information, we can onboard employees remotely and grant them access to all of the company's resources. This is a much easier option than asking everyone to come to the office and ask for help from the overloaded service desk team.
The speed at which we can onboard a remote employee depends on how we define it in the initial planning. If we set the correct standards, such as the type of information we need to verify the employee's identity, we can streamline the process. For example, if we require the employee to provide a government ID and a photograph, the HR department can collect this information in advance and process it in the company's database. This will make it easier for the employee to complete the onboarding process remotely.
When it comes to controlling and prioritizing the privacy of identity data, there are multiple ways to do so. One way is to onboard remote employees with information that is already present in the company directory. This information can be verified by HR, who has already obtained the employee's consent to share their personal information. Another way to onboard remote employees is to ask them to provide a photo and government ID. This information is also stored in the company's database and is not shared with Microsoft. Microsoft only creates a digital identity for the employee and uses this identity to validate the employee's remote onboarding. In both cases, the employee's personal information is not exposed to the Internet. Microsoft and the company have a secure channel for exchanging this information, so there is no problem with data privacy.
The permission manager in Entra ID is very good. Microsoft improved it a lot. Microsoft Entra is the new permission manager solution. It provides comprehensive visibility into the permissions assigned to all identities, such as user identities. It also allows us to check the current permissions that are given to users. This is a better way to manage permissions. Permission management is a really good option that has a lot of benefits and improvements, especially when moving to the Microsoft enterprise.
When it comes to identity and permission management, the risk is relatively low when using a cloud-managed solution. This is because cloud-managed solutions provide full visibility and the option to automate permission management. One of the benefits of cloud-managed identity and permission management is that it allows us to implement the principle of least privileges. This means that we can give users and workloads only the permissions they need to do their jobs. This helps to reduce our attack surface and makes it more difficult for attackers to gain access to our systems. Another benefit of cloud-managed identity and permission management is that it provides us with visibility into our user and workload identities. This allows us to quickly identify and remediate any security issues that may arise.
Entra ID helps our IT administrators and HR department save time. It reduces the custom task of deploying and onboarding any application. This means that administrators can easily onboard applications to Entra ID and provide users with a single sign-on experience. As a result, administrators have more time to focus on improving their skills and deploying new Entra ID features. Entra IDoffers a wide range of features, including artificial intelligence capabilities such as Chat GPT. This frees up a lot of time that was previously spent managing the local active directory. Entra ID has freed up most of my weekends. When I was previously working with on-premises data centers, I had to patch my servers every weekend, which was a time-consuming and tedious task. However, now that all of my applications have been moved to Entra ID, these tasks have been drastically reduced. As a result, I would say that my weekends are now almost free.
Entra ID saved lot of organization money. I see previously organizations investing in expensive solutions for data centers, which required a lot of maintenance and the need to find the right talent to manage them. However, with Microsoft Entra ID, we no longer have to worry about maintaining data centers, as they are completely managed by the cloud. This has made our operations easier and more efficient, as we can now deploy changes quickly and easily, and receive alerts when any issues are found.
Entra ID positively affected our user experience.
What is most valuable?
Microsoft Entra ID Protection and Microsoft Sentinel are both excellent monitoring features for Microsoft Entra ID.
Beneficial of Entra Monitor and Log Analytics to monitor the secure operation of Entra ID services.
Great improvements in the Modern Authentication Strategy Passwordless FIDO2 improvements & Entra ID verification
What needs improvement?
In terms of licensing - being able to pick some premium features without purchasing a package is advantageous.
Increasing the free log retention period might be more beneficial.
Compatibility features for legacy systems integration with new features will be challenging at times.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft Entra ID for ten years. Microsoft Entra ID has been a critical component of Microsoft cloud offerings since the time it was introduced.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Entra ID is extremely stable and Microsoft absolutely brings new improvements to this feature.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Entra ID is highly scalable. I have seen multiple organizations over 80,000 people in use Entra ID worldwide.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is good but sometimes it can be difficult to connect with the right engineer when you are working in a complex enterprise environment.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Out of all my experiences i have seen organizations using Microsoft Active Directory before switching to Entra ID.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. I completed most of the deployment myself with excellent support from the Microsoft support Team.
What about the implementation team?
In most of the cases the implementation was completed in-house with support from the Microsoft support Team.
What was our ROI?
We have seen a return on our investment with Microsoft through improved performance, better management, and enhanced features.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Entra ID's pricing is comprehensive and affordable. The prices are easy to understand, and the licenses include a variety of security monitoring and additional features.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have evaluated Google Cloud Identity and AWS Directory Service, but I felt more comfortable with Entra ID.
What other advice do I have?
I give Microsoft Entra ID a nine out of ten.
Entra ID does not require maintenance from our end.
For someone evaluating Entra ID, it is important to understand their use case, business requirements, current solution, and expectations. The current solution is important to understand because it will help to identify any gaps that Entra ID could potentially fill.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
Country Manager - Saudi Arabia at Misr Commercial Services Ltd
Enhance security and consolidate sign-in through robust authentication
Pros and Cons
- "Microsoft Entra ID offers strong security levels, especially with two-step authentication, which confirms that I am the real user."
What is our primary use case?
I usually use Microsoft Entra ID to access our resources and to manage our approvals. It is used to assign roles, set limits, and manage access levels. For specific users, I ensure that nobody else has access. My personal files are protected, and confidential projects are kept secure.
How has it helped my organization?
The solution has helped build trust. I trust what I am doing and make sure that my files are protected and safe.
What is most valuable?
Microsoft Entra ID offers strong security levels, especially with two-step authentication, which confirms that I am the real user. It ensures that nobody can access files or emails without permission. Additionally, it consolidates sign-in requirements across different services, like GitHub, Twitter, and Upwork, in a single application. Microsoft Entra ID changes permissions to role access ID levels, ensuring access to only what is needed.
What needs improvement?
I do not see any area needing improvement. Perhaps integration with other AI tools, beyond Copilot, could enhance its use, like signing into ChatGPT.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft Entra ID for almost more than fifteen years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have not experienced any performance or stability issues with Microsoft Entra ID.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Microsoft Entra ID is scalable. It can accommodate many accounts, beyond just a few.
How are customer service and support?
I have not been in contact with Microsoft customer service.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I evaluated Google Identity and HashiCorp but decided to stay with Microsoft Entra ID because of its user-friendliness and familiarity.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of Microsoft Entra ID was very straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
The deployment of Microsoft Entra ID was handled in-house by our department.
What was our ROI?
I have not thought about return on investment because the company provides Microsoft Entra ID. However, the protection it offers is invaluable.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost of Microsoft Entra ID is around $8 per month, which I find very reasonable.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I evaluated Google Identity and HashiCorp.
What other advice do I have?
I rate the solution at ten because it is a great solution for those looking for security and privacy.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Microsoft Entra ID Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Updated: June 2026
Product Categories
Single Sign-On (SSO) Authentication Systems Identity Management (IM) Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) Access Management Microsoft Security SuitePopular Comparisons
Microsoft Intune
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Cloudflare One
Microsoft Defender for Cloud
Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Microsoft Sentinel
Okta Platform
SailPoint Identity Security Cloud
Microsoft Purview Data Governance
Microsoft Defender XDR
Workspace ONE UEM
Azure Key Vault
Omada Identity
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention
Ping Identity Platform
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Microsoft Entra ID Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Quick Links
Learn More: Questions:
- What do you think of the integration of Azure AD Services, Defender for Endpoint, and Intune as comprehensive security solutions?
- What are the biggest differences between Google Cloud Identity and Microsoft Azure Active Directory?
- How does Duo Security compare with Microsoft Authenticator?
- How does Microsoft Authenticator compare with Forinet FortiToken?
- When evaluating Single Sign-On, what aspect do you think is the most important to look for?
- CA SiteMinder vs IBM Tivoli Access Manager
- What single sign-on platform do you recommend?
- How much time does SSO save?
- Why is SSO needed?
- Why is Single Sign-On (SSO) important for companies?











