Which IAM solution is best?

OneLogin and Okta are two industry-leading identity and access management (IAM) platforms used to secure user access to corporate resources and manage user identity information. Both products offer similar features and capabilities, but each has unique strengths and weaknesses that should be considered before purchasing.

OneLogin vs Okta: Comparison

OneLogin and Okta are enterprise-grade IAM platforms that offer security products that customers can combine to create a customized solution.

Learn more about IAM in our free PDF: The 10 Universal Truths of Identity and Access Management

OneLogin and Okta pricing

OneLogin offers two bundled plans and a la carte pricing. OneLogin's Advanced plan includes SSO, Advanced Directory Sync, and MFA for $4 per user per month. The Professional plan adds identity lifecycle management and HR-based identity management for $8/user/month. IAM features for the individual workforce range from $2 to $5 per user per month, with the exception of advanced features like sandboxing that require a custom sales quote.

Okta products are only available individually. The price of each feature varies; For example, Basic SSO costs $2 per user per month, but Adaptive SSO costs $5 per user per month. Okta has a minimum annual contract of $1,500, with volume discounts for enterprise customers with more than 5,000 users.

Feature Comparison: OneLogin vs Okta

Single sign-on (SSO)

Both OneLogin and Okta offer SSO for on-premises and cloud-based applications, as well as endpoint devices such as laptops and mobile phones. For an additional $3/user/month, Okta also offers adaptive SSO that analyzes the risk of a login request based on context, such as device location.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA)

OneLogin and Okta have MFA products for enterprise applications, endpoints, and the cloud. OneLogin's basic MFA integrates with biometric authenticators (such as Hello World on PC and Touch ID on Mac) for added protection, while Okta offers this functionality as a separate product (SmartFactor Authentication™). Okta MFA includes adaptive access policies that evaluate contextual risk factors such as location and user behavior. OneLogin also offers adaptive MFA with machine learning risk analysis, but it costs an additional $5 per user per month.

Directory Synchronization

Both OneLogin and Okta offer directory synchronization products that pull identity and policy information from Active Directory and other sources, providing a centralized control panel to simplify management across the enterprise. OneLogin's product is called Advanced Directory and Okta's is Universal Directory.

Identity lifecycle management

OneLogin and Okta provide identity lifecycle management services that allow you to automatically provision, change, and terminate accounts.

Sandbox test

OneLogin has a tool called OneLogin Sandbox that provides a secure testing environment so you can test new IAM features and configurations before deploying them to production. Okta does not offer this feature.

User and entity behavior analysis (UEBA)

Both OneLogin and Okta offer UEBA technology that uses artificial intelligence to analyze account behavior on the network to identify anomalies and threats. OneLogin's Vigilance AI™ threat engine is integrated into its SmartFactor Authentication product; Okta expects its Identity Threat Protection product with Okta AI to be available in early access in the first half of 2024.

Codeless Automation

OneLogin offers multiple avenues for code-free workflow automation: its identity lifecycle management and HR-based identity products come with built-in automation capabilities, while its Smart Hooks feature lets you create Custom workflows and integrations via API. The Okta Workflows product provides a code-free interface to create automated identity-based processes using pre-built templates or custom integrations.

API access management

Okta has an API access management tool that streamlines API onboarding, integration, and security with a unified, intuitive dashboard. OneLogin does not offer API access management functionality.

Pros and cons of OneLogin

Advantages of OneLogin

• Provides a la carte pricing and feature packages with no minimums.
• The base product supports biometric integrations and custom workflow automation.
• Provides a sandbox to securely validate new features and configurations.

Cons of OneLogin

• Adaptive MFA has an additional cost.
• Does not provide API access management.

Pros and cons of Okta

Okta Advantages

• The MFA product includes contextual access policies.
• Provides an API access management tool.
• Offers an intuitive code-free identity automation platform.

Cons of product 2

• It has a minimum annual contract of $1,500.
• The UEBA is not yet available.

Methodology

I began my comparison of these two products by thoroughly reviewing the OneLogin and Okta websites to get a basic understanding of the capabilities and features they offer. Next, I downloaded the free trials to evaluate the ease of use of individual features and tools. I also analyzed reviews from Gartner Peer Insights and other trusted sources to learn how real customers use the products and what features most influence their purchasing decisions.

Download our PDF to learn more about the future of identity and access management.

Should your organization use OneLogin or Okta?

OneLogin and Okta offer advanced identity and access management (IAM) capabilities for enterprises. Their individual products are similarly priced, but OneLogin offers packages and no annual minimums, making it a better option for businesses that don't plan to spend more than $1,500 per year on their IAM platform. Both platforms offer many of the same features, with a few exceptions, such as the OneLogin sandbox and Okta's API access management tool. Ultimately, the decision will depend on your organization's size, requirements, and unique security risk profile.