Same-subcategory comparison

Microsoft Entra IDvsSafeNet Trusted Access

Compare buyer fit, pricing, capability depth, and purchase constraints within one buying category. A higher score is not a universal winner.

Comparison summary

How to choose

These conclusions apply to this subcategory and the buyer conditions shown here. They do not make one product universally better.

Microsoft Entra ID

Consider when

Workforce identity teams using Microsoft cloud services
Organizations needing SSO, MFA and configurable access policies

Check before choosing

Organizations requiring full lifecycle workflows within the base P2 license

Full profile

SafeNet Trusted Access

Consider when

Identity teams combining workforce SSO and MFA
Teams applying contextual access rules across enterprise applications

Check before choosing

Basic subscribers requiring FIDO or application-specific contextual policies
STA subscribers requiring certificate-based authentication

Full profile

Dimension	Microsoft Entra ID	SafeNet Trusted Access
Pricing and trial	Microsoft Entra ID Free Free · Included with Microsoft cloud subscriptions such as Azure and Microsoft 365 Microsoft Entra ID P1 $7.00 USD · per user · per month · billed annually · one-year commitment Microsoft Entra ID P2 $10.00 USD · per user · per month · billed annually · one-year commitment P1 and P2 can be purchased separately or obtained through qualifying Microsoft 365 bundles. Standalone rates are paid yearly with an annual commitment; subscriptions auto-renew. Entra Suite requires P1 or a package containing P1. Microsoft 365 E3: Includes Microsoft Entra ID P1. Microsoft 365 Business Premium: Includes Microsoft Entra ID P1. Microsoft 365 E5: Includes Microsoft Entra ID P2. Full profile	STA Basic plan Requires quote · custom quote STA plan Requires quote · custom quote STA Premium plan Requires quote · custom quote STA Basic, STA and STA Premium form an inherited feature ladder; STA-W features correspond to Premium. Marketing describes an all-in-one licence with tokens and support included, while the agreement binds entitlement to quoted SKUs and licensed volume. Direct and authorized-third-party orders are supported. Default STA auto-renewal uses the previous term and requires at least 60 days written notice to prevent renewal. Authorized third-party acquisition: The agreement permits purchase through authorized third parties; payments follow the buyer’s agreement with that party. Product use remains governed by the applicable Thales terms. Full profile
Best for	Workforce identity teams using Microsoft cloud services Organizations needing SSO, MFA and configurable access policies	Identity teams combining workforce SSO and MFA Teams applying contextual access rules across enterprise applications Organizations requiring multiple authentication methods with a tiered access-control ladder
Not for	Organizations requiring full lifecycle workflows within the base P2 license	Basic subscribers requiring FIDO or application-specific contextual policies STA subscribers requiring certificate-based authentication
Source check	94/100	91/100
Key features	Workforce SSO and MFA Cloud directory and on-premises synchronization Conditional Access in P1/P2 Risk-based Conditional Access and privileged access in P2	Workforce MFA and multiple authenticator methods Basic SSO, with smart SSO in STA and Premium User/group policies and higher-tier application/context policies REST and SCIM identity-management APIs Higher-tier FIDO, Kerberos and external IdP orchestration
Cons	P1/P2 standalone rates require an annual commitment and annual payment. Subscriptions auto-renew. Full lifecycle workflows require an additional governance entitlement.	Under the default STA supplement, orders renew for the previous term unless at least 60 days written non-renewal notice is given a signed agreement may govern instead. Default orders are non-cancellable and fees non-refundable
Category buying score	90Higher category-fit score	79
Rank	#1	#4
Context	Security & Privacy / Workforce Identity and Access Management (IAM) Software	Security & Privacy / Workforce Identity and Access Management (IAM) Software
SSO and authentication coverage	94SSO and MFA are core capabilities, while Free is included with qualifying Microsoft cloud subscriptions and P1 is included in specified Microsoft 365 bundles; confirm which entitlement applies to each workforce group.	83Basic includes multiple OTP methods and basic SSO, STA adds FIDO and smart SSO, and Premium adds certificate-based authentication; buyers should choose the tier that matches their required factors and sign-in patterns.
Workforce access policy control	92Conditional Access is included in P1 and P2, with risk-based Conditional Access in P2; use the appropriate tier for the risk and policy scenarios the organization needs to enforce.	84Basic supplies network-condition and user/group policies, while STA adds per-application, device and location conditions plus session controls; buyers needing those specific rules should confirm STA or Premium entitlement in the quote.
Identity lifecycle automation	86Automated provisioning to SaaS apps is listed across the editions, while Lifecycle Workflows requires Entra ID Governance or Entra Suite; distinguish baseline provisioning from those advanced workflows in the access design.	73REST and SCIM APIs cover stated user and group management workflows, with application-management APIs listed for Basic; buyers should validate how their joiner, mover, leaver and entitlement changes map to those endpoints and their configuration.
Identity administration visibility	85Free includes basic reports and security defaults, while P2 adds Privileged Identity Management; map the required reporting and privileged-access oversight to the selected edition.	72Access-event reporting is stated, and STA adds a richer dashboard; administrators needing particular event fields, policy outcomes or operational views should confirm that the selected tier exposes them.
Workforce identity ecosystem reliability	89Cloud directory, on-premises synchronization and SaaS provisioning connect workforce identities to Microsoft and application environments; validate the specific connectors and operational reliability requirements.	73REST/SCIM management APIs and STA identity-provider orchestration support defined integration paths, while use remains limited to quoted licensed volume; buyers should test their own provisioning and sign-in flows and confirm capacity terms.
Full profile	Full profile	Full profile

Comparison summary

Most material score differences

These are the stored dimension rationales returned with each score. They explain the buyer conditions behind the gap without speculating about hidden model reasoning.

Workforce identity ecosystem reliability

16 pts

Microsoft Entra ID · 89/100: Cloud directory, on-premises synchronization and SaaS provisioning connect workforce identities to Microsoft and application environments; validate the specific connectors and operational reliability requirements.
SafeNet Trusted Access · 73/100: REST/SCIM management APIs and STA identity-provider orchestration support defined integration paths, while use remains limited to quoted licensed volume; buyers should test their own provisioning and sign-in flows and confirm capacity terms.

Identity lifecycle automation

13 pts

Microsoft Entra ID · 86/100: Automated provisioning to SaaS apps is listed across the editions, while Lifecycle Workflows requires Entra ID Governance or Entra Suite; distinguish baseline provisioning from those advanced workflows in the access design.
SafeNet Trusted Access · 73/100: REST and SCIM APIs cover stated user and group management workflows, with application-management APIs listed for Basic; buyers should validate how their joiner, mover, leaver and entitlement changes map to those endpoints and their configuration.

Identity administration visibility

13 pts

Microsoft Entra ID · 85/100: Free includes basic reports and security defaults, while P2 adds Privileged Identity Management; map the required reporting and privileged-access oversight to the selected edition.
SafeNet Trusted Access · 72/100: Access-event reporting is stated, and STA adds a richer dashboard; administrators needing particular event fields, policy outcomes or operational views should confirm that the selected tier exposes them.

Research basis

This page uses stored product facts, official evidence, and category scoring rationales. It is not an account-based hands-on test, and third-party user ratings are not folded into the category buying score.

Microsoft Entra ID: Fact confidence: 94% · Fact checked: 2026-10-06
SafeNet Trusted Access: Fact confidence: 91% · Fact checked: 2026-10-06