Identity and Access Management (IAM) has become an essential pillar for all businesses, whether to protect data, meet regulatory requirements or simply enhance the user experience. But given the plethora of solutions on the market, one question always comes up: which is the best IAM solution?
The answer is simple: there is no "best" universal solution. Each company has its own constraints - size of organization, complexity of IS, compliance requirements, human and financial resources, implementation timescales. So the challenge is not to find a winner, but to identify the solution best suited to your context.
That's the aim of this article: to review 10 major identity and access management solutions in 2025, to understand their strengths and limitations, and to provide concrete benchmarks to help you position each of them according to your reality.
Top 10 best IAM solutions in 2025
Okta
USA - California
🔎 Description
Okta is renowned for its single sign-on (SSO) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) capabilities. The acquisition of Auth0 has strengthened its capabilities in customer identity management (CIAM). The solution is used for both employee access and customer-oriented applications.
🔧 Main features
- Single sign-on (SSO) to thousands of SaaS and on-premise applications.
- Adaptable multifactor authentication (SMS, push, biometrics, etc.).
- CIAM via Auth0 for customer identity management.
- User and group management, with automated provisioning.
- Zero Trust orchestration to define context-sensitive access policies.
- Integration with a wide ecosystem (Salesforce, AWS, Microsoft 365, etc.).
➕ Highlights
- Wide choice of integrations and configurations.
- Advanced SSO, MFA and CIAM functionalities.
- Enhanced security with Zero Trust policies.
➖ Weak points
- User interface not very intuitive.
- Complexity for novice administrators.
- Support sometimes slow.
- High costs, which increase with user volume.
💬 User reviews
According to the reviews, users value the security provided by MFA and its wealth of functions. Disadvantages include price, difficulty for beginners and a sometimes confusing interface.
SailPoint
USA - Texas
🔎 Description
SailPoint, owned by Thoma Bravo Fund, is designed for organizations with complex environments and stringent compliance requirements. The solution focuses on identity governance and access lifecycle management.
🔧 Main features
- Identity lifecycle management (creation, modification, deletion).
- Access governance (IGA) with rights control and access certification.
- Automated rules and policies to align access with business roles.
- Advanced reporting and audit dashboards.
- Integration with numerous complex and hybrid information systems.
➕ Highlights
- Extensive governance and compliance coverage.
- Suitable for regulated and multi-BU environments.
➖ Weak points
- Complex configuration, often requiring an expert or integrator.
- Time-consuming and costly to deploy, especially in heterogeneous information systems.
💬 User reviews
According to the reviews, users appreciate the robustness of the controls and the flexibility of the rules. Critics point to the complexity of the tool, the cumbersome initial configuration and the need for specialized teams to operate it properly.
Ping Identity (+ ForgeRock)
USA - Colorado
🔎 Description
Ping Identity offers PingOne, a cloud IAM platform targeting complex hybrid environments. The acquisition and integration of ForgeRock has extended Ping Identity's functional coverage to include identity governance and lifecycle management.
🔧 Main features
- Single sign-on (SSO) and identity federation.
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA).
- User path orchestration with PingOne DaVinci.
- CIAM (customer identity management).
- Access governance and lifecycle management via ForgeRock.
- Native integrations with Microsoft, AWS, Salesforce and other major platforms.
➕ Highlights
- Wide range of IAM and CIAM functionalities.
- Ability to manage complex hybrid environments.
- Rich integrations with cloud applications and infrastructures.
➖ Weak points
- Complex licensing and pricing model.
- Advanced implementation requiring technical expertise.
💬 User reviews
Feedback highlights the flexibility and robustness of the platform, particularly for diversified IS. On the other hand, the complexity of pricing and the need for experienced technical teams are often cited as obstacles.
Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD)
USA- Washington
🔎 Description
Microsoft Entra ID is Microsoft's cloudidentity and directory service. It makes its mark in organizations already equipped with Microsoft 365 or Azure, providing centralized access management and enhanced security.
🔧 Main features
- Single sign-on (SSO) and MFA.
- Conditional Access.
- Identity protection against threats.
- Automatic account provisioning in cloud applications.
- Native integration with the Microsoft 365 and Azure ecosystems.
➕ Highlights
- A must-have solution for Microsoft environments.
- MFA and powerful conditional policies.
- Scalability and seamless integration with Microsoft cloud services.
➖ Weak points
- Less suitable for non-Microsoft environments.
- Limited governance coverage (IGA).
💬 User reviews
Users appreciate its seamless integration with Microsoft tools and its adaptive security policies. On the other hand, some point to the complexity of advanced configuration and limitations in managing multi-publisher IS.
One Identity (ex-OneLogin)
USA - Texas
🔎 Description
One Identity, which has integrated OneLogin, combines a complete IAM solution with single sign-on capabilities and fine-grained rights management. It is aimed at hybrid organizations looking for broad coverage (IAM + PAM).
🔧 Main features
- Single sign-on (SSO).
- MFA and contextual access management.
- Role provisioning and management.
- Identity governance and privileged access management (PAM).
- Integrations with leading SaaS applications.
➕ Highlights
- Wide functional coverage (SSO, MFA, IGA, PAM).
- Intuitive operation for end users.
➖ Weak points
- Dependence on good Internet connectivity.
- Occasional disconnections reported.
💬 User reviews
Feedback points to ease of use and efficiency in centralizing access. Criticisms concern connection reliability and occasional interruptions, as well as the need for stable bandwidth.
Netwrix
USA - Texas
🔎 Description
Netwrix was built around auditing and access security, before expanding its IAM offering via several acquisitions. Its main target is organizations subject to strict regulatory constraints.
🔧 Main features
- Access auditing and monitoring.
- Compliance reporting (ISO, RGPD, SOX, HIPAA).
- Manage user rights and roles.
- Anomaly detection and safety alerts.
- Identity governance via add-on modules.
➕ Highlights
- Very strong on compliance and auditing.
- A useful tool for regulated sectors.
➖ Weak points
- IAM offer still undergoing consolidation.
- Less suitable as a single, central IAM solution.
💬 User reviews
Users appreciate the richness of the reports and the ease of audit preparation. Limitations include perfectible ergonomics and uneven functional coverage across modules.
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Youzer
France - Paris
🔎 Description
Youzer is an IAM solution designed for small and medium-sized businesses looking for a pragmatic approach that's quick to deploy. It focuses on operational efficiency and access governance, without the need to overhaul the information system.
🔧 Main features
- Automated onboarding and offboarding through workflows.
- Role-based rights management (RBAC).
- Secure delegation of IT tasks to managers.
- Complete traceability of actions.
- Integration with hybrid and multi-BU environments.
➕ Highlights
- Progressive deployment and integration without unnecessary complexity.
- Rapid, measurable gains (onboarding time, compliance, ticket reduction).
- Ultra-competitive rates
➖ Weak points
- Coverage deliberately focused on workforce IAM (not CIAM).
- Less suitable for very large organizations looking for global coverage.
💬 User reviews
User feedback emphasizes the simplicity of implementation, the efficient automation of onboarding/offboarding and the reassuring traceability for audits. Some note, however, that coverage is refocused on internal access management rather than complex CIAM scenarios.
ManageEngine
Division of Zoho corp. India - Chennai, PG Software reseller for France
🔎 Description
ManageEngine offers several Active Directory-based IAM tools (ADManager Plus, ADSelfService Plus). These solutions are aimed primarily at organizations whose Active Directory directory is central to their IS.
🔧 Main features
- AD account management and provisioning.
- Password reset and self-service.
- Automate recurring tasks (user creation, modification, deletion) using workflows.
- Reports and access audits.
➕ Highlights
- Efficient, affordable tools for AD environments.
- Good value for money for SMEs.
➖ Weak points
- Fragmented solutions, more like tools than a complete IAM platform.
- Limited coverage for modern cloud environments.
💬 User reviews
Users appreciate the simplicity and value for money, particularly when it comes to managing AD accounts. Critics point to aging ergonomics and the difficulty of integrating these tools into global IAM strategies.
CyberArk
Israel - Petah Tikva to be acquired by Palo Alto Networks, with completion scheduled for 2026
🔎 Description
CyberArk specializes in Privileged Access Management (PAM), one of the most sensitive aspects of IAM. It is aimed at organizations with mission-critical systems and high security requirements.
🔧 Main features
- Manage and secure privileged accounts.
- Automated discovery and integration of sensitive accounts.
- MFA and contextual access control.
- Audit and report on privileged sessions.
- Integration with many existing security tools.
➕ Highlights
- Excellent command of privileged account security.
- Seamless integration with various information systems.
- Smooth user experience on secure applications.
➖ Weak points
- Documentation sometimes insufficient.
- Native reports considered too limited.
💬 User reviews
Opinions highlight the solution's effectiveness in reducing the risk associated with sensitive accounts, and its seamless integration with existing information systems. On the other hand, documentation and integrated reports are often criticized as insufficient.
JumpCloud
USA - Colorado
🔎 Description
JumpCloud is a cloud IAM platform designed for small and medium-sized businesses, with a focus on simplicity and cost reduction in identity management. It combines several components (SSO, LDAP, RADIUS, MFA) in a single solution.
🔧 Main features
- SSO for SaaS applications.
- Cloud directory with LDAP and RADIUS support.
- Integrated MFA.
- Security policies for workstations and devices.
- Automated onboarding and offboarding.
➕ Highlights
- All-in-one solution for SMEs.
- Reduces the time and cost of on-boarding and off-boarding employees.
- Centralizes several protocols (SSO, LDAP, RADIUS, MFA).
➖ Weak points
- Non-nested user groups.
- SSO functionalities in need of improvement.
- A steep learning curve during implementation.
💬 User reviews
Users appreciate the simplicity of deployment, centralized access and reduced administration time. Disadvantages cited mainly concern the limitations of SSO and the initial difficulty of configuration.
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Here's a summary table of the best IAM solutions for a clearer view:
How do you choose the right IAM solution for your organization?
A Top 10... among many others
The list presented in this article brings together ten major solutions, representative of the IAM market in 2025. But this ranking is by no means exhaustive: the market is teeming with other players, some of them specialized (PAM, CIAM, governance) or oriented towards certain business sectors or geographical areas. The aim is not to provide the longest possible list, but to provide clear benchmarks for comparing approaches and understanding differences in positioning.
Clarify your needs and priorities before comparing
Before embarking on a selection of solutions, it's essential to define your real needs internally. This may seem obvious, but it's often the missing step that turns a market consultation into a messy exercise.
In concrete terms, it involves answering a few simple questions:
- Should IAM cover only internal employees, or also external customers and partners?
- Is the IS mainly on-premise, cloud or hybrid?
- What are your priority objectives: security, compliance, operational time savings, user experience?
- What budgets and deployment timescales are realistic?
Once these elements are in place, comparing solutions becomes much easier. Each tool can then be evaluated on the basis of its own use cases, rather than generic criteria.
Putting choice into context
It's only once these needs have been clarified that the comparison takes on its full meaning. Each approach has its advantages... and its limitations.
- SaaS solutions offer rapid implementation and lower initial costs. They are agile, but entail dependence on the vendor and recurring costs.
- On-premise solutions guarantee maximum control, but require management of obsolescence, updates and upgrades. They also require more in-house resources.
- Simple, lightweight solutions can be deployed quickly, with measurable results in the short term. They cover the essentials, but sometimes require the addition of other technical bricks for complete coverage.
- More complex solutions are well suited to larger organizations, but involve a higher budget, specialized integrators and long lead times. Conversely, an overly simple solution can quickly show its limitations if the company grows or regulatory requirements intensify.
In short, the right question is not "what's the best IAM solution?" but "which IAM solution matches my needs, constraints and ambitions, here and now?"
Conclusion
Choosing an IAM solution is never a simple decision. The market is full of players with different approaches: some platforms cover the entire identity lifecycle, while others focus on simplicity and rapid deployment. This overview of the ten major solutions clearly shows that there is no universal "best" option, but rather responses that are more or less adapted to the size of the company, and its technical, regulatory and budgetary constraints.
The key is to clearly define your needs and use cases upstream: secure access, reduced IT workload, RGPD/ISO compliance, improved user experience... Once these priorities have been defined, choosing a solution becomes a rational exercise rather than a risky gamble.
Some companies will prefer a complete, integrated platform, even if this means accepting significant costs and delays. Others will be looking for a more pragmatic solution, capable of rapid integration into their environment and producing measurable results within the first few weeks.
👉 If you're still unsure which approach is best suited to your organization, the most effective way is still to evaluate under real-life conditions. You can :
- Request a demo to see how an IAM solution fits into your environment.
- Schedule a meeting to discuss your specific use cases and constraints.
