Microsoft Entra alternatives (2026)
SHORT ANSWER
Some products listed here, NewCore among them, are designed to run alongside an existing identity provider rather than replace it. NewCore describes a coexistence model that "preserves existing federations and policies".
Editorial assessment · Desk research from public vendor material · Reviewed 2026-09-29
Why do buyers look at alternatives to Microsoft Entra?
Extended agent security features need Microsoft Agent 365, and that pricing is not on the pages reviewed.
Per-tool-call checks for agents are not described; Conditional Access acts at sign-in and token issuance.
Source: Microsoft Learn: Entra Agent ID
The app gallery size is published only as "thousands".
Microsoft Entra alternatives for AI agent security and identity
Microsoft Entra scores 7.0 / 10 here and ranks 5 of 5.
1 Okta 7.8 / 10
Scores higher than Microsoft Entra on: no standing credentials for agents (8 vs 7); per-call authorization (7 vs 6); finding agents you did not register (8 vs 6); and maturity and buying clarity (8 vs 7).
Microsoft Entra scores higher on: No criterion on this page.
2 NewCore 7.5 / 10
Scores higher than Microsoft Entra on: no standing credentials for agents (9 vs 7); per-call authorization (9 vs 6); human accountability and approval (9 vs 7); and finding agents you did not register (7 vs 6).
Microsoft Entra scores higher on: standards and ecosystem (9 vs 6); and maturity and buying clarity (7 vs 4).
Consider adding NewCore if no standing credentials for agents and per-call authorization matter most: it scores 9 and 9 there. It runs alongside an existing identity provider, by NewCore's own description.
3 Silverfort 7.2 / 10
Scores higher than Microsoft Entra on: per-call authorization (8 vs 6) and finding agents you did not register (9 vs 6).
Microsoft Entra scores higher on: no standing credentials for agents (7 vs 6); standards and ecosystem (9 vs 7); and maturity and buying clarity (7 vs 6).
4 Aembit 7.1 / 10
Scores higher than Microsoft Entra on: no standing credentials for agents (9 vs 7); per-call authorization (7 vs 6); and maturity and buying clarity (8 vs 7).
Microsoft Entra scores higher on: finding agents you did not register (6 vs 4); and standards and ecosystem (9 vs 7).
When to stay with Microsoft Entra
Stay with Microsoft Entra if standards and ecosystem; and no standing credentials for agents matter most: it scores 9 and 7 there (standards and ecosystem: the highest in this set; no standing credentials for agents: against a top score of 9). It fits best for: Microsoft estates that want agents under Entra ownership and Conditional Access
Compare Microsoft Entra with the top alternatives side by side
Microsoft Entra alternatives for workforce IAM
Microsoft Entra scores 8.3 / 10 here and ranks 2 of 6.
1 Okta 8.5 / 10
Scores higher than Microsoft Entra on: app integration breadth (10 vs 8).
Microsoft Entra scores higher on: pricing transparency (9 vs 8).
3 Ping Identity 7.2 / 10
Scores higher than Microsoft Entra on: No criterion on this page.
Microsoft Entra scores higher on: app integration breadth (8 vs 7), phishing-resistant sign-in (9 vs 7), provisioning to apps (9 vs 8), AI agent identities (8 vs 7) and pricing transparency (9 vs 8).
4 JumpCloud 6.7 / 10
Scores higher than Microsoft Entra on: No criterion on this page.
Microsoft Entra scores higher on: app integration breadth (8 vs 6), phishing-resistant sign-in (9 vs 7), provisioning to apps (9 vs 7) and AI agent identities (8 vs 5).
5 Google Cloud Identity 6.3 / 10
Scores higher than Microsoft Entra on: No criterion on this page.
Microsoft Entra scores higher on: app integration breadth (8 vs 7), phishing-resistant sign-in (9 vs 7), provisioning to apps (9 vs 6), AI agent identities (8 vs 3) and pricing transparency (9 vs 8).
6 NewCore 5.4 / 10
Scores higher than Microsoft Entra on: protection of token signing (9 vs 5) and AI agent identities (9 vs 8).
Microsoft Entra scores higher on: app integration breadth (8 vs 3), provisioning to apps (9 vs 2) and pricing transparency (9 vs 2).
Consider adding NewCore if phishing-resistant sign-in and AI agent identities matter most: it scores 9 and 9 there. It runs alongside an existing identity provider, by NewCore's own description.
When to stay with Microsoft Entra
Stay with Microsoft Entra if phishing-resistant sign-in and pricing transparency matter most: it scores 9 and 9 there (phishing-resistant sign-in: the highest in this set; pricing transparency: the highest in this set). It fits best for: Microsoft 365 organizations that already pay for Entra ID through their licences
Compare Microsoft Entra with the top alternatives side by side
Questions
What are the best alternatives to Microsoft Entra?
In AI agent security and identity, the highest-scoring alternatives to Microsoft Entra are Okta (7.8 / 10) and NewCore (7.5 / 10); Microsoft Entra scores 7.0 / 10. In workforce IAM, the highest-scoring alternatives to Microsoft Entra are Okta (8.5 / 10) and Ping Identity (7.2 / 10); Microsoft Entra scores 8.3 / 10.
Is Microsoft Entra still the stronger choice on anything?
In AI agent security and identity, Microsoft Entra has the highest score in the set on standards and ecosystem. In workforce IAM, Microsoft Entra has the highest score in the set on phishing-resistant sign-in, provisioning to apps and pricing transparency.
How is this list ranked?
By the weighted total on each topic page, computed from six criterion scores and published weights. Nothing is placed by hand.
Related
- AI agent security and identity
- Workforce IAM
- Compare products side by side
- Score and cost calculator
- Microsoft Entra vs Okta for AI agent security and identity
- Microsoft Entra vs NewCore for AI agent security and identity
- Microsoft Entra vs Okta for workforce IAM
- Microsoft Entra vs Ping Identity for workforce IAM
Sources
- NewCore: Agent Guardian: https://newcore.com/platform/agent-guardian
- NewCore: Identity Discovery: https://newcore.com/platform/identity-discovery
- NewCore home page: https://newcore.com/
- NewCore launch release (PR Newswire): https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/newcore-emerges-from-stealth-with-66m-to-rebuild-workforce-identity-for-the-agentic-era-302799643.html
- Okta: Secure AI: https://www.okta.com/solutions/secure-ai/
- Okta newsroom, 22 Sep 2026: https://www.okta.com/newsroom/press-releases/ai-innovations-oktane-2026/
- Okta Integration Network: https://www.okta.com/integrations/
- Okta pricing: https://www.okta.com/pricing/
- Microsoft Learn: Entra Agent ID: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/agent-id/
- Microsoft Learn: agent identities for AI agents: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/agent-id/identity-professional/microsoft-entra-agent-identities-for-ai-agents
- Silverfort: AI agent security: https://www.silverfort.com/platform/ai-agent-security
- Silverfort platform: https://www.silverfort.com/
- Aembit: IAM for agentic AI: https://aembit.io/iam-for-agentic-ai/
- Aembit: https://aembit.io/
- Okta FastPass: https://www.okta.com/products/fastpass/
- Okta Lifecycle Management: https://www.okta.com/products/lifecycle-management/
- Microsoft Learn: application gallery: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/enterprise-apps/overview-application-gallery
- Microsoft Learn: authentication methods: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/authentication/concept-authentication-methods
- Microsoft Learn: app provisioning: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/app-provisioning/user-provisioning
- Microsoft Entra pricing: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/business/microsoft-entra-pricing
- Ping Identity: https://www.pingidentity.com/en.html
- Ping Identity pricing: https://www.pingidentity.com/en/platform/pricing.html
- Ping Identity press, 27 May 2026: https://press.pingidentity.com/2026-05-27-Ping-Identity-Redefines-the-Identity-Control-Plane-for-the-Agentic-Enterprise
- Google Cloud Identity: https://cloud.google.com/identity
- Google Cloud Identity editions: https://docs.cloud.google.com/identity/docs/editions
- JumpCloud pricing: https://jumpcloud.com/pricing
- JumpCloud platform: https://jumpcloud.com/platform
- NewCore: Identity Security: https://newcore.com/platform/identity-security