6 Finest SSO Software program I Tried

Within the pre-single sign-on (SSO) period, I by no means conveniently browsed an utility as I bought caught in a loop of resetting passwords or recalling safety inquiries to revive entry.However then I bought pondering. If managing a number of passwords was an uphill process for me, how a lot community bandwidth, server capability, and developer turnaround may it take for firms to take care of a seamless login expertise? So much.

Now, with the login comfort purchased by SSO suppliers, I used to be curious to delve into the important thing differentiators of those instruments that permit us to entry a number of programs with a single login credential.

If you’re within the technique of scouting the appropriate SSO supplier, I’ve listed a private evaluation of the 6 finest SSO suppliers in 2025 that enhance information safety, cut back breach dangers, and enhance end-user expertise.

Aside from my analysis, these finest SSO suppliers have additionally been rated as high market leaders in G2 resulting from their providers, equivalent to ease of authentication, encryption, and information privateness. 

Whereas analyzing these SSO suppliers, I paid consideration to numerous elements like information safety, community compatibility, {hardware} providers, utility programming interface (API) and software program growth equipment (SDK) integration, and identification and entry administration (IAM) integration, which streamline authentication protocols and centralize platforms in order that the consumer can single-click and launch any net or cell app.

6 finest SSO suppliers I discovered to
be essentially the most suitable 

Through the preliminary evaluation, I spent a while setting distant authentication entry and went into particulars of safety switch protocols like safety assertion markup language (SAML), OAuth, and OpenID Join and their scripting backends to route authentication for varied staff members and set restoration processes or one-time passwords in the event that they lose entry at any given time. 

As a beginner to the SSO authentication workflow, my most important motto was to find out how safety protocols alternate data and ship log-in calls to the backend. I additionally earnestly delved into third-party API distributors or information facilities for one-step ticket decision, service desk alerts, and authentication types like multi-factor authentication, passwordless authentication, cell verification, and so forth.

Though I’m not an professional coder, I analyzed the backend of those safety protocols and tried to grasp the porting providers that maintain a key function in making consumer authentication seamless. As stunned as I used to be with the seamless integration of all these providers within the SSO software program I attempted, I’ve listed options that will ease the workload of dev groups and community engineers. 

What makes an SSO supplier price it, in accordance
to me?

With my expertise, I centered on two elements: enabling multi-app authentication and providing a safe app launch board for customers to provide one-click entry to purposes and supply a strong community safety expertise.

When you are in the course of your search, these are the differentiators that you could look out for:

• Help for industry-standard authentication protocols: As I used to be critical about discovering an SSO for elevated safety, I solely shortlisted instruments that provide industry-specific protocols that electronically alternate packet information with the server and allow safe authentication for biometric matching and multi-app authentication. The presence of safety protocols ensures that your SSO supplier can match into present community infrastructure or ERP tech stack. It additionally permits SSO to combine along with your on-premise or cloud purposes and permits smoother server communication.  
• Multi-factor authentication (MFA) integration:  I particularly regarded for multi-factor authentication, which permits customers to confirm login credentials throughout a number of units earlier than accessing an utility. Having multi-factor authentication is essentially the most appropriate method to confirm the identification and authority of a person inside your office. It additionally means that you can set a couple of password affirmation motion to cut back the chance of fraudulent logins and unauthorized accessibility. All these options combine and help MFA instruments like Google Authenticator, YubiKey, or Microsoft Authenticator to guard information even when the password is leaked or revealed inadvertently. 
• Listing and identification supplier (IdP) compatibility: I additionally checked end-to-end encryption talents with the combination of consumer directories like Lively Listing (AD), Azure AD, Google Workspace, and LDAP-based director,y which supplies staff collaboration and process administration options to chop down on further software program configuration and content material collaboration worries and activate a centralized dashboard to handle all duties and tasks from one platform. I’ve seen organizations wrestle to combine SSo with present identification suppliers, so I ensured the prioritization of consumer directories inside the software program suite to eradicate all these worries.
• Position-based and context-aware entry controls: Not each worker wants entry to the login database and finish customers’ passwords, which is why role-based entry management is essential. I looked for SSO suppliers that provide information masking and RBAC to make sure solely licensed folks log in to the system and look at essential information like login classes, passwords, and search historical past. My evaluation centered on SSO suppliers, which additional segregate worker entry based mostly on job function, consumer habits, gadget kind, and even geographic location. I all the time would counsel on the lookout for an SSO system that dynamically adjusts authentication necessities, like implementing MFA if a consumer indicators from an unrecognized gadget. 
• Complete audit logging and compliance reporting: I additionally ensured that these instruments present complete providers to deal with IT audits and authorized compliance administration to checklist out app consumption, exercise time, and different necessary metrics for total IT and safety administration within the group. I additionally checked the validity of requirements like GDPR, HIPAA, and SOC 2 to enlist instruments that abide by native, state, and federal legal guidelines and laws and register all their enterprise investments in a clear manner with the federal government. 
• Scalability and integration with cloud or on-prem purposes: My most important concern was on the lookout for SSO instruments that combine with cloud and on-premise purposes from a centralized app launch board. It’s potential that some options could be too cloud-centric and would not match within the on-prem ERP system for firms. Additional, it additionally permits for bigger information storage and cross-compatibility for inside stakeholders to entry a number of platforms in a safe method and conduct their day-to-day operations with out juggling passwords.
• Cell gadget compatibility and adaptive authentication: I additionally prioritized SSO that may sync with cell units and generate multi-factor authentication codes simply so as to add an additional layer of safety to consumer accounts. Setting cell push notification triggers or one-time password (OTP) actions improves information safety and assures the tip consumer that their information is protected and defended towards any unwarranted malware assaults. 

Whereas analyzing SSO software program, I understood that a little bit prior coding and technical background is critical to set a number of integrations or activate safety protocols.

Throughout my testing, I attempted to stipulate round 40+ instruments, out of which I completely examined and analyzed 7+ instruments to set safe SSO workflows and construct agile authentication processes for improved privateness.

This checklist under comprises real evaluations from the sport engine class web page. To be included on this class, software program should:

• Permit customers to entry a number of purposes or databases by way of one portal.
• Automate authentication to stop a number of logins
• Centralize authentication servers throughout purposes.
• Present safe entry to purposes and information 
• Combine login entry to enterprise purposes.

*This information was pulled from G2 in 2025. Some evaluations might have been edited for readability.  

Microsoft Entra ID supplies full identification and entry administration providers and complete safety protection to authenticate customers and launch SSO with out spending an excessive amount of time in programming with SpringBoot performance.

For those who run a enterprise or deal with IT operations in a fast-paced atmosphere, you know the way essential it’s to have a safe authentication system. Microsoft Entra ID eased the workflows on my plate.

What I beloved about this software is the way it simplified entry management whereas including layers of safety to guard your finish consumer’s information. With single sign-on (SSO), I can handle entry to tons of of purposes, whether or not they’re Microsoft apps, third-party SaaS instruments, and even inside enterprise apps, with out setting a number of passwords.

I additionally need to point out “conditional entry,” which actually supplies a notch larger safety to SSO operations. I can outline insurance policies that solely grant entry if sure situations are met. For instance, if the consumer logs in from a trusted gadget or requires multi-factor authentication when accessing a high-risk utility, I can allow the entry.

One other characteristic that makes the software stand aside is identification safety. It makes use of AI-driven danger detection to observe consumer habits and flag any suspicious exercise, like inconceivable journey logins or leaked credentials. Mix that with Privileged Identification Administration (PIM), which lets me grant admin rights solely when completely obligatory, and I really feel like I’ve actual management over safety as a substitute of simply reacting to issues.

That being mentioned, it isn’t all excellent. I will probably be sincere: the preliminary setup is a little bit overwhelming if you’re new to Azure or identification administration basically. 

I discovered that Microsoft Documentation is fairly well-researched and thorough, but it surely has a studying curve. In case your group is not deep into the Home windows working system or Microsoft 365, configuring this software could be a little bit little bit of an issue.

Whereas Entra affords a free tier, many of the superior options said above can be found solely on paid plans, specifically P1 and P2.  For those who function on a decent organizational finances, it could get a little bit dear. If you’re critical about safety and automation, it could be price investing in, but it surely wants some prior contemplation.

General, Microsoft Entra permits glitch-free and distant consumer authentication for a number of programs with single key entry and connects your day-to-day frequent apps to streamline your tasks and keep abreast of all of the updates.

What I dislike about Microsoft Entra:

• If you’re part of a system with just a few community assets, configuring and setting Microsoft Entra may appear a little bit bit advanced and time-consuming. 
• After I tried to sync it with an iOS gadget for single sign-on, I discovered the deployment course of a bit complicated and lengthy. 

What do G2 customers dislike about Microsoft Entra:

“Microsoft Entra ID has confirmed to be a dependable and environment friendly platform for Spring Boot growth. Its seamless integration, complete documentation, and supportive group make it a superb selection for Spring Boot builders.”

– Microsoft Entra Overview, Sneha D.

Okta is an all-in-one safety administration and productiveness software that helps you remotely handle frequent net utilitys and entry any app you want with a single click on. It additionally affords extra options for on the spot ticket decision, workflow automation and different integrations with productiveness directories.

Okta made it seamless for me to entry work purposes, cloud platforms, and enterprise programs with out continuously typing in passwords. 

One of many issues I need to name out is how effectively it integrates with different consumer directories and different apps. Whether or not I’m coping with AWS, Google Workspace, or older enterprise purposes, Okta all the time has an integration that is able to go.

It helps requirements and domains like SAML, OAuth, and SCIM, so even when my firm makes use of a mixture of old-school on-prem and cloud instruments, Okta stays suitable and permits clean SSO workflows.

Safety is one other space the place Okta has confirmed actually environment friendly. It affords a rock-solid MFA characteristic, giving choices like Okta Confirm (the authenticator app), SMS codes, on the spot notifications on cell units, and so forth.

However Okta does have some ebbs and flows occasionally. Whereas the platform is beneficial, setting it up is usually a problem generally. 

Corporations with distant or hybrid settings want a further gadget in order that they’ll log in and entry their work accounts, which may trigger an issue in case the gadget is unavailable.

However having mentioned that, Okta is among the best and safe SSO instruments that gives end-to-end information safety and eases the concerns of finish customers.  

What I dislike about Okta:

• I’ve observed occasional efficiency lags when I attempt to check in to the Okta utility, and it additionally does not work effectively if we have now restricted on-line connectivity.
• To completely perceive Okta’s potential, I felt I wanted to examine some prior tutorials and studying materials.

What do G2 customers dislike about Okta:

“One factor is the shortage of troubleshooting steps or information when Okta encounters technical points.”

– Okta Overview, Eli M.

Salesforce Platform is a pioneer in providing low-code growth, information administration, and cloud internet hosting providers to enhance consumer accessibility, information safety, and AI-based productiveness monitoring.

One of many largest wins with Salesforce is how seamlessly it integrates along with your organizational ERP. It connects with Gmail, LinkedIn, third-party apps, and even instruments you did not understand you wanted.

For those who handle orders, the Salesforce Order Administration System affords providers for the whole order-to-cash lifecycle. It streamlines all the pieces, from stock checks to fee processing to cargo monitoring, and all of that is additionally managed through single sign-on.

I additionally could not get sufficient of customization choices. It allowed me to tailor studies concerning authentication workflows, observe key metrics, and supply actionable insights on consumer information. Moreover, AI-driven analytics predict gross sales traits based mostly on historic information, providing priceless insights with out relying on any third-party supply.

That mentioned, Salesforce is not the best software to configure. With out an skilled administrator or developer, the consumer may face an unavoidable studying curve.

Additionally, pricing is usually a problem for small or mid-size companies, which lean extra on the effectiveness of a platform somewhat than the worth and are tight on finances. Scaling up with extra options requires a cautious analysis of funding vs profit. 

The cell app, whereas practical, does not supply the identical flexibility because the desktop model. Enhancing workflows or making fast modifications may be cumbersome, which can trigger frustration amongst staff. 

Salesforce Platform is an agile and unified suite of information safety and cybersecurity providers that means that you can handle all of your operations and third-party integrations easily.

What I dislike concerning the Salesforce Platform:

• I felt that for small companies or early startups, the pricing was a little bit larger and could be a trigger for concern.
• After I tried to work with giant information factors, the studies and dashboards began operating a little bit slowly, and it took me a little bit extra time to personalize metrics.

What do G2 customers dislike about Salesforce Platform:

“Recently, the platform has opted to onboard options with clearer price-conscious drivers. Given the worth the platform affords from their native options, I feel the newly packaged clouds are attempting too onerous to push the underside line.”

– Salesforce Platform Overview, Philip T.

1Password is a safe authentication and sign-in software that permits your groups to handle and retrieve passwords, run a self-service restoration course of, and generate simple studies to handle consumer entry, confirm identification, and cut back breach danger.

Establishing 1Password was a breeze, and the interface was clean and intuitive. I beloved how I might retailer all the pieces, from bank card particulars to notes, securely within the encrypted vault, locked with AES-256 encryption.

The very best half? It synced seamlessly throughout all my units, whether or not I used to be on my laptop computer, telephone, or pill. It eradicated the outdated methods of remembering advanced passwords or reusing weak ones simply because they had been simpler to kind.

One characteristic that I want to spotlight is the built-in password generator. It cranked out ridiculously sturdy passwords, and with auto-fill, I might by no means have to consider them once more. The browser extensions work like a attraction on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, making logins easy.

If I needed to nitpick, I would say the largest draw back is the shortage of a free plan. I get it; safety comes at a price.  Nevertheless, for somebody on the lookout for a very free password supervisor, 1Password may not be one of the best match.

Additionally, whereas I respect the push for passkeys, setting them up is usually a little time-consuming, particularly in case you aren’t tech-savvy.

I additionally bumped into minor syncing points at times and had some bother adjusting to the platform’s consumer interface, which felt a little bit clunky by way of design. 

General, 1Password is a strong password safety app that may handle your authorizations and login processes with out you having to set new passwords and provoke new restoration processes each time.

What I dislike about 1Password:

• It was a little bit complicated to recollect whether or not I purchased the cloud model or the Mac app retailer model once I was reinstalling it on a unique system, and it took a while to determine that out. 
• I wasn’t too onboard with the passkey idea, and a few instances, I wasn’t capable of deploy it on my cell gadget through the cell utility.

What do G2 customers dislike about 1Password:

“The 1Password widget, when there are over 100 credentials within the dropdown, can generally be a bit cumbersome to navigate.”

– 1Password Overview, Verified Consumer in Laptop Software program

IBM Confirm affords end-to-end password administration and workforce identification options to automate your consumer authentication and system administration processes for on-field and distant employees.

First, IBM Confirm affords top-notch authentication and safety. It is not nearly getting the OTP in your telephone; it additionally secures logins with biometric authentication, risk-based authentication, and passwordless entry. 

What I like is that it adapts to my habits. If one thing appears off, like an unauthorized login try from an uncommon electronic mail ID or location, it throws safety checks at these distinct customers. 

Since I handle a number of purposes, remembering 1,000,000 passwords is a nightmare. IBM Confirm integrates seamlessly with Azure AD, AWS IAM, Salesforce, and Google Workspace, making it simple to entry a number of programs through single authentication.

IBM Confirm additionally affords identification and entry administration that offers me full management. The RBAC characteristic permits me to resolve who will get to see what, right down to the smallest element. Identification federation ensures I can authenticate permissions throughout totally different domains seamlessly.

Nevertheless, I need to spotlight just a few struggles whereas deploying the software program. Whereas the platform is highly effective, the preliminary setup is usually a bit difficult, particularly if you’re not deeply accustomed to IAM programs.

Whereas the consumer expertise is clean, the admin panel might use some work and sharpening. It positive is feature-packed, but it surely feels a little bit clunky and cluttered, which may annoy customers a little bit.

In relation to efficiency, issues are nice (normally), however I’ve observed occasional latency, significantly with MFA requests. Additional, IBM Confirm is not the most affordable model on the market, and the pricing construction is usually a little complicated.

Whereas the subscription fashions have totally different tiers and options based mostly on consumer counts, as a small enterprise or startup, you may really feel the pinch in case you function on a decent finances.

What I dislike about IBM Confirm:

• I had some issue setting it up and understanding its advanced options, and I needed to confer with directions to observe the method.
• I felt there was a niche in enabling admin entry for purchasers in order that purchasers or prospects may onboard their stakeholders or companions for buying and selling. 

What do G2 customers dislike about IBM Confirm:

“Loading the admin console will generally take extra time to load. This causes issues after we need to carry out instant duties.”

– IBM Confirm Overview, Harish W.

Cisco Duo is a cloud-based identification entry administration platform that permits safe authorization and information masking of customers once they entry any system and affords single sign-on providers for distant administration and system upkeep.

I’ve discovered that Cisco Duo is a well-rounded and dependable multifactor authentication (MFA) resolution with a powerful status for safety.

Duo primarily works by way of push notifications, SMS, telephone calls, and passcodes. I personally beloved the push notification characteristic, which is fast, simple, and takes up manner much less time.

One of many issues I actually respect about Cisco Duo is its integration with different platforms. Whether or not I’m linked to cloud providers, VPNs, and even legacy purposes, Duo works easily throughout a variety of programs. Managing customers by way of Duo’s admin dashboard provides you a centralized palette of options.

For those who work in IT or service desk groups, you will see it extremely helpful to implement safety insurance policies, handle authentication strategies, and monitor login exercise in real-time.

In fact, there are just a few areas the place Duo may be higher. Whereas Duo is extremely handy, it leans closely on phone-based authentication. If I ever misplace my telephone or expertise a notification delay, it may be irritating as I’m stored logged out of the system.

I’ve additionally observed that some superior security measures like adaptive authentication and gadget belief are locked behind premium paywalls that may not be accessible to small enterprise customers working on a decent finances. 

One other problem I confronted was with the preliminary setup. It wasn’t overly advanced, however I did really feel that the documentation lacked a little bit of readability. If you’re trying to combine the appliance with third-party authentication apps, you may face some hurdles and search the developer’s help.

General Cisco Duo is a holistic IT administration and safety resolution that secures your inside server operations and reduces any potential danger of breaches or phishing encounters.

What I dislike about Cisco Duo:

• It might have been nice if I might entry my admin panel from a downloaded desktop app somewhat than accessing it through browser or cell.
• I observed an occasional lag with push notifications on the cell gadget, which stretched my authentication course of for a while and consumed some assets.

What do G2 customers dislike about Cisco Duo:

“I had some points previously once I moved telephones since I did not accurately again up my outdated telephone. For those who do not click on approve quickly sufficient, the request might expire, inflicting the verification to fail.”

– Cisco Duo Overview, Connie B.

Are you on the lookout for a method to digitize laptop upkeep operations? Take a look at the evaluation of the 10 finest CMMS software program completed by my peer to decide on your choices correctly.