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Microsoft Entra ID vs Zitadel
Short answer: Pick Microsoft Entra ID if you want unified cloud identity and access management; pick Zitadel if you want API-first multi-tenant identity infrastructure. Microsoft Entra ID is paid, with a free trial; Zitadel has a free plan.
Microsoft Entra IDIdentity and access management from Microsoft
ZitadelOpen-source identity infrastructure with SSO and multi-tenancyWhich to pick
Pick Microsoft Entra ID if you want…
- Unified cloud identity and access management
- Integrations with Microsoft 365 (on Microsoft Entra ID's list, not Zitadel's)
Pick Zitadel if you want…
- API-first multi-tenant identity infrastructure
- Open-source identity infrastructure
- A free plan to start with
- Open-source code (zitadel/zitadel on GitHub, AGPL-3.0 license)
- Integrations with Google, Microsoft or GitHub (on Zitadel's list, not Microsoft Entra ID's)
Side by side
- What it is
- Microsoft Entra ID:Microsoft Entra ID is a cloud IAM solution that provides SSO, MFA, conditional access and identity protection.
- Zitadel:ZITADEL is an open-source, multi-tenant identity platform offering SSO, passwordless login and role-based access via APIs.
- Best for
- Microsoft Entra ID:Unified cloud identity and access management
- Zitadel:API-first multi-tenant identity infrastructure
- Who it’s for
- Microsoft Entra ID:Enterprises and businesses needing secure sign-in and access control for users and apps.
- Zitadel:Developers building consumer, B2B or employee applications needing authentication and authorization.
- Pricing
- Microsoft Entra ID:Paid
- Zitadel:Freemium
- Free plan or trial
- Microsoft Entra ID:Free trial
- Zitadel:Free trial
- Plans
- Microsoft Entra ID:Microsoft Entra ID P2 $10.00 user/month, paid yearly
- Zitadel:FREE US$0/Month · PRO US$100/Month per month
- Open source
- Microsoft Entra ID:—
- Zitadel:Yes, 15,146 GitHub stars
- Works with
- Microsoft Entra ID:Microsoft 365
- Zitadel:Google, Microsoft, GitHub, REST API, gRPC
Microsoft Entra ID features
- Single sign-on & passwordless. Enable fast, secure sign-in to cloud and on-prem apps with SSO and passwordless authentication.
- Multi-factor authentication. Phishing-resistant MFA protects accounts and reduces identity compromise risk.
- Conditional & risk-based access. Adaptive policies enforce least-privilege access based on risk signals.
- Privileged identity management. Just-in-time, least-privilege access for privileged accounts and resources.
- Self-service portal. Users can manage passwords, devices and access requests via a self-service UI.
- AI-enhanced security insights. Security Copilot helps investigate risky users, anomalies and policy gaps with natural language prompts.
Zitadel features
- Hosted login UI. Customizable hosted login page with social and passwordless options.
- API-first authentication. REST and gRPC APIs to embed login flows directly in applications.
- Role-Based Access Control. Define permissions per role for fine-grained authorization.
- Multi-tenant core. Create unlimited organizations and projects to isolate customers.
- Extensible actions. Run workflow scripts on predefined events without deploying code.
- Multi-factor & Passkeys. Enforce MFA or passwordless passkey authentication for stronger security.
Microsoft Entra ID vs Zitadel FAQ
What is the difference between Microsoft Entra ID and Zitadel?+
Zitadel: Open-source, self-hosted identity platform with multi-tenant SSO, unlike Microsoft’s cloud-only service.
Should I use Microsoft Entra ID or Zitadel?+
Pick Microsoft Entra ID if you want unified cloud identity and access management or integrations with Microsoft 365 (on Microsoft Entra ID's list, not Zitadel's). Pick Zitadel if you want API-first multi-tenant identity infrastructure, open-source identity infrastructure or a free plan to start with.
Is Microsoft Entra ID or Zitadel free?+
Microsoft Entra ID is paid, with a free trial. Zitadel has a free plan and paid plans.
Is Microsoft Entra ID or Zitadel open source?+
Zitadel is open source (zitadel/zitadel on GitHub, AGPL-3.0 license). DevHunt has no public source repository on record for Microsoft Entra ID.
Do Microsoft Entra ID and Zitadel integrate with the same tools?+
Their integration lists don't overlap: Microsoft Entra ID lists Microsoft 365; Zitadel lists Google, Microsoft, GitHub, REST API and 1 more.
On DevHunt
Based on each tool's website and DevHunt data. Details may change; check the official sites.