Okta vs CyberArk: How to choose?

Okta is our preferred Single Sign On and Multi-Factor Authentication solution that offers modular PAM tools, too. CyberArk was historically a PAM solution as CyberArk Vault. However, CyberArk recently acquired Idaptive to offer a complete IAM solution stack. Which is right for your company? Here’s a quick guide.

What is CyberArk?

CyberArk offers CyberArk Vault as a Privileged Account Management solution, and CyberArk Idaptive as an adaptive MFA and SSO solution. CyberArk Vault is a fantastic solution for established enterprises with legacy systems and stringent compliance demands, offering vault session recording, session management, detailed time solutions, and all aspects of Privileged Access Management. Plus, now that CyberArk offers CyberArk Idaptive, which has a 20% lower price point for SSO and MFA, versus Okta, it becomes an interesting identity management option for businesses of all sizes.

What is Okta?

Okta is a cybersecurity solution provider for businesses and global enterprises. From email security to cloud database monitoring, Okta offers a modular array of security solutions. We frequently implement Okta Workforce and Okta Multi-Factor Authentication solutions. Okta offers PAM solutions as part of its modular array of product offerings.

How do Okta and CyberArk compare?

With CyberArk’s acquisition of Idaptive, now CyberArk offers most of the features of Okta, plus some enterprise-grade features and reporting that Okta doesn’t. If your enterprise is primarily focused on PAM solution features and strict compliance, then CyberArk Vault + Idaptive may be the best option. If your medium-sized company or enterprise is focused only on cloud-based SSO and MFA, then Okta may be simplest solution.

Can I integrate Okta with CyberArk?

Actually, yes. Okta does integrate with CyberArk Vault, and may be the right choice for your enterprise. Per Okta: “[Integrating Okta] with CyberArk provides additional visibility and insight into user access details through reporting and API integrations.

Seamless and secure authentication and provisioning via SSO and MFA
Customizable and adaptive access policies reduce the verification burden on authorized individuals
Real-time access event reporting and API integrations provide additional visibility into behavior”

When should I choose Okta?

Choose Okta if you’re a fast-growing company focused on finding a scalable SSO and MFA solution. In most cases, Okta’s modular PAM solution is enough for companies and enterprises. Okta is the SSO and MFA market leader, extremely easy to manage, and offers modular solutions to help your company or enterprise control costs.

Choose Okta if your company is:

Mostly interested in online login (i.e., publishers, gaming)
Single Sign On and/or Multi-Factor Authentication
Scaling quickly to 200+ employees
100% cloud-based
Interested in biometric/fingerprint authentication
Not currently using CyberArk

When should I choose CyberArk?

Choose CyberArk if your enterprise is focused on compliance. CyberArk Vault is a comprehensive Privileged Account Management solution that is fantastic for global enterprises facing extensive compliance issues. And with the acquisition of Idaptive, now your company has an all-in-one IAM solution.

Choose CyberArk Idaptive if your company is:

Product-based with a growing Salesforce
100+ employees
Interested in a “zero-trust” security policy

Choose CyberArk Vault, if your company is:

Highly-concerned about compliance
Established globally
On-premise and cloud-based data centers
Wants extensive user behavior analytics

How much does Okta cost?

Okta’s adaptive pricing model offers a scalable cost intended to grow with your company and workforce. Their adaptive pricing is both modular and scalable. It allows companies to choose only what they need to begin, and scale by user. Then, businesses can add services, as they grow. Okta Scale by Workforce. With a per-user cost of $2-15/month, Okta costs small companies less, and automatically scales as they grow. Okta Scale by Product. With modular service add-on’s, Okta makes it easy to get started with MFA and identity management, then allows companies to add additional services when needed. For a startup needing an SSO or MFA solution and a modular PAM tool, Okta costs include per user fees ($6/user), an annual MFA cost ($8000), API Access Management ($8000), plus PAM Management ($2000). In total, it’s about $18,500/year. On a larger scale, we implemented Okta for an enterprise IT department, and their Okta costs are about $72,000/year.

How much does CyberArk cost?

CyberArk Idaptive for adaptive MFA and SSO costs about 20% less than Okta’s comparable feature set. CyberArk Vault for enterprise Privileged Account Management costs around an additional $35,000 for implementation, and $100,000-150,000 annually. This same cost holds true when integrating CyberArk Vault with Okta SSO and MFA.

Do I need an Okta or CyberArk consultant near me?

The most important factor is experience and effective workflow, whether in-person, on-site, virtual, or off-site. That said, we think working with a PAM consultant near you is an advantage. This will allow your consultant to better communicate with existing IT teams, and better understand your current information architecture. A non-local consultant becomes a good option if they follow security best practices, and have an established virtual workflow. Why? Location is less significant when virtual workforce tools are effectively adopted by consultant and client, whether a small business or global enterprise. Plus, on-site specialists can become costly. Bottomline, look for a PAM consultant who offers an excellent communication process, clear workflow, and custom security solution for your business.

Have questions about finding an Privileged Account Management consultant?

Call (925) 918-6618 the consultation is free.

About Sennovate

Sennovate delivers custom identity and access management solutions to businesses around the world. With global partners and a library of 1000+ integrations, we implement world-class cybersecurity solutions that save your company time and money. We offer a seamless experience with integration across all cloud applications, and a single price for product, implementation, and support. Have questions? The consultation is always free. Email [email protected] or call us at: (925) 918-6618