Best Duo Alternatives for 2026: Top 5 Tools Compared

Cisco Duo has established itself as a leading multi-factor authentication (MFA) and identity access management solution, particularly known for its phishing-resistant authentication and device trust capabilities. 

However, many IT teams explore alternatives due to pricing constraints, configuration complexity, integration limitations with existing infrastructure, or the need for more comprehensive identity and access management features. Organizations often seek solutions that offer better cost-effectiveness, simpler deployment, broader authentication methods, or deeper integration with their specific technology stacks.

Top Alternatives to Duo Security

Here are five leading alternatives that address different organizational needs and use cases, each offering unique strengths in the identity and access management space.

Alternative #1—Microsoft Entra ID

Microsoft Entra ID emerges as the most compelling alternative for organizations already embedded in the Microsoft ecosystem. The platform provides comprehensive identity and access management with deep integration across Microsoft 365, Azure, and Teams environments. 

Unlike Duo's cloud-first approach, Entra ID offers sophisticated conditional access controls with adaptive policies that respond to real-time signals including user context, device status, and location. The platform excels at bridging cloud and on-premises infrastructure, making it ideal for hybrid environments where organizations maintain substantial legacy Active Directory investments while transitioning to cloud services.

What Does Microsoft Entra ID Do?

Microsoft Entra ID serves as Microsoft's enterprise identity solution, delivering authentication, authorization, and identity governance across Microsoft's ecosystem and third-party applications. The platform provides single sign-on capabilities, conditional access controls, and identity protection features designed to secure access to business resources regardless of location or device.

Microsoft Entra ID Differentiators

• Native integration with Microsoft 365, Teams, and Azure services eliminates complex configuration
• Conditional access policies adapt based on real-time risk assessment and contextual factors
• Hybrid identity capabilities bridge on-premises Active Directory with cloud infrastructure
• Identity Protection uses machine learning to detect and respond to suspicious activities
• Administrative tools familiar to existing Microsoft infrastructure teams

Microsoft Entra ID Pros

• Cost-effective for organizations with existing Microsoft 365 licensing
• Seamless user experience across Microsoft productivity tools
• Sophisticated threat detection and adaptive authentication
• Extensive compliance and audit capabilities for regulated industries
• Minimal learning curve for Microsoft-centric IT teams

How Microsoft Entra ID Works with Siit

Microsoft Entra ID integrates natively with Siit as an identity provider, enabling automated user provisioning and access management workflows. When employees request access through Siit's conversational interface in Slack or Teams, the platform can automatically validate requests against Entra ID policies, route approvals to appropriate managers, and provision access directly through Microsoft's identity layer. This integration eliminates manual coordination between HR systems and identity management, creating seamless onboarding and access request workflows that span multiple departments.

Microsoft Entra ID Pricing

• Azure Active Directory Free: Basic directory services and user management
• Azure AD Premium P1: $6/user/month for conditional access and hybrid identity
• Azure AD Premium P2: $9/user/month for identity protection and governance
• Often bundled with Microsoft 365 business and enterprise plans

Alternative #2—Okta

Okta positions itself as the premier enterprise identity platform, designed specifically for organizations requiring comprehensive identity governance beyond simple multi-factor authentication. The platform excels in large-scale environments where sophisticated user lifecycle management, extensive application integrations, and adaptive authentication policies are essential. 

Unlike Duo's device trust focus, Okta emphasizes application connectivity and identity governance, managing thousands of business application integrations through its marketplace ecosystem. The platform serves as the central nervous system for enterprise identity, handling user provisioning, deprovisioning, and access management across complex organizational structures.

What Does Okta Do

Okta operates as a cloud-native identity platform managing authentication, authorization, and user lifecycle management across thousands of applications. The platform provides single sign-on, multi-factor authentication, and identity governance capabilities designed to scale with enterprise growth while maintaining security and compliance standards.

Okta Differentiators

• Extensive marketplace with 5000+ pre-built application integrations
• Adaptive multi-factor authentication that adjusts based on risk assessment
• Comprehensive identity lifecycle management from onboarding to offboarding
• Advanced analytics and reporting for compliance and security monitoring
• API-first architecture enabling custom integrations and workflows

Okta Pros

• Market-leading application ecosystem reduces integration development time
• Sophisticated identity governance suitable for complex organizational structures
• Strong compliance capabilities for regulated industries
• Mature platform with extensive enterprise customer base
• Flexible authentication policies that adapt to organizational needs

How Okta Works with Siit

Okta integrates with Siit to create comprehensive identity and access management workflows that span multiple business systems. When employees request application access through Siit's interface, the platform leverages Okta's extensive application catalog and policy engine to automatically validate requests, route approvals based on organizational hierarchy stored in Okta, and provision access through the appropriate application connectors. This integration enables IT teams to maintain centralized identity governance while providing employees with streamlined access request processes directly within their communication tools.

Okta Pricing

• Okta Workforce Identity: Custom enterprise pricing based on user count and features
• Single Sign-On: Starting around $2/user/month for basic SSO capabilities
• Multi-Factor Authentication: Additional $3/user/month for MFA features
• Advanced Server Access and other premium features: Custom pricing
• Enterprise packages: Negotiated based on organization size and requirements

Alternative #3—Rublon MFA

Rublon MFA presents itself as a cost-conscious alternative specifically designed for organizations seeking comparable authentication capabilities to Duo at significantly lower price points. The platform addresses key pain points with Duo's pricing model by charging only for active users who actually authenticate, rather than billing for all accounts regardless of usage status. 

Rublon offers authentication methods unavailable in Duo, such as Email Link (Magic Link) authentication. However, both Rublon and Duo support third-party authenticator applications like Google Authenticator and Microsoft Authenticator. This flexibility appeals to organizations wanting to avoid vendor lock-in while maintaining strong security posture through FIDO2 standards and biometric authentication.

What Does Rublon MFA Do

Rublon MFA provides multi-factor authentication and identity verification services with emphasis on cost transparency and flexible authentication methods. The platform supports phishing-resistant authentication through FIDO2 standards while offering alternative methods like email links and third-party authenticator compatibility that broaden user choice.

Rublon MFA Differentiators

• Email Link authentication method not available in Duo Security
• Support for third-party authenticator apps (Google, Microsoft, Authy)
• Active user pricing model - only pay for users who actually authenticate
• FIDO2 and biometric features included in standard pricing tiers
• MFA connector for Remote Desktop Web Client (HTML5) environments

Rublon MFA Pros

• Significantly lower total cost of ownership compared to Duo
• Transparent pricing without hidden costs or feature lockouts
• Broader authentication method flexibility reduces user friction
• Phishing-resistant authentication standards without premium pricing
• No charges for inactive or bypass status users

Rublon MFA Pricing

• Business plan: $2/user/month flat rate with all features included
• Only charges for active users who authenticate through the system
• No additional costs for biometric authentication or FIDO2 features
• Includes Email Link authentication and third-party authenticator support
• Free trial available for evaluation

Alternative #4—Ping Identity

Ping Identity delivers enterprise-focused identity solutions specifically architected for organizations managing complex federated systems and multi-domain authentication requirements. The platform excels in scenarios requiring sophisticated identity federation across organizational boundaries, partnerships, and complex corporate structures resulting from mergers and acquisitions. 

Unlike Duo's straightforward authentication approach, Ping Identity emphasizes comprehensive identity governance with advanced federation capabilities that support cross-organizational workflows. The platform serves enterprises requiring identity management across multiple domains, business units, and external partnerships where traditional single-tenant solutions become insufficient.

What Does Ping Identity Do

Ping Identity provides enterprise identity and access management with specialized capabilities for federated authentication and cross-domain identity governance. The platform manages complex authentication scenarios involving multiple organizations, business partnerships, and sophisticated compliance requirements that demand advanced identity federation.

Ping Identity Differentiators

• Native federation capabilities for multi-organizational identity management
• Advanced authentication across multiple domains and business partnerships
• Sophisticated compliance and audit trails for regulated industries
• API-driven architecture supporting complex custom integrations
• Identity governance suited for mergers, acquisitions, and corporate restructuring

Ping Identity Pros

• Handles complex federated identity requirements other platforms cannot support
• Enterprise-grade security architecture with extensive compliance capabilities
• Mature platform with proven track record in large-scale deployments
• Flexible authentication policies that adapt to complex organizational structures
• Strong support for partnerships and business-to-business identity scenarios

Ping Identity Pricing

• PingOne Cloud: Starts around $3/user/month for basic cloud identity services
• PingFederate: Custom enterprise pricing for federation and SSO capabilities
• PingAccess: Additional licensing for web and API access management
• PingDirectory: Custom pricing for directory services and data governance
• Enterprise packages: Negotiated pricing based on organizational complexity and requirements

Alternative #5—JumpCloud

JumpCloud operates as an open directory platform providing unified identity and device management across heterogeneous IT environments without platform-specific bias. The platform addresses modern organizational needs for managing diverse operating systems, cloud applications, and network resources through a single management interface. 

Unlike Duo's authentication focus, JumpCloud combines user identity management with comprehensive device management capabilities, making it particularly valuable for organizations managing distributed workforces across Windows, macOS, and Linux environments. The platform supports zero-trust security architectures while maintaining flexibility for organizations preferring multi-vendor technology strategies rather than single-ecosystem approaches.

What Does JumpCloud Do

JumpCloud provides cloud-based directory services that combine user identity management with device management capabilities across multiple operating systems and cloud environments. The platform serves as a modern alternative to traditional Active Directory while adding comprehensive endpoint management and zero-trust security features.

JumpCloud Differentiators

• Open directory approach avoids vendor lock-in to specific platforms or ecosystems
• Unified management of both user identities and device security policies
• Cross-platform support for Windows, macOS, and Linux without bias
• Zero-trust policy implementation with continuous device verification
• Cloud-native architecture designed for distributed and remote workforces

JumpCloud Pros

• Eliminates dependency on traditional Active Directory infrastructure
• Comprehensive device management integrated with identity services
• Flexible deployment suitable for hybrid and multi-cloud environments
• Strong support for remote and distributed teams
• Cost-effective alternative to enterprise directory solutions

How JumpCloud Works with Siit

JumpCloud integrates with Siit as both an identity provider and device management platform, enabling comprehensive IT service workflows that span user provisioning and endpoint management. When employees request access or report device issues through Siit, the platform can leverage JumpCloud's unified directory to validate user context, provision appropriate access, and coordinate device policy enforcement automatically. This integration streamlines IT operations by combining identity and device management workflows within Siit's conversational interface.

JumpCloud Pricing

• JumpCloud Free: Up to 10 users and 10 devices with basic directory and device management.
• JumpCloud Core Directory: $13/user/month for standard directory services and identity management (device management available in higher tiers).
• JumpCloud Platform: $19/user/month for advanced features, including device management and integrations.
• Custom enterprise pricing: Available for large organizations with specific requirements.
• Device management: Included in select user license packages; cost is reflected in the chosen plan, not as a separate device fee.

How Siit Supports Identity Management Tools

Siit functions as a unified orchestration layer that works seamlessly with all major Duo alternatives, regardless of which identity platform your organization chooses. Rather than forcing teams to abandon their preferred identity solution, Siit integrates natively with Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, and JumpCloud to create comprehensive workflow automation. 

The platform's strength lies in connecting these identity providers with broader business systems including HR platforms, device management tools, and communication channels to eliminate manual coordination overhead. Siit's centralized approach means IT teams can maintain their specialized identity and access management tools while gaining intelligent routing, automated approvals, and cross-departmental workflow coordination that transforms simple authentication requests into complete business processes. 

The best identity tool becomes even more powerful when connected through Siit's process orchestration—explore our integrations or book a demo to see how any of these alternatives can work more effectively within your existing technology stack.