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Amazon Cognito Reviews

Vendor: Amazon Web Services (AWS)
3.7 out of 5
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What is Amazon Cognito?

Amazon Cognito is a simple user identity and data synchronization service that helps you securely manage and synchronize app data for your users across their mobile devices. You can create unique identities for your users through a number of public login providers (Amazon, Facebook, and Google) and also support unauthenticated guests. You can save app data locally on users’ devices allowing your applications to work even when the devices are offline. With Amazon Cognito, you can save any kind of data in the AWS Cloud, such as app preferences or game state, without writing any backend code or managing any infrastructure. This means you can focus on creating great app experiences instead of having to worry about building and managing a backend solution to handle identity management, network state, storage, and sync.

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Amazon Cognito is the #7 ranked solution in top Access Management solutions. PeerSpot users give Amazon Cognito an average rating of 7.4 out of 10. Amazon Cognito is most commonly compared to Microsoft Entra ID: Amazon Cognito vs Microsoft Entra ID. Amazon Cognito is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 55% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 17% of all views.
Buyer's Guide
Amazon Cognito
April 2025
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Amazon Cognito mindshare

As of April 2025, the mindshare of Amazon Cognito in the Access Management category stands at 6.6%, up from 6.5% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Access Management

PeerResearch reports based on Amazon Cognito reviews

TypeTitleDate
CategoryAccess ManagementApr 28, 2025Download
ProductReviews, tips, and advice from real usersApr 28, 2025Download
ComparisonAmazon Cognito vs Microsoft Entra IDApr 28, 2025Download
ComparisonAmazon Cognito vs Okta Workforce IdentityApr 28, 2025Download
ComparisonAmazon Cognito vs Auth0Apr 28, 2025Download
Suggested products
TitleRatingMindshareRecommending
Microsoft Entra ID4.328.2%95%226 interviewsAdd to research
Cloudflare One4.43.0%100%20 interviewsAdd to research
 
 
Key learnings from peers

Valuable Features

Amazon Cognito offers valuable features like integration with AWS services, seamless application integration, user management, and authentication efficiency. Federation, pre and post-token generation, triggers, OTP and email validation, and user management modules are highlighted. It supports scaling, multi-factor authentication, and secure credential storage. The software's ability to sync with various IDPs and provide single sign-on for API access is beneficial, streamlining user access management and enhancing security.
  • "I rate Amazon Cognito nine out of ten."
  • "What is quite valuable is that we can outsource storage of the credentials to AWS, and they manage it quite securely."
  • "What I find most valuable about Amazon Cognito is the single sign-on feature that provides a token for accessing protected APIs."

Room for Improvement

Amazon Cognito's integration ease and mobile developer experience could be enhanced. Documentation is often unclear, making implementation challenging. It lacks advanced security features such as proper MFA and password history tracking. Configuration complexity and high costs are concerns, especially for smaller organizations. User interface and token customization require improvement. The platform requires better localization for international setups and enriched user tracking and management capabilities. Documentation and intuitive UI need attention for a smoother experience.
  • "I would rate its scalability as five out of ten. Moving users between different pools or accounts creates new identities, which means IDs stored in our database must also be changed."
  • "Cognito has the possibility to render the login screen and all the customer flows related to managing the account. Still, it's useless in an international setup. They are unable to localize these screens, so we had to write our own screens and just use the Cognito API."
  • "Amazon Cognito could be improved by making it easier for us to add more data to the token, allowing customization of JWT. It requires a complex program to customize the token currently, however, the UI could support this configuration better."

ROI

Users consistently noted high ROI from Amazon Cognito, citing its cost-effectiveness and ease of integration. They experienced significant reductions in development time due to pre-built authentication features. Enhanced security protocols also provided peace of mind, reducing potential liabilities. Scalability allowed businesses to grow without additional costs, further maximizing returns. User feedback emphasized Amazon Cognito’s ability to handle large user bases efficiently, enhancing overall satisfaction and perceived value.

Pricing

Enterprise users have varied experiences with Amazon Cognito pricing. Many find it relatively inexpensive and appreciate the pay-as-you-go model. Some rate it as affordable compared to other solutions, particularly for scalability and usage. However, others perceive it as expensive, especially smaller organizations or when opting for extended functionalities. Monthly licensing costs and user-based pricing are common, with annual subscriptions also mentioned. Overall, user ratings on a scale of ten ranged between two and seven.
  • "On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a five out of ten."
  • "The product is relatively inexpensive compared to other tools."
  • "The price of the solution depends on the number of users using it."

Popular Use Cases

Organizations primarily use Amazon Cognito for user authentication and authorization, integrating it with platforms like Okta and Azure. It facilitates single sign-on, managing user access, creating and assigning policies, and customizing onboarding processes. Cognito handles OTP and email verification, stores user details, and supports social sign-in. Its plug-and-play functionality makes it ideal for web and mobile applications, allowing companies to focus less on user management and security coding efforts.

Service and Support

Premium customers of AWS find support efficient. Technical support receives varied ratings, with some stating it is satisfactory, while others rate it lower. Amazon's customer service is generally effective, using multiple communication methods. Many users rely on extensive documentation but find it insufficient for certain issues. Queries to Amazon’s tech support are rare; experiences suggest issues with response promptness for specific technical problems. Billing inquiries have free support, while technical assistance often necessitates paid services.

Deployment

Many users find Amazon Cognito's initial setup straightforward or easy. The documentation aids in simplifying the process. Some highlight that integrating additional services adds complexity, while others mention a learning curve initially, but it becomes easier once understood. Configuration time can vary, with simpler setups taking 15 to 30 minutes and complex environments exceeding an hour. Users suggest standard templates might ease initial implementation challenges. Generally, setup experiences range from five to nine out of ten.

Scalability

Amazon Cognito exhibits mixed scalability perceptions. Some find it highly scalable, supporting thousands of users effectively with ratings often exceeding seven out of ten. Others face challenges with backend scalability and potential identity complications when scaling between different user pools, making them rate it as low as five. While it can accommodate significant user growth, this can lead to increased costs, showing both strengths and areas needing improvement in scalability.

Stability

Amazon Cognito displays varying levels of dependability. Many users consider it stable, with ratings often ranging from seven to ten out of ten. Some users highlight differences in performance between native and iOS apps, suggesting potential integration challenges. Other users report consistently strong performance, no data loss, or downtime, emphasizing reliability and security. Despite mixed experiences, most indicate satisfactory stability with excellent performance in protecting user data.
These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.
Download our Amazon Cognito Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers
By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
17%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Government
7%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Healthcare Company
5%
University
5%
Manufacturing Company
5%
Energy/Utilities Company
4%
Construction Company
4%
Educational Organization
4%
Non Profit
3%
Retailer
3%
Media Company
3%
Recreational Facilities/Services Company
3%
Hospitality Company
2%
Wholesaler/Distributor
2%
Insurance Company
2%
Outsourcing Company
2%
Real Estate/Law Firm
2%
Pharma/Biotech Company
2%
Logistics Company
1%
Consumer Goods Company
1%
Transportation Company
1%
Mining And Metals Company
1%
Performing Arts
1%
Agriculture
1%
Wellness & Fitness Company
1%
Legal Firm
1%

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Amazon Cognito customers

Expedia, Intuit, Royal Dutch Shell, Brooks Brothers

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Product Categories

Product Categories
Access Management

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Amazon Cognito reviews

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Wojciech Doganowski - PeerSpot user
Solutions Architect & PMO at AS TV Play Baltics/TV3 Group
Verified user of Amazon Cognito
Mar 7, 2025
International setup localization challenges drive custom development while outsourcing credential management enhances security

Pros

"What is quite valuable is that we can outsource storage of the credentials to AWS, and they manage it quite securely."

Cons

"Cognito has the possibility to render the login screen and all the customer flows related to managing the account. Still, it's useless in an international setup. They are unable to localize these screens, so we had to write our own screens and just use the Cognito API."

What is our primary use case?

I use Amazon Cognito for single sign-on for our service. It is used to keep our customer credentials and authenticate the customer.

What is most valuable?

What is quite valuable is that we can outsource storage of the credentials to AWS, and they manage it quite securely. We have never had an issue with any leakage of credentials, which is normally a problem for anyone storing passwords of the customers. This is probably the best part of our decision to select Amazon Cognito. It helps in maintaining security and integrity.
*Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Read full review (596 words)
KK
Full-stack Developer / AWS Architect at Mantiqh Technologies
Verified user of Amazon Cognito
Mar 20, 2025
Authentication methods simplify user login and signup processes

Pros

"I rate Amazon Cognito nine out of ten."

Cons

"I would rate its scalability as five out of ten. Moving users between different pools or accounts creates new identities, which means IDs stored in our database must also be changed."

What is our primary use case?

We use Amazon Cognito for authentication, specifically for user login and signup. We primarily use Amazon Cognito to store user details. If we want to log in with authentication like a username and password, we use Amazon Cognito. We also use it for OTP logins. Amazon Cognito offers a simple authentication method for our system.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is the authentication method. The way it handles authentication is simpler to use. When we integrate any authorization, it takes time, but due to the AWS documentation and Amazon Cognito's feasibility, we use it more. We find it simple for authentication.
*Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Read full review (590 words)
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Find out what your peers are saying about Amazon Cognito. Updated April 2025
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DL
Cloud Software Engineer at a comms service provider with 51-200 employees
Verified user of Amazon Cognito
Feb 12, 2025
Streamlined and efficient management of user access with good single sign-on capabilities

Pros

"What I find most valuable about Amazon Cognito is the single sign-on feature that provides a token for accessing protected APIs."

Cons

"Amazon Cognito could be improved by making it easier for us to add more data to the token, allowing customization of JWT."

What is our primary use case?

The use case for Amazon Cognito is primarily for a single sign-on feature to manage user access. It is also associated with a project that involves education and entertainment.

What is most valuable?

What I find most valuable about Amazon Cognito is the single sign-on feature that provides a token for accessing protected APIs. This feature has been beneficial in helping us manage user access efficiently. It is considered just another tool similar to Azure Active Directory.

*Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Read full review (365 words)
Erik Aceiro - PeerSpot user
Solutions Architect III at Raizen
Verified user of Amazon Cognito
Dec 19, 2022
Good integration with AWS services but not feasible for B2C because MFAs are nonexistent

Pros

"The solution is proto connective and integrates well with other AWS services."

Cons

"The MFA related to the solution's side is nonexistent. "

What is our primary use case?

Our company has been using the solution to determine proof of concept for a project that is large-scale with over one million users. Through experimentation, we have found that some things work well and some things have issues.  

We have 300 engineers using the solution but have determined our project cannot go to production because there are unresolved issues with B2C multifactor authentication. 

What is most valuable?

The solution is proto-connective and integrates well with other AWS services. 

The solution can be useful for small-scale, machine-machine projects. It can provide one kind of language that is the same for all connection partners. 

*Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Read full review (741 words)
Subrata Mukherjee - PeerSpot user
Senior Technical Architect; Head of Platform at Blenheim Chalcot IT Services India
Verified user of Amazon Cognito
Oct 30, 2024
Effortless integration and syncing with good user management

Pros

"The features most valuable to us are the ability to integrate with various IDPs and the capability to sync with multiple applications."

Cons

"The setup and configuration can be complex, especially for advanced use cases."

What is our primary use case?

We have used Cognito for our architecture model to handle user authentication and access control for our web and mobile applications. 

Additionally, we have incorporated Cognito not only for user authentication but also for social sign-in, SSO integration with our organization’s IDP, allowing us to onboard multiple customers with their own organization identity through SSO.

How has it helped my organization?

With Cognito, user authentication is more secure, and we no longer have to build and scale our own authentication model. It has benefited us by eliminating the need to incorporate security pointers manually. Furthermore, with Cognito's advanced features, we now achieve improved integration capability with other federated IDPs, enhancing our security and user management.

*Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Read full review (570 words)
Arif Azim - PeerSpot user
Senior Engineering Manager at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
Verified user of Amazon Cognito
Dec 25, 2022
Product version discussed: Latest version
Highly flexible, useful triggers, but concise use case data limited

Pros

"The most valuable features of Amazon Cognito are the pre and post-token generation, and the different Cognito triggers. It has lots of functionality and flexibility."

Cons

"Cognito triggers can improve by providing more direct use cases rather than giving a white paper. A white paper is not at all interesting, it has too many details. It would be a benefit to provide a smaller document that is summarized. The smaller version would bring microdata, macro data is not helpful."

What is our primary use case?

We use Amazon Cognito for implementing SSO for Azure ready, Okta, or Oczero.

How has it helped my organization?

Amazon Cognito has helped improve our organization by unifying a lot of cross-functional SSOs under one umbrella. It has helped us cover all the different use cases. Our customers are passing through an Amazon Cognito gateway rather than a different hybrid or isolated provider.

*Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Read full review (563 words)
Vladimir Shilov - PeerSpot user
DevSecOps at Ciklum ApS
Verified user of Amazon Cognito
May 26, 2023
Highly scalable, scales well, and integrates well

Pros

"One of the key benefits of this software is its ease of integration with a wide range of applications, including mobile apps and web applications. This simplifies the process of integration, and it can be seamlessly incorporated with Azure, Kubernetes, and other software systems."

Cons

"Amazon Cognito could improve by simplifying the configuration."

What is our primary use case?

I am using Amazon Cognito for single-tenant authentication. 

What is most valuable?

One of the key benefits of this software is its ease of integration with a wide range of applications, including mobile apps and web applications. This simplifies the process of integration, and it can be seamlessly incorporated with Azure, Kubernetes, and other software systems.

*Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
Read full review (333 words)
Julius Mboya - PeerSpot user
Chief technical officer at Solvezy Technology Kenya Limited
Verified user of Amazon Cognito
May 7, 2024
Used for user management and authentication

Pros

"The most valuable feature of the solution is its swift authentication."

Cons

"What I found generally lacking in AWS is privileged access management (PAM)."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution for user management and authentication. Most of the time, when users are created on the core application, they are also created on Amazon Cognito. Then, we use policies to govern what resources they can and cannot access.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of the solution is its swift authentication.

*Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Read full review (349 words)