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AWS Directory Service vs SailPoint Identity Security Cloud comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 2, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

AWS Directory Service
Ranking in Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS)
17th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
15
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
SailPoint Identity Security...
Ranking in Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS)
2nd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
71
Ranking in other categories
User Provisioning Software (2nd), Identity Management (IM) (1st), SaaS Management Platforms (1st), Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM) (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2025, in the Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) category, the mindshare of AWS Directory Service is 1.6%, down from 1.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SailPoint Identity Security Cloud is 12.6%, up from 10.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
SailPoint Identity Security Cloud12.6%
AWS Directory Service1.6%
Other85.8%
Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS)
 

Featured Reviews

Basa Saiteja - PeerSpot reviewer
A valuable access management system with a user-friendly and straightforward setup
The solution is scalable, and we can scale according to our needs. I rate the scalability a nine out of ten. In our organization, our access to our AWS comes from IAM. We use AWS consoles using our credentials and don't have route access, so each person will log in through our IAM programmatic access, and everyone on our team can work on cloud. Over 10,000 people in our organization utilize the solution.
Mitch MO - PeerSpot reviewer
Adapts workflows with industry-specific flexibility for big companies
We find flexibility to be one of the most valuable features. The solution can be customized to adapt the workflow to our industry, offering considerable flexibility. Additionally, it is considered a good solution for large companies due to its scalability and ability to cater to the needs of many customers. It has also enhanced security and provided significant flexibility for our specifications module.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The most valuable feature is ease of use."
"The pricing is very good because it is low and there is no management cost."
"Two-step authentication is very useful and important."
"I like the manageability. Activate Connect makes it easier to assign information and to manage the resources in the network."
"We like the fact that it's got such great redundancy."
"The support is very good. I would rate the technical support as a nine out of ten."
"The AD Connector is very good and easy to implement."
"We can provide specific access to people based on what they need from our accounts."
"The support is very good."
"Certifications and user provisioning features are the most valuable."
"It offers a single source of truth. Everything can be handled from one tier."
"A feature of SailPoint IdentityIQ that I like best is that it has good integration with other platforms. My company is using ADP here in Brazil, and SailPoint IdentityIQ works very, very well with it. My company is also using the solution for governance evaluation, segregation, and other access tests. For my company, SailPoint IdentityIQ is a very important solution, especially because it's automated, and there's a huge audit and risk issue here in Brazil."
"Deployment takes a bit of time, however, once it's done properly, everything becomes very organized and easy to use."
"Access certification and provisioning are two of the solutions most valuable features."
"What I like most about SailPoint IdentityIQ is that it's simple to use and easy to configure and deploy."
"I find the built-in connectors, lifecycle management, certification, and recertification features to be the most valuable."
 

Cons

"Currently, there is no option to integrate our on-premises Cisco AWS Directory Service, requiring some manual configuration. If AWS Active Directory Service provided additional domain controller functionalities, like other on-premises Active Directory, it would be very helpful."
"Can be improved by including on-premises access for services through Identity Access Management."
"I would like to grant partial access to a table contained in a database without having to provide full access to the whole database."
"Some of the security protocols are difficult to understand."
"The AWS Directory Service should be easier to integrate."
"To get CloudWatch to monitor your memory and storage, you have to do some configuration within your server, which sometimes results in errors."
"Our only complaint is that you cannot integrate your Exchange server. Or, if you are planning to install an Exchange server on your Amazon EC2 instance, then you need to configure Active Directory on EC2 instance. We would like for this limitation to be lifted."
"The solution lacks certain features."
"The price of IdentityIQ could be lower. There are additional costs when you buy the licenses, and they force the customers to pay for them."
"The UI is complex."
"The product’s cloud offering could be flexible."
"Additional details during account aggregation failures to help quick troubleshooting."
"It allowed to implement the automated processes when a new employee is hired. It allows to have a main central process for new hires."
"If you compare Saviynt and Okta Workforce Identity versus SailPoint IdentityIQ, SailPoint IdentityIQ needs to improve its UI."
"They can work on their strategy for the on-premise version. They have to decide whether and for how long they will support the on-premise version. The new features first appear in the cloud, and after that, they are released for the on-premise version. In the cloud, you have more options and flexibility, which is absolutely normal. They have to have a clear strategy regarding whether they'll support the on-premises version with the same focus. The licensing for on-premise and cloud is a little bit different. They can make it the same."
"The product is unable to share suggestions with users."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing depends because with AWS there are two types of directory objects: 30,000 and 500,000. It varies. AWS provides the pricing calculators so we can get an estimate from there as per the company requirement of how many users and objects that we need to create. So we can go to that portal, put in the data, and get the quotation. There are no extra licensing fees. It's all included."
"The pricing is reasonable."
"We pay an annual subscription fee."
"AWS' pricing is fair, and costs can be cut if you look carefully at when you're using it."
"You are able to get discounts if you plan to use the tool for the long-term i.e. discounts for 5+ years of usage."
"We pay an annual licensing cost for SailPoint IdentityIQ."
"The product is expensive. People need to opt for a licensing plan for one year or three years."
"You do pay one price for the license but that price depends on what you choose to include as far as the optional modules go."
"SailPoint is higher in price as compared to Saviynt. The initial cost of SailPoint is very high. There are additional costs to the standard licensing fees."
"SailPoint IdentityIQ is highly-priced, and I rate it an eight out of ten for pricing."
"SailPoint IIQ is the best of best. That is reflected in the pricing of the solution. The pricing is based on the number of identities."
"The product is expensive. I rate its pricing an eight out of ten."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
11%
Healthcare Company
10%
Performing Arts
10%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
16%
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Healthcare Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business6
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise4
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business22
Midsize Enterprise8
Large Enterprise40
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about AWS Directory Service?
The most valuable feature of AWS Directory Service is cost-cutting features.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for AWS Directory Service?
The pricing is very good because it is low and there is no management cost. You do not need to hire any system administrator to manage your Active Directory.
What needs improvement with AWS Directory Service?
Accessing the data needs improvement. Additionally, integration and compatibility with other AWS ( /products/amazon-aws-reviews ) services, network open LDAP, support for on-premise and cloud envir...
How does Sailpoint IdentityIQ compare with CyberArk PAM?
We evaluated Sailpoint IdentityIQ before ultimately choosing CyberArk. Sailpoint Identity Platform is a solution to manage risks in cloud enterprise environments. It automates and streamlines the m...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SailPoint IdentityIQ?
The product is expensive. People need to opt for a licensing plan for one year or three years.
What advice do you have for others considering SailPoint IdentityIQ?
You can use SailPoint Atlas to take identity security to the next level. In SailPoint IIQ, writing a custom connector using the open source framework is a good option.
 

Also Known As

AWS Managed Microsoft AD
IdentityIQ, IdentityNow, Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management, Intello
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Expedia, Intuit, Royal Dutch Shell, Brooks Brothers
Adobe, AXA Technology Services, Cuna Mutual Group, Equifax, ING Direct, Orrstown Bank, Rockwell Automation, SallieMae, Spirit Aerosystems, TEL
Find out what your peers are saying about AWS Directory Service vs. SailPoint Identity Security Cloud and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
867,676 professionals have used our research since 2012.