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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)
18th
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 November 2025, in the Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) category, the mindshare of AWS Directory Service is 1.3%, down from 2.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SailPoint Identity Security Cloud is 10.5%, up from 10.4% 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 Cloud10.5%
AWS Directory Service1.3%
Other88.2%
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

"We can provide specific access to people based on what they need from our accounts."
"AWS handles everything on the backend requiring minimal legwork from our team. We only require a dedicated database administrator while depending on Amazon for RDS."
"I would rate AWS Directory Service nine out of ten."
"AWS Directory Service is secure."
"The solution integrates well with other tools, particularly through single sign-on, allowing users to connect to various applications using just one password, including email."
"The most valuable feature is ease of use."
"The pricing is very good because it is low and there is no management cost."
"AWS has eliminated the downtime we waste when our on-premises resources go down."
"This solution has made our team more effective. We need less manual approvals when someone new joins our company. There is less paperwork and fewer support tickets raised for access."
"The access certification feature is valuable."
"The solution is stable and reliable."
"The big one now is that they're adding AI and machine learning to figure out automated approvals and make recommendations to their reviewers. So, if I bring up Doug McPherson and it says he has access to this application, the system will make a review based on peer group analysis. That's one of the biggest new things. The problem used to be that people would get everything loaded on, and they created too much work for themselves. Now, they can use these policies and start to let the machine pick the less risky things."
"The compliance features are the most valuable features."
"The solution can be customized to adapt the workflow to our industry, offering considerable flexibility."
"One of the most valuable aspects of SailPoint is its open integration interface."
"The solution is very good at the management of the identity lifecycle."
 

Cons

"Accessing the data needs improvement."
"We had a problem with the schema uploading and setting up the directory when we are migrating our users from on-premises to cloud infrastructure."
"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."
"AWS could improve the number of regions. Azure has passed them. The ned more consistency, as far as the Northeast is concerned."
"I would like to grant partial access to a table contained in a database without having to provide full access to the whole database."
"To get CloudWatch to monitor your memory and storage, you have to do some configuration within your server, which sometimes results in errors."
"Some of the security protocols are difficult to understand."
"AWS Directory Service needs to improve processing."
"Some setups should be done in the interface and in the code, and could be made simpler."
"The cost can be prohibitive for middle-tier companies."
"The connector for EPIC, ServiceNow, and Duo."
"The solution, in general, is quite expensive."
"What it doesn't do is provide notice in the event of a vulnerability or offense from the security."
"The product has poor reporting and analytic capabilities. Reports are not easy to use and its analytic capabilities are limited."
"It allowed to implement the automated processes when a new employee is hired. It allows to have a main central process for new hires."
"The product’s cloud offering could be flexible."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."
"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."
"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."
"It's difficult to say that the solution saved costs because it is quite expensive."
"They are expensive."
"The product is expensive. I rate its pricing an eight out of ten."
"It is a costly solution. Its cost, for sure, should be reduced."
"I rate the solution a seven on a scale where one is cheap and ten is too expensive. In short, the solution falls under the higher side of pricing."
"The solution is not cheap."
"The licensing fees are on a yearly basis."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Performing Arts
11%
Healthcare Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
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 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...
What advice do you have for others considering AWS Directory Service?
I would rate AWS Directory Service nine out of ten. Users need to be aware of how the system works locally to adapt easily to the integration and setup.
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: September 2025.
873,085 professionals have used our research since 2012.