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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)
16th
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)
3rd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
70
Ranking in other categories
User Provisioning Software (1st), Identity Management (IM) (2nd), SaaS Management Platforms (2nd), Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM) (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) category, the mindshare of AWS Directory Service is 1.8%, down from 2.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SailPoint Identity Security Cloud is 11.0%, up from 9.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
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.
Praveen Jalumuru - PeerSpot reviewer
Enhanced automation and AI-driven integration offer significant time savings
The most valuable features include its ability to integrate with AI and machine learning, the automation of reports, and the built-in connectors that enable easy connection with both legacy and cloud-based applications. Its code-less drag-and-drop functionality allows for easier adjustments, and it provides strong support with reduced SLAs compared to SailPoint IQ.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"We like the fact that it's got such great redundancy."
"The pricing is very good because it is low and there is no management cost."
"AWS Directory Service is secure."
"I would rate AWS Directory Service nine out of ten."
"The support is very good. I would rate the technical support as a nine out of ten."
"Provides good performance and availability."
"The most valuable feature is that because it's all in the cloud, you don't need to manage the infrastructure."
"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."
"The solution is stable and reliable."
"The solution’s stability and performance are good."
"We like the integration with other systems."
"​The Certification and Provisioning features are most valuable."
"Deployment takes a bit of time, however, once it's done properly, everything becomes very organized and easy to use."
"User provisioning and the role management features are good."
"What I like most about SailPoint IdentityIQ is that it's simple to use and easy to configure and deploy."
"The initial setup isn't so difficult."
 

Cons

"The solution lacks certain features."
"To get CloudWatch to monitor your memory and storage, you have to do some configuration within your server, which sometimes results in errors."
"AWS could improve the number of regions. Azure has passed them. The ned more consistency, as far as the Northeast is concerned."
"Accessing the data needs improvement."
"The AWS Directory Service should be easier to integrate."
"AWS Directory Service needs to improve processing."
"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."
"Some of the security protocols are difficult to understand."
"Needs to focus on automation wherein provisioning of work can be improved and access certification should be automated without the intervention from a manager for approval."
"SailPoint lacks some features like privileged account management and access management features found in products like Okta."
"Compared to at least one other product some of the administrative tasks could be easier or more intuitive."
"If there's a price reduction for SailPoint IdentityIQ, that would be helpful. Another area for improvement in the product is the technical support, which needs to be more friendly to customers."
"The solution's technical support team's response time and skills need improvement since it is an area where there are shortcomings."
"The cost can be prohibitive for middle-tier companies."
"Certifications could include additional access levels or practices."
"SailPoint IdentityIQ could be cheaper."
 

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."
"AWS' pricing is fair, and costs can be cut if you look carefully at when you're using it."
"We pay an annual subscription fee."
"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."
"They are expensive."
"Its price is okay. It provides good value for money. It is subscription-based. You can go for a one-year or three-year subscription."
"The licensing fees are on a yearly basis."
"The pricing is a little bit higher than other tools."
"In terms of pricing, SailPoint IdentityIQ is affordable. It's not cheap, and it's not expensive, so the solution is in the middle, price-wise. It also didn't have additional costs, even if my company had different teams that took care of auditing and provisioning and projects that used SailPoint IdentityIQ."
"The product is expensive. I rate its pricing an eight out of ten."
"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."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
17%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Healthcare Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
18%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Insurance Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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?
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 fu...
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: April 2025.
848,716 professionals have used our research since 2012.