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CyberArk Identity vs Microsoft Active Directory comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
5.0
Many users find CyberArk Identity valuable for saving time, enhancing security, fostering efficiency, and yielding beneficial returns.
Sentiment score
4.4
Microsoft Active Directory enhances efficiency and access control, providing value through centralized management despite lacking direct ROI calculation.
I have seen over 30% return on investment due to the improvement in operational efficiencies through automation, which enhances productivity.
Private Wealth Advisor at Arima Fund Limited
The solution is really time-saving since I don't need to create users in each server or system manually, and user access control is streamlined.
Senior Consutant at HCLSoftware
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.4
CyberArk Identity's customer service is generally effective but faces criticism for response delays and expertise inconsistencies.
Sentiment score
5.5
Microsoft Active Directory support is inconsistent, with varying response quality, reliance on online resources, and better service via premium options.
They resolved the problem immediately after I reported it, on the same day, within one hour.
Access Management Analyst at Telefónica
They respond immediately when requests are raised, and they are always available for priority one tickets.
Lead Identity Engineer at a tech vendor with 501-1,000 employees
I received prompt responses and support, which I would rate as very good.
Cybersecurity Delivery Analyst at Accenture
Support documents are available on the internet in every language.
Owner at a computer software company with 1-10 employees
If you purchase retail, the support will be more difficult because they will assess the priority or rating from the customer.
IT Operations & Security at veris
Sometimes support takes long to engage and resolve, extending over weeks or even months.
Senior Consutant at HCLSoftware
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.4
CyberArk Identity is praised for its scalability, accommodating diverse company sizes and ease of license expansion.
Sentiment score
6.2
Microsoft Active Directory is scalable and integrates well, but faces challenges at larger scales, suggesting hybrid solutions.
We can use it on different phones and computers, demonstrating its scalability.
Program associate at IMAGINE HER
When delving deep into the concepts, there is a lot to address and learn, especially when facing real-time scenarios.
Cybersecurity Delivery Analyst at Accenture
You can scale it out pretty easily, and you can implement it very small.
Cloud Specialist at Perini Beheer
Microsoft Active Directory scales effectively; I don't foresee any issues with that at all.
Network Security Administrator at a retailer with 51-200 employees
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.0
CyberArk Identity is highly praised for its reliable stability, quick issue resolution, and effective performance, despite network connectivity challenges.
Sentiment score
6.4
Microsoft Active Directory is praised for its stability and reliability, with minor issues not significantly affecting performance.
We no longer have our data infiltrated by unauthorized persons, and tracking actions within the system has become very easy.
Private Wealth Advisor at Arima Fund Limited
When you have it in the cloud, you have CyberArk every time you need it.
Access Management Analyst at Telefónica
With a stable network, due to the redundant data centers across the globe, it is a lot easier to use as a SaaS solution.
Senior Cyber Security Specialist Architect at a tech consulting company with 11-50 employees
If you meet the installation requirements from Microsoft, it will be very stable.
IT Operations & Security at veris
With multiple domain controllers, stability is ensured.
Senior Consutant at HCLSoftware
I've been working with Microsoft Active Directory for over 3 years, and we've had no problems.
Network Security Administrator at a retailer with 51-200 employees
 

Room For Improvement

CyberArk Identity requires user interface improvements, better integration, enhanced documentation, and easier deployment for improved adoption and operations.
Microsoft Active Directory needs improvements in usability, integration, security updates, synchronization, setup, reporting, support, scalability, and email group sync.
It would be helpful if they released a generalized document for processes such as migration.
Cybersecurity Delivery Analyst at Accenture
Integration or deployment is extremely difficult for CyberArk Identity.
Head of IT at Skutin Solutions
There's a need to enhance network performance.
Senior Technology Manager at a outsourcing company with 501-1,000 employees
Exporting and verifying group memberships require command line scripts, which isn't simple.
Senior Consutant at HCLSoftware
There are some features that need improvements in terms of ease of use and frequency of updates.
Information Technology Specialist at stelios@biolandenergy.com
Sometimes, it can be overly complicated, and when you apply Group Policy in an Active Directory environment, sometimes those settings apply and sometimes they don't.
Network Security Administrator at a retailer with 51-200 employees
 

Setup Cost

CyberArk Identity pricing is high but justified for enterprises with discounts and flexible licensing to balance costs.
Microsoft Active Directory pricing varies by region and model; Azure offers cost-effective solutions for large enterprises despite perceived expense.
Regarding pricing, it can be quite a lot for small companies.
Access Management Analyst at Telefónica
The pricing is acceptable.
Program associate at IMAGINE HER
If I am not going fully cloud, there are additional resources I will need to purchase, such as spinning more VMs or acquiring an HSM device to encrypt the vault.
Head of IT at Skutin Solutions
For the cloud solution in our region, the pricing of Microsoft Active Directory is very high.
Network & Security Section Head/Digital Transformation at City Edge
I consider Microsoft Active Directory expensive because if you buy this thing bundled with the Windows Directory Server, you get five user licenses for about a thousand euros, or a little bit less than this.
Owner at Syntlogo GmbH
The pricing, setup cost, and licensing with Microsoft Active Directory is straightforward; you just buy the server and then have to buy the user CALs.
Network Security Administrator at a retailer with 51-200 employees
 

Valuable Features

CyberArk Identity enhances security and efficiency through integrations, password management, user monitoring, and comprehensive compliance and risk analysis tools.
Microsoft Active Directory simplifies management with integration, group policies, and scalable operations across on-premises and cloud environments.
It impacts zero trust security strategies. It prevents lateral movements in the organization.
Head of IT at Skutin Solutions
The two-factor authentication is very important, but the fact that every account is being regenerated every time we use it is the most important security feature for us.
Cloud Specialist at Perini Beheer
It is the most powerful access management system.
Access Management Analyst at Telefónica
To assess the impact of Microsoft Active Directory's centralized domain management on security protocols and access permissions, Microsoft Active Directory itself has constraints with security because when we have a solution such as SSO or Single Sign-On, which makes it easier for users to log in, some parts have security openings.
IT Operations & Security at veris
One valuable feature is the centralized creation of IDs.
Senior Consutant at HCLSoftware
I can control all the devices in my domain by just changing the group policies in one place.
Information Technology Specialist at stelios@biolandenergy.com
 

Categories and Ranking

CyberArk Identity
Ranking in Active Directory Management
6th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
29
Ranking in other categories
Authentication Systems (9th), Identity Management (IM) (9th), Authorization Software (3rd), Enterprise Password Managers (7th), User Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) (9th), Access Management (7th), Cloud Resource Access Management (2nd), Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) (6th)
Microsoft Active Directory
Ranking in Active Directory Management
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
47
Ranking in other categories
Single Sign-On (SSO) (9th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Active Directory Management category, the mindshare of CyberArk Identity is 2.7%, up from 1.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Active Directory is 6.2%, up from 4.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Active Directory Management Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Active Directory6.2%
CyberArk Identity2.7%
Other91.1%
Active Directory Management
 

Featured Reviews

Hariharan Thangasamy - PeerSpot reviewer
Cybersecurity Delivery Analyst at Accenture
Has strengthened privileged access control and improved audit visibility through session monitoring and password rotation
On the identity product side, it is awesome. However, they can improve in the documentation parts. For example, if there is a migration process, I can see the maximum customers are moving from self-hosted to on-premises or from on-premises to the cloud. It would be helpful if they released a generalized document for processes such as migration. A clear overview document would assist us in understanding more about the tool, configurations, and automations to enhance our security. Regarding the initial setup of CyberArk Identity, I faced some challenges. At some points, I could not find proper documentation for deploying, enhancing, or integrating with other components. I could not find the proper documentation in the community portal.
Eko Kurniawan - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Operations & Security at veris
Has simplified credential management and improved secure access control across departments
The features I find most useful in Microsoft Active Directory are especially for the Single Sign-On. This is very useful for users, particularly if they have plenty of applications, such as tablet applications. When they log in to their computer, the application will automatically log in with their credentials. They don't need to remember another user and password to log in to the application because it's already maintained with Microsoft Active Directory using Single Sign-On. To assess the impact of Microsoft Active Directory's centralized domain management on security protocols and access permissions, Microsoft Active Directory itself has constraints with security because when we have a solution such as SSO or Single Sign-On, which makes it easier for users to log in, some parts have security openings. When their computer is compromised with a threat, malware, or other cyber threats, it becomes easier to enter the application without login permission.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
15%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Healthcare Company
6%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Healthcare Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business20
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise10
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business20
Midsize Enterprise7
Large Enterprise20
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about CyberArk Identity?
The integration capabilities, ability to integrate CyberArk into the overall IBB strategy of our current clients.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for CyberArk Identity?
I am not certain about CyberArk Identity's exact pricing model. For comparison, Okta was around five dollars per user. CyberArk Identity offers good discounts to some clients, which influences thei...
What needs improvement with CyberArk Identity?
We do not specifically use the password vaulting feature of CyberArk Identity. The centralized user dashboard of CyberArk Identity has not been that important for us. If it would be possible to sha...
What do you like most about Microsoft Active Directory?
The solution is easy to install and has good reliability.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Active Directory?
The best way to protect this is to use Microsoft Defender. For Microsoft support for Microsoft Active Directory, I would rate it as eight. If I give it 10, it would be too perfect. Eight is fair. M...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Active Directory?
My main use cases for Microsoft Active Directory are to manage user access and credentials.
 

Also Known As

Idaptive
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

MLB, Citi, Pfizer, SulAmerica, GE Capital, Shiseido
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about CyberArk Identity vs. Microsoft Active Directory and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
879,477 professionals have used our research since 2012.