Microsoft Entra ID vs Symantec VIP Access Manager comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Microsoft and Broadcom are both solutions in the Authentication Systems category. Microsoft is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.6, while Broadcom is ranked #16. Microsoft holds a 5.6% mindshare in AS, compared to Broadcom’s 2.1% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 86% of Broadcom users who would recommend it.

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 11, 2024

Microsoft Entra ID and Symantec VIP Access Manager are two prominent identity management solutions. Microsoft Entra ID seems to have the upper hand due to its overall performance and usability despite Symantec’s comprehensive security.

Features: Microsoft Entra ID offers seamless integration with other Microsoft products, flexible access management, and robust multi-factor authentication. Symantec VIP Access Manager is noted for its stringent security features, advanced authentication methods, and strong threat protection.

Room for Improvement: Microsoft Entra ID users highlight the need for enhancement in documentation and support for non-Microsoft ecosystems. Symantec VIP Access Manager users suggest improvements in user management interfaces and reduction in setup complexity.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Entra ID is praised for its straightforward deployment process, and users note responsive customer support. Symantec VIP Access Manager users report a more complex deployment process but value detailed documentation and support.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Entra ID is considered cost-effective with a good return on investment due to its integration capabilities and efficiency. Symantec VIP Access Manager, while more expensive, provides high-security levels that justify the price for organizations prioritizing security.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Entra ID vs. Symantec VIP Access Manager Report (Updated: October 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Entra ID vs. Symantec VIP Access Manager

October 2026

Download the complete report

Helped 921,028 peers since 2012

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

Cisco Duo

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Authentication Systems category, the mindshare of Cisco Duo is 3.7%, down from 7.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Entra ID is 5.6%, down from 11.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Symantec VIP Access Manager is 2.1%, up from 1.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Authentication Systems Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Microsoft Entra ID	5.6%
Cisco Duo	3.7%
Symantec VIP Access Manager	2.1%
Other	88.6%

Authentication Systems

Featured Reviews

Charles Slaustas

Information Technology Contractor at Insight global

Supports seamless authentication for users across multiple organizations and personal portals

The features I use in Cisco Duo include Duo Pushes to confirm my identity to the device, and eventually as MFA security was increased, I actually had to use exchange passcodes. Sometimes, I have to go into the site and get into Cisco Duo to retrieve the passcode, and many of them have been two-factor, where the sites send a passcode that I have to enter into Cisco Duo. It has been more of the latter. I have not seen issues with lagging or crashing on Cisco Duo's end; it was usually on the client end, often because someone set up a bad upgrade or there were connection issues with the Cisco Duo cloud through the administrative site.

Read full review

Stafin Jacob

Microsoft 365 Security & Compliance Practice Lead at Invoke

Identity has become our central gatekeeper and has provided secure single sign-on for all users

Microsoft Entra ID can improve by focusing more on new passwordless methods and becoming a primary adopter. One feature we would like to see is the ability to have security questions for password resets. I know the current capability is phasing out, so we do not have an alternative method yet. Customers who already use security questions require a smoother transition for that capability to be available. My experience with the deployment has had some challenges, particularly around the Microsoft MFA campaigns. The hardest part is moving users from a different MFA provider to the Microsoft MFA provider, as it ultimately depends on user activity. In large enterprises with numerous users across various geographies, this transition takes time. If there are ways to exert more control around that process, it would improve the situation.

Read full review

Berk Onur

Presales Consultant at Cyberwise

With its mobile application, this tool offers a convenient and user-friendly experience to its users

To improve the tool, I think that the solution should consider integrations with other cybersecurity and IT technologies, such as Privileged Access Management and Site Integration. Additionally, the implementation of second-factor authentication via Symantec VIP Access Manager, CyberArk, and Delinea, among other technologies, could be best for the product. While the existing technology is okay, improving the integration capabilities for Symantec VIP Access Manager would benefit the product. I would like to see the solution meet the integration needs at our company. While many cybersecurity solutions can function independently, they often lack integration with our systems due to missed integration points. Improving the solution's integration feature would be beneficial.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Since we onboarded it, since we started using Cisco Duo, we have never had any operational glitch."

"The ability for users to authenticate via phone, from any random phone number, has been very helpful for managing a distributed workforce. Using it across a distributed network for securing access to our applications is big for us."

"It has definitely reduced embedding. We found a lot of problems with attackers being able to compromise accounts. Now, when they try to access accounts, they are not able to do so because there is an added layer of protection. Once we know that a username and password are compromised, we just reset the password to protect the company."

"The solution is easy to use."

"My advice for other companies that are considering getting Cisco Duo is to try it, and you will be amazed at how easy and how productive this tool is."

"What I appreciate most about Cisco Duo are the security features it brings to our network environment and machine access."

"Cisco Duo is quick to deploy and easy to start."

"The Verified Duo Push feature is valuable. It gives an extra level of security beyond just the regular push."

More Cisco Duo pros

"It is a central point where we provide the cloud lock-in for our company. We focus the multi-factor authentication within Azure AD before jumping to other clouds or software as a service offerings. So, it is the central point when you need to access something for our company within the cloud. You go to Azure AD and can authenticate there, then you move from there to the target destination or the single sign-on."

"It is easy to manage. I can manage systems with policies and automate our systems. Any professional system can be easily integrated with Azure Active Directory. It is widely used with Windows versions."

"This is the kind of solution that I feel you cannot run an organization without using."

"This product is easy to use."

"Overall it has helped place our security posture in a good position."

"This solution is less time-consuming. We don't have to hire as many resources to give permissions to a particular user or group for any application."

"The security and compliance features are very helpful. The online information on the site is well documented."

"Azure Active Directory is a good platform for us; we rely heavily on providing our users a good system and interface that we seldom have issues with."

More Microsoft Entra ID pros

"It is a fast and easy solution for end users, and you are always online."

"If you're looking for a fairly lightweight client that works very well for remote access purposes, I think Symantec is definitely a good product."

"VIP is a strong, cloud-based authentication service that enables organizations to secure access to networks and applications to prevent unauthorized logins to company resources, even when passwords have been compromised or shared."

"The tool has been very stable, in my experience. Also, I haven't faced any issues or problems with integration or connectivity."

"In this version 9.1, lots of changes are done for the dashboard, User Store etc."

"Cloud-based service and management."

"Other than it provides us with remote access, so it's fairly easy to install, fairly easy to set up, and provides us the ability to get into our corporate environment."

"Pricing was about 25% of the old solution, saving us about $500,000 over three years for 10,000 users."

More Symantec VIP Access Manager pros

Cons

"I think we'd need more experience to learn Cisco Duo because we're just at the beginning of using it."

"Compared to other vendors, Cisco Duo is on the pricey end."

"Cisco Duo could be improved by building the agent with the many agents we already use, such as Cisco AMP and Cisco Secure Client, which would simplify our environment by eliminating the need for a third agent for secure applications."

"Conversational AI in Cisco Duo is limited in its current application."

"To improve Cisco Duo, the biggest consideration is the licensing standpoint; the most common issue I've found is customers not setting up the Active Directory sync properly, leading to inflated licensing usage when they try to delete inactive users that are still being charged."

"For response time, there may be a little bit of improvement needed because sometimes you have to wait a little bit, not too long, but sometimes you really want a quick response, and it is not always like that."

"Cisco Duo could definitely be improved, particularly regarding some of the reporting it does, as it currently lacks detail; for example, we had an issue where someone was getting prompted multiple times, but the console only detected it that one time."

"Regarding the pricing, setup costs, and licensing, I find that for some companies using Azure, they question why they should switch when they already have Microsoft Authenticator, which can make it commercially challenging when explaining why they need to transition to Cisco Duo."

More Cisco Duo cons

"Microsoft is working with Microsoft Identity Manager for Active Directory on-premise. It will be very important to have these identity management solutions directly in Azure Active Directory. It's very important to have some kind of Azure identity manager as a technology for identity and access management for working both in the cloud and inside the Azure suite."

"I would appreciate it if they linked the Microsoft Entra ID platform with other 365 platforms, such as the governance of Power BI or the security for the App Center. That would be very useful since we have many platforms related to Microsoft 365. We need to have a link or different profiles for managing through Microsoft Entra ID, which is the main platform."

"Generally, everything works pretty well, but sometimes, Azure Active Directory has outages on the Microsoft side of things. These outages really have a very big impact on the users, applications, and everything else because they are closely tied to the Azure AD ecosystem. So, whenever there is an outage, it is really difficult because all things start failing. This happens very rarely, but when it happens, there is a big impact."

"One challenge with Entra ID is its complexity, stemming from integrating many components into a single solution."

"The stability and reliability of Microsoft Entra ID is assessed as good, other than typical outages that every cloud service provider deals with."

"I would like it to be easier to integrate third-party applications."

"The synchronization with the local Active Directory and synchronization with all of the users on the local and cloud could be better."

"They have had a few outages, so stability is a little bit of an issue. It is global. That is the thing. I know some of the other competitors are regionalized ID platforms, but Entra ID is global, so when something goes wrong, it is a problem because it underpins everything, whether you are logging in to M365 or you have single sign-on to Azure, Autopilot, Intune, Exchange mailbox or another application. If there is a problem with Entra ID, all of that falls apart, so its great strength and weakness is the global single tenant for it. Stability is a key area for me. Otherwise, it is generally pretty good."

More Microsoft Entra ID cons

"Maybe Symantec could consider providing a step-by-step guide for first-time users."

"I would like to see the solution meet the integration needs at our company...Improving the solution's integration feature would be beneficial."

"In my opinion, for this solution, the technical support is not so expert when we talk about integration using the API."

"There are some shortcomings on the reporting side, such as how many connections you can get per month."

"Every time that I have a new phone or computer, it takes a little longer to deploy it."

"The reporting on the VIP Manager is not correct."

"Technical support is one of the worst problems."

"Our only issue was with user training. The additional challenge was not well received."

More Symantec VIP Access Manager cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I only need the solution for IT staff, which makes it relatively cheap. If I deployed it for the whole company, it would be costly, so it depends on the number of users. Duo Security is affordable compared to other products in the segment."

"It falls in line with everything else."

"From a business perspective, it is a little bit costly. The licensing is on a per-user basis."

"Its price is reasonable. It is not highly expensive."

"Duo Security is free."

"Their pricing model is a little bit weird. Currently, there is no price advantage in signing up for yearly contracts. There are no additional costs to the standard licensing costs."

"The product’s pricing is reasonable."

"It's a bit confusing because we're on a three-year plan with a certain number of licenses, and we've gone over that number. They told us that when we renew, they will add all these licenses. We've expanded quickly, so everyone's kind of scared because no one knows what the bill is with the long pricing cycle."

More Cisco Duo pricing and cost advice

"It is in line. Because we are so early, we have not had to come back on a cycle where we are having to negotiate again."

"It is good. We have Office 365 E3, and then that is tied in with Azure Active Directory. I believe that we only have to pay for our technician-level access or IT department access for Azure Active Directory Premium, which I am sure they call Entra Premium P2 licensing, so it is not a very large cost. We just adopted that, and that gives us a lot of insights into user security that we would not otherwise have."

"It can be a bit expensive for organizations, but they do have different pricing models. Their free tier can be used on a personal level, but for an organization, the licenses might be a bit expensive. In general, the licenses can become cheaper, which will make it accessible for more people."

"The pricing for companies and businesses is okay, it's fair. But if you are trying to teach someone about Azure AD, there is no licensing option for that... It would be nice to have a 'learning' license, one that is cheaper for a single person."

"Licensing is easy."

"We are currently on the education plan, so the price is slightly better than the development plan."

"We have a yearly license."

"Pricing could always be better. You pay the premium for Microsoft. Sometimes, it is worth it, and at other times, you wish to have more licensing options, especially for smaller companies."

More Microsoft Entra ID pricing and cost advice

"Licensing and pricing seems very fair."

"There are additional costs for maintenance."

"There is a one-time setup fee plus the licenses are provided as per the number of users. For SMS and voice calls, the costs are separate."

"I can say that the solution is worth the money."

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Authentication Systems solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

921,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Outsourcing Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Outsourcing Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Outsourcing Company

13%

Construction Company

12%

Comms Service Provider

12%

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	65
Midsize Enterprise	28
Large Enterprise	87

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	91
Midsize Enterprise	42
Large Enterprise	162

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	10

Questions from the Community

How does Duo Security compare with Microsoft Authenticator?

We switched to Duo Security for identity verification. We’d been using a competitor but got the chance to evaluate Du...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Duo Security?

Regarding the pricing, what actually happened was that we got the product purchased through our HQ, so the costing as...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Duo Security?

I do not have a straight answer for how Cisco Duo can be improved at this time. With the implementation that we are g...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure Active Directory?

I primarily use Microsoft Entra ID's free tier, so I have not faced any issues with pricing; I hope this free tier re...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Azure Active Directory?

To improve Microsoft Entra ID, I believe it should be openable with third-party applications to use Microsoft Authent...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Azure Active Directory?

My main use case for Microsoft Entra ID is the authentication of M365, Azure, and third-party applications like Sales...

See all answers

Ask a question

Earn 20 points

Comparisons

Fortinet FortiAuthenticator vs Cisco Duo

Compared 6% of the time

Okta Platform vs Cisco Duo

Compared 4% of the time

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs Cisco Duo

Compared 3% of the time

Auth0 Platform vs Cisco Duo

Compared 3% of the time

Yubico YubiKey vs Cisco Duo

Compared 2% of the time

More Cisco Duo Competitors

Google Cloud Identity vs Microsoft Entra ID

Compared 23% of the time

Okta Platform vs Microsoft Entra ID

Compared 5% of the time

SailPoint Identity Security Cloud vs Microsoft Entra ID

Compared 3% of the time

Ping Identity Platform vs Microsoft Entra ID

Compared 2% of the time

Auth0 Platform vs Microsoft Entra ID

Compared 1% of the time

More Microsoft Entra ID Competitors

Identity Manager by One Identity vs Symantec VIP Access Manager

Compared 7% of the time

Okta Platform vs Symantec VIP Access Manager

Compared 6% of the time

Symantec Siteminder vs Symantec VIP Access Manager

Compared 5% of the time

Sangfor SSL VPN vs Symantec VIP Access Manager

Compared 5% of the time

Citrix Gateway vs Symantec VIP Access Manager

Compared 4% of the time

More Symantec VIP Access Manager Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Duo

November 2026

Download Cisco Duo product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Entra ID

October 2026

Download Microsoft Entra ID product report

Buyer's Guide

Symantec VIP Access Manager

October 2026

Download Symantec VIP Access Manager product report

Also Known As

Duo Security

Azure AD, Azure Active Directory, Azure Active Directory, Microsoft Authenticator

Symantec VIP

Interactive Demo

Demo not available

Cisco

Microsoft

Demo not available

Broadcom

Overview

Cisco Duo is a cloud-based identity security platform safeguarding critical resources for any user and device worldwide. Known for its ease of use, Duo offers seamless protection across multi-cloud, hybrid, and on-premises environments.

Cisco Duo is designed to secure access with identity-first protection and provides extensive visibility throughout an organization's identity ecosystem. Offering multi-factor authentication, Duo facilitates easy integration and management, allowing teams to protect data effectively on VPNs, applications, and networks. Its single-pane management improves security processes while enhancing trust, making it suitable for diverse IT infrastructures.

What are the key features of Cisco Duo?

Multi-factor Authentication: Strengthens user verification with multiple methods.
Push Notifications: Simplifies authentication with quick approvals.
Single Sign-On: Enhances convenience by allowing one set of credentials.
VPN Access: Secures remote connections with reliable authentication.
User Activity Visibility: Offers comprehensive insights into access patterns.

Which benefits and ROI should users consider?

Quick Deployment: Facilitates rapid integration within existing systems.
Effective Management: Streamlines IT operations with centralized control.
Regulatory Compliance: Aids in meeting industry standards for data protection.
Enhanced Trust: Strengthens security posture across networks.
User-friendly Approach: Simplifies authentication for non-technical users.

In industries like education and finance, Cisco Duo is widely employed to secure multi-factor authentication across platforms such as email, databases, and servers. Its integration capabilities with Microsoft 365, Active Directory, and VPNs like AnyConnect are instrumental in verifying user identities using mobile apps or OTPs, catering effectively to both remote and on-premise environments.

Cisco

Microsoft Entra ID offers advanced identity management capabilities, ensuring security and efficiency with features like single sign-on and multifactor authentication.

Designed for hybrid environments, Microsoft Entra ID provides seamless synchronization between on-premises Active Directory and Azure Active Directory, enhancing security with multifactor authentication and conditional access. By integrating with a broad spectrum of cloud services, it supports user authentication and mobile device management, facilitating streamlined application registration and secure API access.

What are the most notable features of Microsoft Entra ID?

Robust Security Measures: Implements strong security protocols to protect identities.
Single Sign-On: Enables users to access multiple applications with one set of credentials.
Conditional Access Policies: Provides a framework to control access based on predefined conditions.
Third-Party Integration: Ensures compatibility with external applications for comprehensive use.

What benefits should users consider in reviews?

Improved Security Posture: Enhances protection against unauthorized access through advanced security features.
Simplified Onboarding: Streamlines the process of integrating new users and systems.
Operational Efficiency: Reduces identity and access management workload, boosting productivity.

In finance and healthcare, Microsoft Entra ID plays a crucial role in managing access to sensitive information while maintaining compliance with industry regulations. Retail and manufacturing sectors leverage its capabilities for secure supply chain operations and partner collaboration.

Microsoft

Symantec VIP Access Manager offers seamless integration with applications, providing robust user authentication and enhanced security for remote work. Its cloud-based design ensures consistent connectivity and is convenient for users.

Designed for strengthening access security, Symantec VIP Access Manager features strong user authentication and easy application integration. Its fast interface and reliable VPN access support risk-based authentication. Users can securely work remotely, leveraging a mobile app for generating digital codes, crucial for multifactor authentication. The cloud-based solution ensures access even when company VPNs are down, reducing hardware costs with Mobile Credential and offering enhanced dashboards in version 9.1.

What are the standout features of Symantec VIP Access Manager?

Strong Authentication: Provides robust multifactor authentication enhancing security.
Application Integration: Seamlessly integrates with existing applications.
Mobile Utility: Allows secure work through mobile devices for remote access.
Cloud Connectivity: Ensures access even if company VPNs experience issues.
Enhanced Dashboards: Version 9.1 introduces advanced dashboard features.

What benefits should users consider in reviews?

Reduced Hardware Costs: Mobile Credential lowers expenses by lessening hardware dependencies.
Secure Remote Work: Facilitates safe access to networks and emails while working remotely.
Reliability: Provides consistent access through cloud services.
Enhanced Security: Risk-based authentication strengthens data protection.

Symantec VIP Access Manager is commonly used in industries requiring secure remote connectivity. Organizations implement it to generate login codes for multifactor authentication, critical for employees accessing networks via VPN tools like Palo Alto GlobalProtect and Fortinet VPN. It supports secure remote workflows, vital in sectors prioritizing data protection and remote access.

Broadcom

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Microsoft Entre ID is trusted by companies of all sizes and industries including Walmart, Zscaler, Uniper, Amtrak, monday.com, and more.

Maine Medical Center, Aria S.p.A

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Entra ID vs. Symantec VIP Access Manager

October 2026

Free Report: Microsoft Entra ID vs. Symantec VIP Access Manager

Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Entra ID vs. Symantec VIP Access Manager and other solutions. Updated: October 2026.

DOWNLOAD NOW

921,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our Microsoft Entra ID vs. Symantec VIP Access Manager report.

See our list of best Authentication Systems vendors and best Access Management vendors.

We monitor all Authentication Systems reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.