Pricing overview
Okta Identity Cloud's pricing model is divided between its two core product offerings: the Workforce Identity Cloud and the Customer Identity Cloud (Auth0). Each product addresses distinct identity management needs and, consequently, features a different pricing structure. The Workforce Identity Cloud focuses on employee and partner identity, typically charging per user per month. The Customer Identity Cloud, powered by Auth0, is designed for managing external customer identities and generally charges based on Monthly Active Users (MAU) or specific feature sets.
Both product lines offer tiered plans that scale with the number of users or MAUs and the complexity of features required. Common features influencing pricing tiers include Single Sign-On (SSO), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), Adaptive MFA, Universal Directory, Lifecycle Management, and API Access Management. Enterprise-grade features, such as advanced security policies, compliance reporting, and dedicated support, are typically reserved for higher-tier or custom plans.
Customers can generally choose between annual subscriptions or monthly billing, with annual commitments often providing a discounted rate. Okta also offers custom pricing for large enterprises with specific requirements that fall outside standard plan structures, which may include volume discounts or specialized feature bundles, as detailed on the Okta pricing page.
Plans and tiers
Okta's pricing is structured into distinct plans and tiers for its Workforce and Customer Identity Clouds. These tiers are designed to accommodate varying organizational sizes and functional requirements.
Workforce Identity Cloud
The Workforce Identity Cloud provides identity and access management for employees, contractors, and partners. Its pricing is primarily based on the number of users and the selected feature bundle.
| Plan | Price (per user/month) | Key Features/Limits | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSO | Starts at $2 | Single Sign-On (SSO) to 3 apps, basic Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) | Organizations needing basic SSO and MFA for a limited number of applications. |
| MFA | Starts at $3 | SSO to unlimited apps, advanced MFA options, adaptive policies | Businesses requiring enhanced security with adaptive MFA and broader application integration. |
| Adaptive MFA | Starts at $6 | Contextual access policies, advanced threat protection, device trust | Enterprises needing risk-based authentication and granular access control. |
| Universal Directory | Starts at $4 | Centralized user profiles, delegated administration, attribute-level mastering | Companies looking to consolidate user directories and manage user attributes centrally. |
| Lifecycle Management | Starts at $6 | Automated user provisioning/deprovisioning, workflow automation | Organizations aiming to automate user lifecycle processes and improve operational efficiency. |
| API Access Management | Custom | Secure API access, OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, centralized policy enforcement | Developers and organizations securing their APIs with advanced authorization. |
Detailed feature breakdowns for each Workforce Identity Cloud plan are available on the Okta Workforce pricing page.
Customer Identity Cloud (Auth0)
The Customer Identity Cloud, powered by Auth0, is designed for securing customer applications and digital experiences. Its pricing is primarily based on Monthly Active Users (MAUs), with specific feature sets defining the tiers.
| Plan | Price | Key Features/Limits | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Developer | Free | Up to 7,500 MAU, basic authentication, unlimited logins, core features | Developers and small projects for testing and initial deployment. |
| Starter | Starts at $23/month (for 1,000 MAU) | Up to 10,000 MAU, custom domains, social logins, standard support | Small to medium-sized businesses needing robust customer authentication. |
| Essential | Custom | Higher MAU volumes, advanced MFA, enterprise connections, enhanced support | Growing businesses and mid-market companies with increasing user bases and security needs. |
| Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited MAU, advanced security features, dedicated support, SLAs | Large enterprises requiring high scalability, compliance, and custom solutions. |
Additional details on Auth0's specific features, MAU tiers, and pricing can be found on the Auth0 pricing page.
Free tier and limits
Okta Identity Cloud offers a free tier specifically for its Customer Identity Cloud (Auth0) product, known as the Developer Edition. This free tier is designed to enable developers to build and test applications that integrate with Auth0's identity services without upfront costs.
- Monthly Active Users (MAU): The Developer Edition supports up to 7,500 MAUs. An MAU is defined as a unique user who logs in or refreshes a token within a calendar month.
- Logins: Unlimited logins are permitted within the MAU limit.
- Core Features: Includes fundamental authentication features such as social logins, passwordless authentication, and basic Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).
- Custom Domains: Not included in the free tier; this feature is typically available in paid plans.
- Support: Community support is generally available for free-tier users, with dedicated support options reserved for paid plans.
There is no equivalent free tier for the Workforce Identity Cloud, which focuses on organizational employee identity management. For Workforce Identity, organizations typically begin with paid plans or contact sales for trials for specific use cases.
Real-world cost examples
Understanding the potential costs of Okta Identity Cloud involves considering the specific product (Workforce or Customer Identity), the number of users or MAUs, and the required feature set. These examples illustrate common scenarios:
Example 1: Small Business Workforce Identity
- Scenario: A small business with 50 employees needs basic SSO to access internal applications and enhanced MFA for security.
- Product: Workforce Identity Cloud
- Plan: MFA plan
- Estimated Cost: With the MFA plan starting at $3 per user per month, 50 users would incur a cost of approximately $150 per month (50 users * $3/user/month). This plan provides unlimited app integrations and advanced MFA options.
Example 2: Growing Startup Customer Identity
- Scenario: A growing startup with a customer-facing application expects 8,000 MAUs in its first year and requires custom domains and social login capabilities.
- Product: Customer Identity Cloud (Auth0)
- Plan: Starter plan
- Estimated Cost: The Auth0 Developer Edition covers up to 7,500 MAUs for free. For 8,000 MAUs, the startup would need the Starter plan. The Starter plan begins at $23 per month for 1,000 MAU, with additional MAU blocks typically costing extra. Assuming a base of 1,000 MAU and an additional 7,000 MAU, the cost could be approximately $23 (base) plus a per-MAU charge for the additional users, potentially placing it in the range of $50-100 per month depending on specific MAU overage rates, as outlined on the Auth0 pricing page.
Example 3: Enterprise Workforce Identity with Lifecycle Management
- Scenario: A large enterprise with 5,000 employees needs comprehensive identity management, including SSO, Adaptive MFA, Universal Directory, and automated user provisioning/deprovisioning.
- Product: Workforce Identity Cloud
- Plans: Adaptive MFA, Universal Directory, and Lifecycle Management.
- Estimated Cost: Combining these plans (e.g., Adaptive MFA at $6, Universal Directory at $4, Lifecycle Management at $6) would total $16 per user per month. For 5,000 users, the estimated monthly cost would be $80,000 (5,000 users * $16/user/month). Large enterprises often receive custom pricing and volume discounts, which could reduce this figure.
Example 4: Enterprise Customer Identity with Advanced Security
- Scenario: A global e-commerce platform with 500,000 MAUs requires advanced security features, enterprise connections, and dedicated support.
- Product: Customer Identity Cloud (Auth0)
- Plan: Enterprise plan
- Estimated Cost: For such a large scale and advanced feature set, the Enterprise plan with custom pricing would be necessary. This plan typically involves direct negotiation with Okta sales to determine a tailored quote based on specific MAU volume, required uptime SLAs, dedicated support, and advanced security configurations. Pricing for enterprise solutions is not publicly disclosed but would be considerably higher than the Starter or Essential plans, reflecting the scale and specialized services provided.
How the pricing compares
Okta Identity Cloud operates in a competitive market, with alternatives like Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory), Ping Identity, and ForgeRock offering similar identity and access management solutions. The comparative value often depends on the specific use case, existing infrastructure, and organizational size.
- Microsoft Entra ID: Often perceived as a strong competitor, especially for organizations already heavily invested in the Microsoft ecosystem. Entra ID offers various tiers, including a free tier for basic features and paid plans (P1, P2) that scale with features like advanced identity protection and governance. Its per-user pricing can be competitive, particularly when bundled with other Microsoft 365 services. For example, Entra ID Premium P1 offers features like conditional access and MFA for around $6 per user per month, as detailed in Microsoft Entra ID pricing.
- Ping Identity: Ping Identity provides a suite of identity products, including PingFederate for SSO, PingAccess for access management, and PingOne Cloud Platform. Their pricing is typically enterprise-focused and often requires direct consultation for a quote. Ping Identity's strength lies in its hybrid deployment options and robust API security, which may appeal to organizations with complex on-premises and cloud environments.
- ForgeRock: ForgeRock, now part of Ping Identity, offers an identity platform designed for large enterprises, focusing on CIAM, workforce identity, and IoT identity. Its pricing is also custom and enterprise-oriented, often reflecting its comprehensive features for complex identity use cases, including advanced governance and orchestration.
Okta's pricing for Workforce Identity Cloud can be considered competitive for its feature set, especially for organizations seeking cloud-native, best-of-breed identity solutions. The per-user model for Workforce Identity is straightforward, though costs can add up for extensive feature bundles at large scales. For Customer Identity (Auth0), the MAU-based pricing model is standard across the CIAM industry, with the free developer tier providing an accessible entry point. Competitors like Firebase Authentication also offer free tiers for customer identity, often with generous limits, before transitioning to usage-based pricing for larger scales, as described in Firebase pricing details. Okta's strength often lies in its user experience, extensive integrations, and comprehensive feature set across both workforce and customer identity domains, which can justify its pricing for organizations prioritizing these aspects.