Workforce IdP · Head-to-head
Microsoft Entra ID vs Google Cloud Identity — workforce IdP comparison
Pick by which ecosystem you live in. Both are bundled with their respective productivity suites.
Verdict
The choice is overwhelmingly determined by ecosystem alignment. Entra ID for Microsoft 365 organizations; Google Cloud Identity for Google Workspace organizations. Few organizations run both. Cross-vendor scenarios (e.g., M365 + GCP) typically pick Entra as the IdP and federate to GCP.
When Microsoft Entra ID wins
- M365 E3/E5 licensed
- Windows-heavy endpoints
- Azure / Microsoft Cloud workloads
- Conditional Access depth required
When Google Cloud Identity wins
- Google Workspace licensed
- Chrome / Android device emphasis
- GCP-heavy workloads
- Simpler IdP needs without Conditional Access complexity
Capability matrix
| Capability | Microsoft Entra ID | Google Cloud Identity | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| M365 / Workspace bundling | ✓ | ✓ | Each in its own ecosystem |
| Conditional Access depth | ✓ | ~ | |
| Windows endpoint integration | ✓ | ~ | |
| Chrome / Android integration | ~ | ✓ | |
| IGA capability | ✓ | ✗ | |
| Cross-cloud federation | ✓ | ✓ |
Pricing posture
Both bundled with the parent productivity suite. Standalone licensing rare.
Frequently asked
- Can we run both?
- Operationally yes; few organizations do. Cross-vendor scenarios typically pick one as primary and federate.
- Which has better Conditional Access?
- Entra by a significant margin. GCI Context-Aware Access is narrower.
- Does GCI work for non-Google SaaS?
- Yes via SAML / OIDC. Catalog much smaller than Entra.
Vendor profiles