OneLogin vs. Okta vs. Rippling: Which IAM software is best

When it comes to managing user access and authentication, choosing the right identity and access management (IAM) solution can make or break your security posture. OneLogin, Okta, and Rippling are three leading platforms in this space, but they take different approaches to solving the same core problems.

I've spent time analyzing each platform's capabilities, pricing, and other key features to help you understand which solution best fits your organization's needs. This comparison goes beyond surface-level features to examine how each platform handles the complexities of modern identity management.

Quick comparison: OneLogin vs. Okta vs. Rippling at a glance

Here's how these three IAM platforms stack up across key features and capabilities:

Methodology: How I reviewed different IAM software

To ensure this comparison provides actionable insights, I evaluated each platform across several key dimensions that matter most to organizations implementing IAM solutions:

• Feature completeness: I examined the core IAM capabilities each platform offers, including SSO, MFA, user provisioning, and access policies. I looked at not just what features exist, but how well they're implemented and integrated with each other.

• User experience: I considered both the admin experience (how easy it is to configure and manage) and the end-user experience (how friction-free authentication is for employees).

• Architecture and integration: IAM solutions don't exist in isolation. I evaluated how each platform connects with HR systems, directories, and third-party applications. This includes the number of pre-built integrations and the ease of creating custom connections.

• Security capabilities: I analyzed the specific security features each platform provides, from adaptive authentication to threat detection. This includes understanding how each platform evaluates risk and responds to potential threats.

• Pricing structure: Beyond just listing prices, I examined what's included at each tier and how costs scale as organizations grow. This helps you understand the total cost of ownership.

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Features comparison: OneLogin vs. Okta vs. Rippling

Let's dive into how each platform handles the core features that define modern IAM solutions.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA)

Multi-factor authentication is the backbone of IAM security. Here’s how each platform approaches it:

Rippling

Rippling IT management software takes a unique approach to MFA by leveraging its integrated HR data to make smarter authentication decisions. The platform's dynamic MFA goes beyond standard contextual checks to understand who your employees actually are and how they typically behave.

The system uses behavioral detection to identify suspicious login attempts. Because Rippling knows your employee's department, role, and location from HR data, it can flag attempts that don't match normal patterns. For example, if someone tries to log in from a different country than where they work, or attempts to access systems outside their normal hours, Rippling can require additional authentication or block the attempt entirely.

Geographic and time restrictions are built into the system. Rippling understands which travel scenarios are possible and which aren't. An employee can't log in from Los Angeles and Moscow within 12 hours, but they could log in from San Francisco in the morning and New York that evening. This level of intelligence helps prevent account takeovers without creating friction for legitimate users.

OneLogin

OneLogin's MFA approach centers on SmartFactor Authentication, which uses AI to analyze multiple risk factors and adapt authentication requirements accordingly. The system evaluates risk signals (location, device, behavior) to determine when additional verification is needed.

The OneLogin Protect app supports push notifications, one-time passwords (OTPs), and biometric verification options including face and fingerprint authentication. OneLogin also supports third-party authenticators including Google Authenticator, Yubico hardware keys, Duo Security, and RSA SecurID. 

Okta

Okta's Adaptive MFA evaluates risk based on contextual factors, including device security posture, network location, user behavior, and IP reputation. The platform supports phishing-resistant authentication through Okta FastPass, FIDO2 WebAuthn authenticators, and smart cards like PIV and CAC. 

Okta ThreatInsight adds another layer of security by analyzing login attempts across Okta's entire customer base. This global threat intelligence automatically blocks IP addresses associated with credential stuffing attacks and other malicious activity. 

Our verdict: Rippling wins for MFA when you need authentication decisions that understand the full employee context. While OneLogin and Okta both offer strong adaptive authentication, Rippling's integration with HR data allows for more nuanced risk evaluation. The ability to automatically understand employee roles, departments, and locations from the source of truth means fewer false positives and better security decisions. 

Single sign-on (SSO)

Single sign-on determines how employees access their apps securely. While all three offer SSO, the depth of integration differs:

Rippling

Rippling's SSO software implementation stands out because it's built on top of a unified HR and IT platform. When employees log in, they're accessing a system that already knows their role, department, manager, location, and employment status. This means access controls can be more granular and dynamic than standalone SSO solutions.

The platform provides one-click access to all applications from a central dashboard. Unlike most portals, Rippling’s includes RPass, a built-in password manager that also supports apps without federated authentication. This allows employees to access every application, whether it uses SAML, OIDC, or simple username and password, from a single place.

Rippling's SSO automatically updates when employee data changes. If someone gets promoted and needs access to new applications, Rippling provisions those accounts automatically based on their new role. When someone leaves, access to all applications is revoked immediately. This tight integration between HR events and access control reduces security gaps.

OneLogin

OneLogin provides SSO for cloud applications, on-premises software, and mobile apps. The platform uses policy-driven password security to enforce requirements like password length, complexity, and restrictions on reuse. Users can also configure session timeout policies and enable password reset self-service.

OneLogin's SSO portal supports 21 languages and automatically matches the language to each user's browser settings. For applications that don't support federation, OneLogin uses password vaulting to enable SSO. 

Okta

Okta's SSO solution gives users secure access to cloud, on-premises, and mobile applications with a single set of credentials. The platform includes over 7,000 pre-built integrations in the Okta Integration Network.

It unifies identity management by integrating with Microsoft Active Directory, LDAP, HR systems, and third-party identity providers, helping organizations break down silos and manage all user identities from a control plane.

Our verdict: Rippling wins for SSO when you want authentication tightly coupled with employee lifecycle management. While all three platforms provide solid SSO capabilities, Rippling's native integration with HR data means access is always in sync with employment status. 

Identity lifecycle management

Identity lifecycle management covers how users are added, updated, and removed across systems. Here’s how each platform automates those processes:

Rippling

Rippling's ILM is where the platform's unified architecture really shines. Because HR and IT systems share the same database, there's no delay between HR events and access changes. When you hire someone, their accounts are created. When they change roles, access updates automatically. When they leave, everything is revoked instantly.

The platform allows you to build complex workflows that span both HR and IT operations. You can set up approval chains that involve multiple stakeholders, create policies that govern how access is granted based on employee attributes, and automate everything from account provisioning to equipment orders.

OneLogin

OneLogin streamlines user provisioning and deprovisioning with automation based on role, department, location, title, and other attributes. It imports entitlement definitions directly from each application and applies flexible rules to determine the right level of access for every user. With its Universal Connector, OneLogin simplifies integrations through pre-built connectors that make it easy to connect with a wide range of systems.

Okta

Okta’s lifecycle management automates the joiner, mover, and leaver process across your application ecosystem. It integrates with HR systems to trigger provisioning and deprovisioning whenever employee status changes. The platform consolidates users from multiple directories into a single management plane, automatically granting access based on predefined policies.

Our verdict: Rippling delivers the most seamless approach to identity lifecycle management by removing the integration layer between HR and IT. Okta and OneLogin offer strong provisioning features, but both rely on sync mechanisms that can cause delays. With Rippling’s unified architecture, HR changes trigger instant access updates with no middleware, no lag, and no security gaps.

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Access policies

Access policies determine user permissions across systems, and each platform manages them differently:

Rippling

Rippling's access policies leverage the platform's rich employee data to create highly specific rules. You can create policies based on hundreds of employee attributes including role, department, location, manager, employment type, start date, and custom fields you define.

The system supports dynamic policies that automatically adjust as employee data changes. For example, you might create a policy that grants access to financial applications only to employees in the Finance department with a job level of Manager or above. As people get promoted or change departments, their access automatically updates.

OneLogin

OneLogin enforces policy-based access control using factors like user attributes, authentication strength, location, and risk score. Its SmartFactor Authentication analyzes user behavior and device data to calculate risk scores, triggering stronger authentication when thresholds are exceeded.

Okta

Okta’s policy engine evaluates contextual factors such as device security, network location, user behavior, IP reputation, and authentication strength to decide whether to allow, deny, or step up access. The platform also checks device posture through integrations with endpoint tools, ensuring only compliant devices can connect. 

Our verdict: Rippling offers the most granular control over access policies by using employee attributes directly from its unified platform. Unlike Okta and OneLogin, which rely on synced HR data, Rippling can apply policies instantly based on manager, department, employment status, or custom fields. This native integration gives it an edge in precision and speed.

OneLogin vs. Okta vs. Rippling: Pricing

Understanding the cost structure of each platform is important for budgeting and forecasting as your organization grows.

Rippling

Rippling’s pricing starts at $8 per employee per month (billed annually) for its core workforce platform, which includes HR and basic IT management. The final cost depends on which additional modules you include, but Rippling’s bundled approach often replaces multiple standalone tools at a lower total cost. Organizations that use Rippling for multiple functions often find the combined cost competitive with buying separate point solutions. Contact Rippling's sales team for pricing specific to your needs. 

OneLogin

OneLogin’s workforce identity plans start at about $4 per user per month for SSO and MFA, scaling to $10 per user per month for advanced packages (all bundle price) with SmartFactor Authentication and lifecycle management. Add-ons like the Universal Connector or delegated administration are available for larger implementations.

Okta

Okta’s workforce identity cloud starts around $6 per user per month for its starter tier, which includes SSO, MFA, and universal directory. Higher tiers, ranging up to $17 or more per user per month, add features like adaptive MFA, user lifecycle management, and access governance. Okta also offers separate Auth0 pricing for customer identity use cases. 

Okta vs. OneLogin vs. Rippling: Reviews

Here's how users rate each platform on major review sites:

Looking more closely at G2's detailed ratings, Rippling leads across the usability metrics that matter most for day-to-day operations:

OneLogin vs. Okta vs. Rippling: Pros and cons

To help summarize the key advantages and disadvantages of OneLogin, Okta and Rippling, here's a quick overview of the main pros and cons for each solution:

Rippling pros and cons

Pros

• Unified platform eliminates synchronization delays between HR and IT systems

• Rich employee data enables more granular access policies than standalone IAM tools

• Automated workflows span both HR and IT operations

• Built-in password manager (RPass) provides one-click access to all applications

• Real-time access changes when employee status updates

• Behavioral detection uses actual employee data rather than just login patterns

• Device management integrated with identity management

Cons

• Setup can be complex when replacing multiple legacy systems, though guided support is available

• Access rules and automations often need fine-tuning during initial configuration

• Teams new to automation may face a learning curve when building workflows and access policies

OneLogin

Pros

• OneLogin Sandbox enables safe testing of new features and configurations

• SmartFactor Authentication uses AI to make intelligent risk-based MFA decisions

• Strong emphasis on authentication security with features like OneLogin Protect and compromised credential check

• Desktop SSO supports device trust for Macs and PCs

Cons

• Smaller integration ecosystem, targeted toward mid-market and smaller enterprises compared to Okta's enterprise-scale deployment

• Users report intermittent reliability issues during peak usage periods 

• Limited customization options outside of premium tiers

Okta

Pros

• Comprehensive identity and access management feature set including SSO, MFA, provisioning, and access governance

• Large integration network and pre-built integrations speed up deployment

• Behavioral and contextual risk evaluation for adaptive SSO

• Admin access can be delegated granularly based on role

Cons

• Primary focus on large-scale enterprises, which may not suit smaller businesses

• Complex workflow automation can be challenging for non-technical users to configure 

• Users note push notification issues in the Okta Verify app, affecting login approvals

Why Rippling is the best IAM software compared to OneLogin and Okta

While OneLogin and Okta are both strong choices, Rippling offers a compelling alternative that is especially well-suited for organizations at any size or stage. Rippling's identity and access management solution is part of a comprehensive workforce platform that unifies HR and IT.

With Rippling, core employee data like role, department, and location is centralized  in the HR system and automatically synced to configure app access permissions. This allows you to implement granular, role-based access control and automate onboarding, offboarding, and change workflows.

Rippling's access management capabilities include:

• Enterprise-grade SSO with a library of pre-built app integrations

• Flexible multi-factor authentication options

• Automated user provisioning and deprovisioning

• Mobile app management for BYOD security

• Adaptive security policies powered by device and browser posture assessment

• Centralized visibility to monitor authentication attempts and access privileges

• Integration with productivity suites like Google Workspace and Microsoft 365

• User behavior analytics to detect and respond to anomalous access patterns

• Access reporting that provides detailed visibility into who has access to what resources and when they were accessed

Rippling also provides RPass, its built-in team password manager that provides employees with centralized, secure, one-click access to all their apps directly from the Rippling dashboard. By unifying identity and device management with HR data, Rippling helps improve access security while reducing complexity and manual effort for IT teams.

OneLogin vs. Okta vs. Rippling FAQs