Guide

Okta and Microsoft Entra ID Compared

A comparison written for teams that have to operate the target, not for a feature scorecard. The question that matters is what changes in daily identity work after cutover.

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Platform comparison · Published and last reviewed July 27, 2026 by PhaseArc.

How does Microsoft Entra ID differ from Okta?

Both are identity platforms that federate applications, manage users and groups, and provision accounts. They differ in how policy is expressed, how applications are registered and represented, how provisioning is configured, and how administration and logging are structured. Concepts transfer, configuration does not.

Side by side

What changes by area

Comparison for migration planning, not a feature scorecard.

Okta and Microsoft Entra ID compared by operating area.
Area	Okta	Microsoft Entra ID
Application model	Applications configured in the Okta admin console per integration type.	Enterprise applications and app registrations, with the gallery for common integrations.
Access policy	Sign-on policies and rules evaluated in Okta's policy model.	Conditional Access policies with their own conditions and grant controls.
Authentication methods	Factors configured through Okta policy.	Authentication methods policy in Entra ID.
Groups	Static groups and group rules.	Security groups with static or dynamic membership rules, different syntax.
Provisioning	Okta provisioning integrations and directory synchronization.	Entra ID application provisioning with Entra Connect or Cloud Sync.
Administration	Okta admin roles and console.	Entra ID roles, admin center, and Microsoft Graph.
Automation	Okta APIs, hooks, and workflows.	Microsoft Graph and target-native automation.
Logs and reporting	Okta system log and reports.	Entra ID sign-in and audit logs, exported through diagnostic settings.

Migration implications

What this means for the project

Policies are redesigned around intent, then validated per application, never copied.
OIDC and OAuth clients get new identifiers and credentials, so vendor coordination is unavoidable.
Group rules are rewritten and re-tested rather than transferred.
Provisioning connections are rebuilt, and deprovisioning is confirmed explicitly.
Anything automating against source APIs must be rebuilt against Microsoft Graph or retired.

None of this is a reason to avoid the move. It is a reason to inventory first and let the plan follow the inventory.

Comparison questions

What is the biggest difference between Okta and Microsoft Entra ID?

The policy model. Okta sign-on policies are evaluated per application and per sign-on context in Okta's own model, while Microsoft Entra ID uses Conditional Access with its own conditions, controls, and evaluation behaviour. Policy intent transfers, policy configuration does not.

Do the two platforms handle groups the same way?

Not quite. Both support static and rule-based groups, but the rule syntax differs, nesting behaves differently across applications, and applications may consume group claims differently, so group design is reviewed rather than copied.

Is a comparison enough to plan a migration?

No. A comparison sets expectations about what changes. Planning requires an inventory of your own estate and a treatment decision per object category.

Official sources

For the migration sequence itself, read the Okta to Microsoft Entra ID migration guide.

Compare against your own configuration

An assessment shows where your Okta configuration lands in Microsoft Entra ID, and which parts need a design decision.

Assess your migration Okta migration overview