Two-factor authentication has emerged as a vital safety measure for organizations to boost the safety of their customers. Duo and Microsoft Authenticator are two fashionable apps that present this degree of safety.
Duo makes use of push notifications, time-based, one-time passwords, bodily tokens and biometrics to confirm the identification of customers at login. Equally, Microsoft Authenticator makes use of push notifications, one-time passcodes and might combine with Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Entra ID (previously Azure Lively Listing.)
Whereas each 2FA choices share some similarities, there are key variations that may sway your resolution to decide on one over the opposite.
1
Pulseway
Workers per Firm Dimension
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Massive (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+)
Any Firm Dimension
Any Firm Dimension
Options
Exercise Monitoring, Antivirus, Dashboard, and extra
2
ESET PROTECT Superior
Workers per Firm Dimension
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Massive (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+)
Any Firm Dimension
Any Firm Dimension
Options
Superior Risk Protection, Full Disk Encryption , Fashionable Endpoint Safety, Server Safety
3
ManageEngine Log360
Workers per Firm Dimension
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Massive (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+)
Micro (0-49 Workers), Small (50-249 Workers), Medium (250-999 Workers), Massive (1,000-4,999 Workers), Enterprise (5,000+ Workers)
Micro, Small, Medium, Massive, Enterprise
Options
Exercise Dashboard, Superior Risk Analytics, Analytics/Reporting, and extra
Duo vs. Microsoft Authenticator: Comparability desk
FeaturesDuoMicrosoft Authenticator
Push notificationsYesYes
Biometrics authenticationYesYes
One-time passcodesYesYes
Integrations with different merchandise and servicesVery wideMicrosoft-first and restricted
Backup and recoveryYesYes
PricingComes with a free trial and begins at $3 per consumer, per thirty days.Affords a free model however comes bundled with Microsoft Entra ID (Azure Lively Listing) and 365 Enterprise accounts
Go to DuoVisit Microsoft Authenticator
Duo vs Microsoft Authenticator pricing
Beneath is how Duo and Microsoft Authenticator sq. up in opposition to one another by way of pricing.
Duo pricing (Free plan; then begins at $3 per consumer, per thirty days for next-level plan)
Duo follows a tiered system primarily based on options and companies you prefer to added to the applying.
Free plan: The free model permits as much as 10 customers and gives basic safety features.
Important: This plan begins at $3 per consumer per thirty days and contains further options like single sign-on, verified Duo push, trusted endpoints and passwordless authentication.
Benefit: The Duo Benefit plan is $6 per consumer per thirty days and contains all Important options plus risk-based authentication, adaptive entry insurance policies, machine well being checks and full machine visibility.
Premier: This plan begins at $9 per consumer per thirty days and gives all Benefit options and inclusions equivalent to full machine belief with endpoint safety verify, a complete package deal for zero-trust entry and VPN-less distant entry to personal assets. (Determine A)
Microsoft Authenticator pricing (Free; bundled into some present merchandise)
Microsoft Authenticator is free and comes bundled with all Microsoft Entra ID (Azure Lively Listing) and 365 Enterprise accounts.
For a full record of costs and options, you’ll be able to go to our articles on Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Entra ID (Azure Lively Listing).
Characteristic comparability: Duo vs. Microsoft Authenticator
Each Duo and Microsoft Authenticator current wonderful options to customers however here’s a head-to-head characteristic comparability:
Utility Programming Interface integration
Most enterprise organizations contemplating Duo or Microsoft Authenticator will wish to combine these apps with present software program or customized software program and server functions.
Duo helps limitless software integrations by way of its platform on all editions accessible.
Then again, whereas Microsoft Authenticator additionally integrates with different third-party services, it’s far simpler to combine with Microsoft-supported companies as a result of it’s already bundled with a few of them.
Safety features
Each Duo and Microsoft Authenticator prioritize safety and provide strong options to guard consumer accounts. Duo helps adaptive authentication, which assesses the chance of every login try and prompts for extra verification when essential. It additionally offers granular entry insurance policies, permitting directors to outline particular authentication necessities primarily based on consumer roles and circumstances.
Microsoft Authenticator leverages the facility of Microsoft Entra ID (Azure Lively Listing) to ship superior safety features, equivalent to conditional entry insurance policies, risk-based authentication and seamless single sign-on experiences throughout functions. It additionally helps hardware-backed safety keys for enhanced safety in opposition to phishing assaults.
Authentication strategies
Each Duo and Microsoft Authenticator present a number of authentication strategies. Duo gives a wide range of authentication choices, together with push notifications, WebAuthn and biometrics, tokens, passcodes and {hardware} safety keys.
In the meantime, Microsoft Authenticator helps push notifications, OTPs and biometric authentication (fingerprint, facial recognition) on supported units (see Determine B).
![Microsoft Authenticator push notification.](https://assets.techrepublic.com/uploads/2024/03/Figure-B-Microsoft-Authenticator-push-notification.jpg)
Backup and restoration
Duo’s Restore characteristic lets customers backup Duo-protected accounts and third-party OTP accounts for restoration to the identical or new machine. This lets you backup your Duo accounts on cloud companies like iCloud and Google Drive.
Equally, Microsoft Authenticator gives backup and restoration choices that enable customers to securely retailer their accounts and settings within the cloud. This characteristic permits straightforward restoration of accounts on new units or in case of machine loss.
![Verification for Duo push.](https://assets.techrepublic.com/uploads/2024/03/Figure-C-Verification-for-Duo-push.jpg)
Duo professionals and cons
Whereas Duo presents many advantages to customers, it additionally has some drawbacks. Here’s a abstract of the professionals and cons.
Execs
Single sign-on.
Passwordless.
A number of authentication strategies.
Push Phishing Safety.
Risk Detection.
Backup and restoration.
Cons
Duo Free accounts are restricted to 10 customers.
Barely cluttered UI in sure locations because of the large number of authentication choices.
Safety notifications typically take longer than anticipated.
Microsoft Authenticator professionals and cons
Microsoft authenticator gives highly effective two-factor authentication options, however there could also be just a few drawbacks some customers say they’ve skilled whereas utilizing the product. Beneath are among the professionals and cons.
Execs
Passwordless sign-in.
Push notifications by way of cellular app.
The authenticator app can be utilized as a software program token.
Backup and restoration help.
Cons
Multi-factor report choice is simply supported within the increased plans.
Pricing mannequin could also be difficult for some customers to navigate.
Is probably not ideally suited for firms that don’t have Microsoft ecosystems.
Methodology
Extra cloud safety protection
With a view to draw a good comparability between Duo and Microsoft Authenticator, we began by going by way of the documentation pages of every product, the place we realized about their key options and the way they combine with different applied sciences. We additionally checked out consumer evaluations from trusted third-party overview websites to get some opinions from verified customers. The author additionally makes use of Microsoft Authenticator, making it simpler to debate the product primarily based on my expertise. All these offered sufficient perception that helped form our overview.
This text was initially written by Franklin Okeke and was up to date by Luis Millares to account for characteristic and product modifications, like Azure Lively Listing’s title change to Microsoft Entra ID.
Ought to your group use Duo or Microsoft Authenticator?
Choosing one 2FA software program over one other might be difficult, particularly when many placing similarities bind the merchandise collectively. For Duo and Microsoft Authenticator, the primary level of reference when you need to resolve between the 2 ought to revolve round your total expertise stack, ease of use and pricing.
Should you closely depend on Microsoft merchandise equivalent to Microsoft Entra ID (Azure Lively Listing), Microsoft 365 and different Microsoft companies, Microsoft Authenticator might present a extra seamless and built-in expertise.
Then again, if in case you have a various set of platforms and functions, Duo’s broad compatibility and intensive integration capabilities make it a extra versatile selection. Duo integrates simply with companies like Slack, Atlassian, Salesforce, Dropbox and extra.
You must also take into account the pricing fashions and the way they meet your online business necessities and budgets. Duo’s pricing construction varies relying on the options and help degree chosen, whereas Microsoft Authenticator is often bundled with Microsoft Entra ID and Microsoft 365 subscriptions.
Duo’s pricing is extra complete and clear, in contrast to Microsoft’s, which is extra difficult as a result of its bundling with Microsoft subscriptions. Take time to guage your group’s particular wants and take into account the related prices when evaluating the pricing of those options.
Lastly, look into every service’s consumer expertise and ease of use. Each Duo and Microsoft Authenticator present seamless consumer experiences, however preferences might fluctuate relying in your group’s tech stack, consumer base and the way acquainted they’re with every platform. Use the free variations provided by every resolution to get hands-on expertise with every product. When testing, assess issues such because the simplicity of setup, the intuitiveness of the authentication course of, and any further options that improve usability.
Think about conducting a pilot check with each options to guage their efficiency and compatibility inside your online business atmosphere. This can help you collect firsthand expertise and suggestions out of your customers and directors earlier than making a last resolution.
For a extra complete analysis of two-factor authentication primarily based on safety impression and strategic enterprise initiative, take a look at this two-factor authentication analysis information.
Learn subsequent: Two-factor authentication: A cheat sheet