Researched comparison
Best SSO Software for Small SaaS Companies in 2026
Tierlyn may earn a fee from some links on this page, and some placements are paid and labelled. Neither one decides the order. See our disclosure.
Microsoft Entra ID is the best pick for most small SaaS companies, because its free tier covers basic single sign-on and multi-factor authentication, and P1 adds Conditional Access for 7 dollars per user per month. It does not cover customer logins, so pair it with a customer identity tool if needed.
Key takeaways
- Microsoft Entra ID is the best pick for most small SaaS companies, because many teams already pay for it inside Microsoft 365.
- Okta Workforce Identity Starter is cheapest per user, but its 1,500 dollar annual minimum hurts very small teams.
- Workforce single sign-on and customer login are different jobs, with different price models. Do not buy one tool for both without checking.
- SAML and OIDC both matter. Check that each app you use supports at least one of them through your chosen tool.
- Directory sync and automated deprovisioning matter more than a long app catalog once staff numbers grow.
Contents
- Comparison
- Microsoft Entra ID
- Okta Workforce Identity
- JumpCloud
- Google Workspace single sign-on
- OneLogin
- Auth0 by Okta
- Which SSO tool is cheapest for a small SaaS company?
- How do SAML and OIDC differ in practice?
- What should happen when a staff member leaves?
- Should a small SaaS company use one SSO tool for staff and customers?
- FAQ
- How we choose
Tier labels are an editorial grouping, not a number and not a rating out of any total. S means a top tier pick for most readers. A means a strong choice with a clear strength. B means a solid option for a specific need.
Comparison at a glance
Comparison
| Tool | Best for | Standout feature | Price range | Free plan/trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Entra ID | Most small SaaS companies | Free tier plus Conditional Access on P1 | $7.00 per user per month, P1, paid yearly (2 Nov 2026) | Free tier included with Microsoft cloud subscriptions |
| Okta Workforce Identity | Vendor neutral staff access | Broad app catalog with Universal Directory | $6.00 per user per month, Starter, billed annually (2 Nov 2026) | Trial stated |
| JumpCloud | Teams replacing a local directory | Cloud directory plus device management | $11.00 per user per month, SSO, billed annually (2 Nov 2026) | Trial stated |
| Google Workspace single sign-on | Teams already on Google Workspace | SAML and OIDC sign-on inside Workspace | $7.00 per user per month, Business Starter, 1 year commitment (2 Nov 2026) | 14-day trial stated |
| OneLogin | Mid size teams that want modular pricing | Unlimited SAML and OIDC in workforce plans | Quote only (2 Nov 2026) | Trial stated |
| Auth0 by Okta | Customer login for your own product | Enterprise connections for customer tenants | $35.00 per month, Essentials, up to 500 monthly active users (2 Nov 2026) | Free tier up to 25,000 monthly active users |
Ranked by tier
most small SaaS companies.
Microsoft Entra ID
Best for most small SaaS companies.
Microsoft Entra ID covers staff logins, not customer logins, which need a separate product, Microsoft Entra External ID. Entra ID Free is included with Microsoft cloud subscriptions and covers single sign-on and multi-factor authentication. P1 adds Conditional Access, dynamic groups, and hybrid directory sync. P2 adds risk based Conditional Access and Identity Protection.
Pros:
- Unlimited single sign-on apps on the free tier.
- Multi-factor authentication.
- Conditional Access on P1.
Cons:
- Strongest inside a Microsoft estate, so teams that run mostly Google Workspace will do more manual work.
- Risk based Conditional Access sits on P2, not P1.
- Privileged Identity Management sits on P2, not P1.
Price: $7.00 per user per month for P1, paid yearly, from the Microsoft Entra pricing page, checked 2 Nov 2026.
Who should skip it: teams with no Microsoft 365 footprint, and teams that need customer login, should compare Okta, JumpCloud, or Auth0 instead.
Best for: most small SaaS companies.
vendor neutral staff access across many SaaS apps.
Okta Workforce Identity
Best for vendor neutral staff access across many SaaS apps.
Okta Workforce Identity covers staff logins, not customer logins, which are sold separately through Auth0 by Okta. Starter includes single sign-on, standard multi-factor authentication, Universal Directory, and 5 Workflows. Core Essentials adds Adaptive MFA and Lifecycle Management, and Essentials adds Access Governance and Privileged Access.
Pros:
- SAML and OIDC support.
- A broad prebuilt app catalog.
- Universal Directory.
Cons:
- A 1,500 dollar annual contract minimum.
- A five person team still pays the minimum.
- Adaptive MFA and Lifecycle Management are not in Starter.
Price: $6.00 per user per month for Starter, billed annually, from the Okta pricing page, checked 2 Nov 2026.
Who should skip it: teams with fewer than about 21 staff, and teams that only need basic sign-on inside Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, should compare Entra ID or Google Workspace first.
Best for: vendor neutral staff access across many SaaS apps.
small teams that want a cloud directory and device control in one place.
JumpCloud
Best for small teams that want a cloud directory and device control in one place.
JumpCloud covers staff logins, not customer logins. It replaces a local Active Directory server with a cloud directory, plus single sign-on, multi-factor authentication, and device management for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Pros:
- SAML and OIDC single sign-on.
- A cloud directory.
- Multi-factor authentication.
Cons:
- SSO and Device Management are priced separately, at 11 dollars and 9 dollars.
- Both together cost 20 dollars per user per month before add-ons.
- Platform bundles above the self serve tiers are sold by quote.
Price: $11.00 per user per month for SSO, billed annually, from the JumpCloud pricing page, checked 2 Nov 2026.
Who should skip it: teams that only need app sign-on, and teams with no device management need, should compare Entra ID or Okta first.
Best for: small teams that want a cloud directory and device control in one place.
small SaaS companies already running on Google Workspace.
Google Workspace single sign-on
Best for small SaaS companies already running on Google Workspace.
Google Workspace single sign-on covers staff logins, not customer logins. It lets staff sign in once with a Google account and reach third party apps through SAML or OIDC, and it fits a team that already pays for Gmail, Drive, and Meet.
Pros:
- SAML apps.
- OIDC sign-on.
- Central user management.
Cons:
- Business Starter, Standard, and Plus plans are capped at 300 users.
- Vault and advanced controls sit on higher tiers.
- A team past 300 users must move to quoted Enterprise pricing.
Price: $7.00 per user per month for Business Starter, with a 1 year commitment, from the Google Workspace pricing page, checked 2 Nov 2026.
Who should skip it: teams over 300 users, and teams that need customer login, should compare Entra ID, Okta, or Auth0 instead.
Best for: small SaaS companies already running on Google Workspace.
mid size teams that want modular workforce identity and can get a quote first.
OneLogin
Best for mid size teams that want modular workforce identity and can get a quote first.
OneLogin covers staff logins in its Workforce Identity plans, and it also sells separate B2B Identity and Customer Identity plans. Do not assume a workforce plan covers your customers. For staff, the pricing page lists single sign-on with unlimited SAML and OIDC authentication, a cloud directory, single directory integration, mobile single sign-on, and password policy management in all plans. Multi-factor authentication requires purchase of single sign-on, and Advanced Directory requires purchase of single sign-on as well. That modular structure lets a team buy only what it needs, but it also means the headline feature list is not a single bundled price.
Pros:
- SAML and OIDC support.
- Directory sync on Advanced Directory.
- Automated provisioning on Identity Lifecycle Management.
Cons:
- No single published per user price in the copy checked.
- Single sign-on, multi-factor authentication, Advanced Directory, and lifecycle management are separate purchases.
- A buyer must get a written quote.
Price: Quote only, from the OneLogin pricing page, checked 2 Nov 2026.
Who should skip it: teams that need a published price, and very small teams that need a self serve checkout, should compare Entra ID or Google Workspace first.
Best for: mid size teams that want modular workforce identity and can get a quote first.
customer login inside your own SaaS product, not for staff sign-on.
Auth0 by Okta
Best for customer login inside your own SaaS product, not for staff sign-on.
Auth0 by Okta covers customer logins, not staff logins. If your business customers want to sign in with their own identity provider, Auth0 gives you enterprise connections, Organizations, and SAML and OIDC federation. If you only need employees to sign in to internal apps, use a workforce tool instead.
Pros:
- Passwordless login.
- Organizations.
- Role based access control per Organization.
Cons:
- Enterprise connections, self-service single sign-on, and SCIM above the free tier need a B2B upgrade.
- Log retention is 1 day on Free and 5 days on Essentials.
- Adaptive MFA is an Enterprise add-on.
Price: $35.00 per month for Essentials, up to 500 monthly active users, from the Auth0 pricing page, checked 2 Nov 2026.
Who should skip it: teams that need staff single sign-on, and teams that need long log retention on a low tier, should compare Entra ID or Okta first.
Best for: customer login inside your own SaaS product, not for staff sign-on.
How we choose
How we choose
We checked vendor pages on 2 Nov 2026 and kept six tools with single sign-on, multi-factor authentication, and directory or provisioning support. We weighed staff versus customer fit, SAML and OIDC support, directory sync, multi-factor authentication strength, offboarding speed, price clarity, and setup effort. We did not use numeric product scores, and we did not claim testing. Our criteria follow our scoring method. See the identity-access hub, Best Privileged Access Management Software for Small IT Teams in 2026 and Best Password Managers for Dental Practices in 2026.
Questions to ask before you buy
Which SSO tool is cheapest for a small SaaS company?
Okta Starter is cheapest on published per user price, at 6 dollars per user per month billed annually. Entra ID P1 is 7 dollars, and Google Workspace Business Starter is also 7 dollars. JumpCloud SSO is 11 dollars. The cheapest per user price is not always the cheapest bill. Okta sets a 1,500 dollar annual minimum, so a team with 10 staff pays 1,500 dollars a year, not 720 dollars. A team already on Microsoft 365 Business Premium or E3 may already hold P1.
How do SAML and OIDC differ in practice?
SAML is an older federation standard that many enterprise apps still use. OIDC is a newer standard built on OAuth 2.0, and it fits modern web apps, mobile apps, and APIs. A small SaaS company does not need to pick one standard for the whole company. It needs a tool that supports both, because staff apps and customer identity providers will use a mix. An app with neither cannot join single sign-on, no matter which tool you buy.
What should happen when a staff member leaves?
Disable the identity first, then check connected apps. First, disable or delete the user in the directory. Second, confirm that connected apps revoke access. Third, remove the person from groups, shared drives, and admin roles. Fourth, check apps outside single sign-on and remove access by hand. Directory sync makes steps one and two faster, but it does not fix step four.
Should a small SaaS company use one SSO tool for staff and customers?
No, in most cases. Staff tools charge per employee and focus on directory sync, Conditional Access, and app catalogs. Customer tools charge by monthly active users and focus on Organizations, enterprise connections, and sign-up flows. The clean setup is one workforce tool for staff, plus one customer tool for your product, with separate admins and logs.
Buyers guide
- List every app staff use, and mark which ones support SAML, OIDC, or neither.
- Confirm whether your price already sits inside Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or another bundle you pay for.
- Check the contract minimum, the billing term, and whether multi-factor authentication and directory sync are included or add-ons.
- Test a leaver flow in trial: disable a test user and confirm that connected apps revoke access.
- Confirm log retention and export options, because short retention hurts incident review.
- Decide who owns identity, who approves new apps, and how often access is reviewed.
- Keep staff identity and customer identity separate, with separate admins and logs.
Frequently asked questions
Which SSO tool is cheapest for a small SaaS company?
Okta Workforce Identity Starter is cheapest on published per user price in this guide, at 6 dollars per user per month billed annually, checked on 2 Nov 2026. That price does not suit every small team, because Okta sets a 1,500 dollar annual contract minimum, so a very small team still pays at least that amount each year.
What is the difference between SAML and OIDC for a small SaaS company?
SAML is a federation standard used by many enterprise apps, while OIDC is built on web and API login flows and is common in newer apps. A company should check that its identity tool supports both, because customers and staff apps may use either one, and a tool that supports only one will leave some apps outside single sign-on.
Should a small SaaS company use the same SSO tool for staff and customers?
No, in most cases the two jobs should stay separate. Staff single sign-on controls employee access to internal apps, while customer login controls access to your own product. Workforce tools charge per employee, and customer tools charge by monthly active users, so using one tool for both jobs usually leads to the wrong price model and weak controls.
How does single sign-on help when a staff member leaves?
Single sign-on lets an admin disable one identity and cut access to connected apps, instead of changing passwords app by app. That only works if apps are connected to the identity tool and if directory sync or automated deprovisioning is turned on. Apps left outside single sign-on need manual removal, so check coverage before you rely on it.
Do small SaaS companies need directory sync with single sign-on?
Directory sync matters once headcount or app count grows, because it keeps user lists, groups, and leaver status in step across systems. Without it, an admin must create and remove accounts by hand in each app, which leaves orphan accounts behind. Small teams can start without it, but should plan to add it before manual work becomes a risk.
Sources
- Okta Workforce Identity pricing, checked 2 Nov 2026.
- Microsoft Entra ID pricing, checked 2 Nov 2026.
- JumpCloud pricing, checked 2 Nov 2026.
- OneLogin pricing, checked 2 Nov 2026.
- Google Workspace pricing, checked 2 Nov 2026.
- Auth0 pricing, checked 2 Nov 2026.