--- title: "Identity Buyer Guides | IDSync" description: "Vendor-neutral buyer guides for choosing IAM, CIAM, IGA, PAM, and AI agent identity platforms. Criteria, checklists, vendor questions, and common mistakes." lang: en json-ld: | { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://idsync.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Guides", "item": "https://idsync.com/guides" } ] } --- [![IDSync — identity software buyer platform](/assets/idsync-logo-BKS89EW4.png)](/) [Directory](/directory) [Compare](/compare) [Resources](/resources) [Browse tools](/directory)[Run Stack Finder](/stack-finder) 1. [Home](/) 2. Guides Buyer guides # Identity buyer guides Long-form, vendor-neutral guides for choosing IAM, CIAM, IGA, PAM, and AI agent identity platforms. Each guide includes criteria, checklists, vendor questions, and common mistakes. [ concepts ## Non-Human Identity (NHI) Management Explained (2026) What counts as an NHI, why the category broke out of workforce IAM, the four-step lifecycle, and the tool landscape in four buckets. Read guide ](/guides/non-human-identity-management)[ pricing ## Okta Pricing Explained (2026) Published per-user costs, the annual contract minimum, add-on math, and renewal-negotiation notes — vendor-neutral. Read guide ](/guides/okta-pricing)[ pricing ## Auth0 Pricing Explained (2026) The free-tier MAU limit, B2C vs B2B plan structure, per-MAU scaling, and the feature gates that force upgrades. Read guide ](/guides/auth0-pricing)[ pricing ## Microsoft Entra ID Pricing Explained (2026) P1 vs P2 vs Suite per-user prices, the Governance add-on, and what your Microsoft 365 bundle already includes. Read guide ](/guides/microsoft-entra-pricing)[ pricing ## Duo Pricing Explained (2026) The free 10-user tier, the $3/$6/$9 plan ladder, license increments, and which features force a tier jump. Read guide ](/guides/duo-pricing)[ pricing ## JumpCloud Pricing Explained (2026) Package prices vs the à-la-carte module model, annual vs monthly rates, and where custom pricing kicks in. Read guide ](/guides/jumpcloud-pricing)[ pricing ## Clerk Pricing Explained (2026) The 50,000 free retained users, Pro overage math, and the B2B organization and enterprise-SSO add-on costs. Read guide ](/guides/clerk-pricing)[ pricing ## WorkOS Pricing Explained (2026) Free to 1M users, the per-SSO-connection model, Directory Sync and audit-log meters, and how costs scale with enterprise sales. Read guide ](/guides/workos-pricing)[ workforce iam ## How to choose an IAM platform A buyer-focused guide to evaluating workforce IAM platforms — what to look for, what to ask, and how to avoid common mistakes. Read guide ](/guides/how-to-choose-an-iam-platform)[ ciam ## How to choose a CIAM platform How product, security, and engineering teams should evaluate Customer Identity (CIAM) platforms — registration, MFA, B2B, fraud, and compliance. Read guide ](/guides/how-to-choose-a-ciam-platform)[ iga ## How to choose an IGA platform A buyer-focused guide to choosing an Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) platform — access reviews, certifications, lifecycle, SOD, and audit. Read guide ](/guides/how-to-choose-an-iga-platform)[ pam ## How to choose a PAM platform A buyer-focused guide to choosing a Privileged Access Management (PAM) platform — vaulting, session management, JIT access, secrets, and cloud. Read guide ](/guides/how-to-choose-a-pam-platform)[ ai agent identity ## AI agent identity readiness guide How to make your identity stack ready for AI agents — authentication, authorization, audit, and the new non-human identity surface. Read guide ](/guides/ai-agent-identity-readiness-guide) ## Need a tailored shortlist? Run the IAM Stack Finder or request a hand-picked vendor shortlist from IDSync. [Run Stack Finder](/stack-finder)[Request vendor shortlist](/request-shortlist) [![IDSync home](/assets/idsync-logo-BKS89EW4.png)](/) The buyer-focused platform for identity, access, and authentication software. #### Platform - [Home](/) - [IAM Stack Finder](/stack-finder) - [Directory](/directory) - [Resources](/resources) - [State of AI Agent Identity 2026](/reports/state-of-ai-agent-identity-2026) - [Buyer Guides](/guides) - [Glossary](/glossary) - [Newsletter](/newsletter) - [Newsletter Archive](/newsletter/archive) #### Best of guides - [All comparisons](/compare) - [All vendor alternatives](/alternatives) - [Best SSO tools](/compare/best-sso-tools) - [Best MFA tools](/compare/best-mfa-tools) - [Best PAM tools](/compare/best-pam-tools) - [Best IGA tools](/compare/best-iga-tools) - [Best CIAM tools](/compare/best-ciam-tools) - [Best passwordless auth](/compare/best-passwordless-authentication-tools) - [Best identity security](/compare/best-identity-security-tools) - [Best machine identity](/compare/best-machine-identity-tools) - [Best SaaS access governance](/compare/best-saas-access-governance-tools) - [Best developer auth](/compare/best-developer-authentication-tools) - [Best for startups](/compare/best-iam-tools-for-startups) - [Best for enterprises](/compare/best-iam-tools-for-enterprises) - [Best SCIM tools](/compare/best-scim-provisioning-tools) - [Best for AI agents](/compare/best-ai-agent-identity-tools) - [Best NHI tools](/compare/best-nhi-management-tools) - [Okta pricing explained](/guides/okta-pricing) - [Auth0 pricing explained](/guides/auth0-pricing) - [Okta alternatives](/alternatives/okta) - [Auth0 alternatives](/alternatives/auth0) #### For Vendors - [Sponsor](/sponsor) - [Badges](/badges) - [Submit Product](/submit-product) - [Claim Profile](/claim-profile) - [Partner](/partner) #### Company - [About & Methodology](/about) - [Contact](/contact) - [Privacy](/privacy) Vendor names, logos, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. IDSync is an independent buyer resource and does not imply endorsement unless explicitly stated. Logos are displayed for identification purposes only. IDSync (idsync.com) is operated by TetraCore, Bowling Green, Ohio. It is not affiliated with the IDSync® Active Directory synchronizer by Identity Syncronizer — [learn more](/about#idsync-disambiguation). © 2026 IDSync. All rights reserved. Editorial independence. Sponsored placements are clearly disclosed.