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Cybersecurity · head to head

Beyond Identity vs DataSF

Beyond Identity logo

Beyond Identity

Cybersecurity

Phishing-resistant passwordless authentication with device trust enforced at every login

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
DataSF logo

DataSF

Government

San Francisco Open Data Portal

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only DataSF has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • They diverge on capability: Beyond Identity covers Device-bound credentials, DataSF covers Open Datasets.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Beyond Identity and DataSF actually diverge.

Attributes where Beyond Identity and DataSF differ
AttributeBeyond IdentityDataSF
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, AndroidWeb
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment
FoundedUnknown2009

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Beyond Identity

  • Device-bound credentials
  • Continuous device posture
  • No shared secrets
  • Identity provider integration
  • Secure developer signing
  • Administrator policy engine

Only in DataSF

  • Open Datasets
  • Data API
  • Visualizations
  • Data Catalog
  • Automated Updates
  • Socrata
  • ArcGIS
  • Analysis Tools

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Beyond Identity

  • An organisation that suffered a breach through MFA push fatigue and needs a factor that cannot be socially engineerednot DataSF
  • A software company enforcing that code is only signed from a managed device with current patchesnot DataSF
  • A firm with contractors on unmanaged laptops that must meet posture requirements before reaching internal systemsnot DataSF
  • A security team wanting to remove passwords from the helpdesk workload rather than adding another factor on topnot DataSF

DataSF

  • Citizen Servicesnot Beyond Identity
  • Records Managementnot Beyond Identity
  • Public Safetynot Beyond Identity
  • Civic Engagementnot Beyond Identity

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Beyond Identity

  • It is an authentication layer, not an identity provider, so you keep and keep paying for Okta or Entra ID underneath and the combined per-user cost is roughly double a single-vendor approach.
  • Every device that authenticates needs the platform authenticator installed, which makes onboarding contractors, third parties and shared kiosks awkward and sometimes impossible.
  • Pricing is quoted per user with no published rates, so buyers cannot benchmark it against the increasingly capable passkey support now included in identity provider base licences.
  • Losing all enrolled devices requires an administrative recovery path, and organisations that design that path poorly reintroduce a social-engineering target at the helpdesk.
  • Legacy applications that only speak passwords or older protocols need a federation shim or stay outside the policy, so coverage is rarely complete in an estate with old systems.

DataSF

Nothing recorded yet. See the DataSF review.

Pricing, plan by plan

Beyond Identity

On request
  • Secure Access Platform$undefined/year
    • Per-user annual subscription quoted by seat count
    • Deployed alongside an existing identity provider rather than replacing it
    • Device posture integrations with major EDR and MDM vendors included

DataSF

Free
  • Public AccessFree
    • Dataset Access
    • API Access
    • Visualizations

Which should you pick?

Choose Beyond Identity if

  • You need device-bound credentials.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
  • You also want continuous device posture.
Beyond Identity review

Choose DataSF if

  • You need open datasets.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want data api.
DataSF review

Questions people ask

Is Beyond Identity or DataSF better?
Neither clearly leads. Beyond Identity starts at On request and DataSF at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Beyond Identity or DataSF?
DataSF has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Beyond Identity and Free for DataSF.
Does Beyond Identity or DataSF run on more platforms?
Beyond Identity runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android. DataSF runs on Web.
Can I use DataSF for free?
Yes. DataSF has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Beyond Identity starts at On request.
What is Beyond Identity best used for?
Beyond Identity is most often used for an organisation that suffered a breach through mfa push fatigue and needs a factor that cannot be socially engineered, a software company enforcing that code is only signed from a managed device with current patches, a firm with contractors on unmanaged laptops that must meet posture requirements before reaching internal systems, a security team wanting to remove passwords from the helpdesk workload rather than adding another factor on top. Of those, an organisation that suffered a breach through mfa push fatigue and needs a factor that cannot be socially engineered and a software company enforcing that code is only signed from a managed device with current patches are not what DataSF is typically brought in for.
What can Beyond Identity do that DataSF cannot?
Beyond Identity covers Device-bound credentials, Continuous device posture, No shared secrets, Identity provider integration. DataSF covers Open Datasets, Data API, Visualizations, Data Catalog.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Beyond Identity: Does it replace Okta or Entra ID?

No. It sits in front of them as the authentication method. Budget for both.

Beyond Identity: What happens when a user loses their laptop?

They authenticate from another enrolled device, or go through an administrative recovery flow. Designing that recovery well matters, because it is the weakest point.

Beyond Identity: Is it different from passkeys?

The credential mechanism is similar in spirit. The difference is enforcing device security posture at every authentication, which standard passkeys do not do.

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