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Cybersecurity · head to head

Beyond Identity vs Pieces for Developers

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
Pieces for Developers logo

Pieces for Developers

Developer Tools

AI-powered memory layer that captures and organizes developer work

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Pieces for Developers has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Pieces for Developers requires installing and running a background desktop app rather than being purely cloud-based.
  • They diverge on capability: Beyond Identity covers Device-bound credentials, Pieces for Developers covers Activity Timeline.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Beyond Identity and Pieces for Developers actually diverge.

Attributes where Beyond Identity and Pieces for Developers differ
AttributeBeyond IdentityPieces for Developers
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Androidwindows, mac, linux
CategoryCybersecurityDeveloper Tools
FoundedUnknown2018

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 Pieces for Developers

  • Activity Timeline
  • Conversational Search
  • Artifact Generation
  • Cross-tool Integration
  • MCP Server
  • On-device Storage

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 Pieces for Developers
  • A software company enforcing that code is only signed from a managed device with current patchesnot Pieces for Developers
  • A firm with contractors on unmanaged laptops that must meet posture requirements before reaching internal systemsnot Pieces for Developers
  • A security team wanting to remove passwords from the helpdesk workload rather than adding another factor on topnot Pieces for Developers

Pieces for Developers

  • Recalling code snippets and context from earlier work sessionsnot Beyond Identity
  • Generating standup updates automatically from captured activitynot Beyond Identity
  • Feeding long-term memory into AI coding assistants via MCPnot Beyond Identity
  • Searching past research and meeting notes conversationallynot 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.

Pieces for Developers

  • Requires installing and running a background desktop app rather than being purely cloud-based.
  • Free tier trial of Pro features requires a credit card and reverts after 7 days.
  • Local-first storage means memory is not automatically synced across multiple machines without Enterprise controls.
  • Effectiveness depends on the breadth of integrations enabled, which adds setup overhead.

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

Pieces for Developers

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic capture and search
    • 7-day trial of Pro features
  • Pro$18.99/month
    • Long-term on-device memory
    • Cross-app capture
    • Single-click summaries and recaps
  • Enterprise$22.99/month
    • All Pro features
    • Organization-wide capture and feature controls
    • Approved AI providers and custom API keys

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 Pieces for Developers if

  • You need activity timeline.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux.
  • You also want conversational search.
Pieces for Developers review

Questions people ask

Is Beyond Identity or Pieces for Developers better?
Neither clearly leads. Beyond Identity starts at On request and Pieces for Developers at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Beyond Identity or Pieces for Developers?
Pieces for Developers has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Beyond Identity and Free for Pieces for Developers.
Does Beyond Identity or Pieces for Developers run on more platforms?
Beyond Identity runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android. Pieces for Developers runs on windows, mac, linux.
Can I use Pieces for Developers for free?
Yes. Pieces for Developers 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 Pieces for Developers is typically brought in for.
What can Beyond Identity do that Pieces for Developers cannot?
Beyond Identity covers Device-bound credentials, Continuous device posture, No shared secrets, Identity provider integration. Pieces for Developers covers Activity Timeline, Conversational Search, Artifact Generation, Cross-tool Integration.

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.

Pieces for Developers: Does Pieces store my data in the cloud?

Pieces stores captured data on-device by default, giving users granular controls to pause, disable or delete captures rather than relying solely on cloud storage.

Source
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.

Pieces for Developers: Is there a free plan for Pieces?

Pieces does not offer a permanently free plan; new users instead get a 7-day free trial on any plan, which requires a credit card to start.

Source
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.

Pieces for Developers: What does the Pro plan cost?

Pro is $18.99 per month billed monthly, with roughly a 25% discount available when billed yearly.

Source
Pieces for Developers: What does the Enterprise plan add?

Enterprise costs $22.99 per month (or $69.99 per quarter) and adds organization-wide admin controls, approved AI providers, and governance over captured data.

Source
Pieces for Developers: Can I cancel my Pieces subscription?

Yes, users can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel anytime from account settings, and all plans include a 14-day money-back guarantee.

Source
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