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Government · head to head

DataSF vs Ping Identity

DataSF logo

DataSF

Government

San Francisco Open Data Portal

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Ping Identity logo

Ping Identity

Cybersecurity

Enterprise identity for workforce and customers, with a 5,000 user floor

From
$3/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

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

Where they differ

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

Attributes where DataSF and Ping Identity differ
AttributeDataSFPing Identity
Starting priceFree$3/month
Pricing modelfreePer user per month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Linux, Windows
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity
Founded2009Unknown

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 DataSF

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

Only in Ping Identity

  • Single sign-on
  • Adaptive MFA
  • Identity orchestration
  • API access management
  • Directory services
  • Flexible deployment
  • ForgeRock capabilities

What people use each for

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

DataSF

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

Ping Identity

  • A bank that must keep identity data on premises in one country while running SaaS identity elsewherenot DataSF
  • An airline or telco with tens of millions of customer identities needing a directory that holds that scalenot DataSF
  • An enterprise assembling authentication journeys that call several external verification and risk vendorsnot DataSF
  • An existing ForgeRock customer deciding what its upgrade path looks like under Ping ownershipnot DataSF

Where each one falls short

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

DataSF

Nothing recorded yet. See the DataSF review.

Ping Identity

  • Workforce pricing carries a 5,000 user annual minimum, so an organisation with 800 staff pays for 5,000 and the effective per user cost is over six times the list rate.
  • Adaptive multi-factor authentication is in the Plus tier only, doubling the per user price for a capability many buyers assume is standard in a modern identity platform.
  • ForgeRock no longer exists as an independent product, so customers who chose it specifically to avoid Ping now face a roadmap set by the vendor they did not pick.
  • Thoma Bravo ownership across both merged companies means the commercial priority is margin, and buyers report firmer renewal negotiations than they saw before 2022.
  • The portfolio has overlapping components from three product lineages, so scoping a deployment requires vendor architects and the licensing conversation is more complicated than the price list implies.

Pricing, plan by plan

DataSF

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

Ping Identity

$3/month
  • PingOne for Workforce Essential$3/month
    • Minimum 5,000 users billed annually
    • Single sign-on and directory services
    • OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, SAML and SCIM
  • PingOne for Workforce Plus$6/month
    • Minimum 5,000 users billed annually
    • Everything in Essential
    • Adaptive multi-factor authentication
  • PingOne for Customers Essential$35000/year
    • Flat annual fee
    • No-code identity orchestration
    • Unified customer profiles
  • PingOne for Customers Plus$50000/year
    • Flat annual fee
    • Everything in Essential
    • Adaptive MFA and device management

Which should you pick?

Choose DataSF if

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

Choose Ping Identity if

  • You need single sign-on.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Windows.
  • You also want adaptive mfa.
Ping Identity review

Questions people ask

Is DataSF or Ping Identity better?
Neither clearly leads. DataSF starts at Free and Ping Identity at $3/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DataSF or Ping Identity?
DataSF has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for DataSF and $3/month for Ping Identity.
Does DataSF or Ping Identity run on more platforms?
DataSF runs on Web. Ping Identity runs on Web, Linux, Windows.
Can I use DataSF for free?
Yes. DataSF has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Ping Identity starts at $3/month.
What is DataSF best used for?
DataSF is most often used for citizen services, records management, public safety, civic engagement. Of those, citizen services and records management are not what Ping Identity is typically brought in for.
What can DataSF do that Ping Identity cannot?
DataSF covers Open Datasets, Data API, Visualizations, Data Catalog. Ping Identity covers Single sign-on, Adaptive MFA, Identity orchestration, API access management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ping Identity: Can I still buy ForgeRock?

Not as a separate product. Ping acquired ForgeRock in 2023 and the capabilities are sold within the Ping portfolio. Existing customers should ask about the specific migration path for their components.

Ping Identity: What is the real minimum spend?

PingOne for Workforce Essential is 3 USD per user per month with a 5,000 user annual minimum, so roughly 180,000 USD a year before anything else.

Ping Identity: Is MFA included?

Basic authentication policies are in Essential. Adaptive MFA and passwordless require the Plus tier at 6 USD per user per month.

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