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Technology · head to head

Okta vs Paragon

Okta logo

Okta

Technology

The identity platform for builders

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Paragon logo

Paragon

Automation Integration

Embedded integration platform for SaaS

From
$299/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Okta has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Okta requires $1,500 annual minimum contract; Paragon no published pricing rates or specific plan costs
  • They diverge on capability: Okta covers Single sign-on (SSO), Paragon covers Embedded workflows.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Okta and Paragon actually diverge.

Attributes where Okta and Paragon differ
AttributeOktaParagon
Starting priceFree$299/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, SaaSWeb, Embedded
CategoryTechnologyAutomation Integration
Founded20092021

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 Okta

  • Single sign-on (SSO)
  • Multi-factor authentication
  • Lifecycle management
  • Universal directory
  • API access management
  • B2B integration
  • Passwordless authentication
  • Adaptive MFA

Only in Paragon

  • Embedded workflows
  • Native integrations
  • Workflow builder
  • Error handling
  • Monitoring
  • Analytics
  • Webhooks
  • 500+ apps

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Okta

  • Employee SSOnot Paragon
  • Customer identitynot Paragon
  • B2B integrationnot Paragon
  • Zero Trust securitynot Paragon
  • Compliancenot Paragon

Paragon

  • Embedding third party integrations into a SaaS productnot Okta
  • Managing customer facing connectors without building each onenot Okta

Where each one falls short

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

Okta

  • Requires $1,500 annual minimum contract
  • Admin-only MFA can be vulnerable to push notification fatigue attacks
  • Implementation requires significant services and integration fees in year one

Paragon

  • No published pricing rates or specific plan costs
  • Pricing is entirely custom based on Connected Users
  • Both Pro and Enterprise plans require direct contact for pricing

Pricing, plan by plan

Okta

Free
  • Starter Suite$6/user/month
    • SSO
    • MFA
    • Universal Directory
  • Core Essentials Suite$14/user/month
    • Adaptive MFA
    • Privileged Access
    • Lifecycle Management
  • Essentials Suite$17/user/month
    • Same as Core Essentials
    • Most popular
  • Professional Suite$undefined/custom
    • Device Access
    • Identity Security Posture
    • Threat Protection

Paragon

$299/month
  • Starter$299/month
    • 50 integrations
    • Basic support
  • Growth$999/month
    • 200 integrations
    • Priority support
  • Enterprise$5000/month
    • Unlimited integrations
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

Choose Okta if

  • You need single sign-on (sso).
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, SaaS.
  • You also want multi-factor authentication.
Okta review

Choose Paragon if

  • You need embedded workflows.
  • You work on Web, Embedded.
  • You also want native integrations.
Paragon review

Questions people ask

Is Okta or Paragon better?
Neither clearly leads. Okta starts at Free and Paragon at $299/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Okta or Paragon?
Okta has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Okta and $299/month for Paragon.
Does Okta or Paragon run on more platforms?
Okta runs on Web, SaaS. Paragon runs on Web, Embedded.
Can I use Okta for free?
Yes. Okta has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Paragon starts at $299/month.
What is Okta best used for?
Okta is most often used for employee sso, customer identity, b2b integration, zero trust security. Of those, employee sso and customer identity are not what Paragon is typically brought in for.
What can Okta do that Paragon cannot?
Okta covers Single sign-on (SSO), Multi-factor authentication, Lifecycle management, Universal directory. Paragon covers Embedded workflows, Native integrations, Workflow builder, Error handling. Both handle Salesforce, Slack.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Okta: What is the minimum contract for Okta Workforce Identity?

Okta requires a $1,500 annual minimum contract for Workforce Identity plans. Pricing starts at $6 per user per month (Starter) and ranges to $17 per user per month (Essentials), billed annually.

Source
Paragon: How much does Paragon cost?

Paragon does not publish pricing rates. The company uses a custom pricing model based on Connected Users (the number of tenant organizations using integrations), requiring customers to request custom quotes.

Source
Okta: Does Okta offer a free trial?

Yes, Okta provides a 30-day free trial so customers can explore all product capabilities before committing to a paid plan.

Source
Paragon: What are Paragon's pricing plans?

Paragon offers Pro and Enterprise plans. The Pro plan includes unlimited integrations, access to all three products, and custom integrations. The Enterprise plan adds self-hosted options, priority support with SLAs, and SAML SSO.

Source
Okta: How many pre-built integrations does Okta support?

Okta offers over 7,000 pre-built integrations with popular enterprise applications including Salesforce, Slack, Workday, Box, Confluence, and Zendesk.

Source
Paragon: Does Paragon offer a free trial?

Yes, a free trial is available via signup, though specific trial duration and limitations are not detailed on the pricing page.

Source
Okta: What security features does Okta provide for admins?

Okta provides multi-factor authentication, adaptive MFA, single logout, and identity threat detection and response. However, only 94% of Okta customers have MFA enabled for administrators.

Source
Paragon: How does Paragon determine the cost of my plan?

Pricing is customized based on business model and the number of Connected Users, meaning organizations must contact Paragon's sales team for a custom quote.

Source
Okta: Can Okta integrate with on-premises directories?

Yes, Okta's Universal Directory and lifecycle management support cloud and on-premises identity sources, including Active Directory and LDAP.

Source
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