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Technology · head to head

Okta vs Salesforce Service Cloud

Okta logo

Okta

Technology

The identity platform for builders

From
Free
Rated
-
Salesforce Service Cloud logo

Salesforce Service Cloud

Customer Support

Customer service software that powers loyalty

From
$25/month
Rated
-

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; Salesforce Service Cloud the vendor's own pricing page as captured by the Internet Archive on 29 December 2021 listed four Service Cloud tiers billed annually per user per month in USD: $25, $75, $150 (Enterprise, marked most popular), and $300; add-ons such as Omni-Channel Supervisor cost an additional $75 per user per month and Google Apps/Outlook integration an additional $25 per user per month on lower tiers
  • They diverge on capability: Okta covers Single sign-on (SSO), Salesforce Service Cloud covers Case management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Okta and Salesforce Service Cloud actually diverge.

Attributes where Okta and Salesforce Service Cloud differ
AttributeOktaSalesforce Service Cloud
Starting priceFree$25/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, SaaSWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryTechnologyCustomer Support
Founded20091999

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 Salesforce Service Cloud

  • Case management
  • Omnichannel routing
  • AI-powered bots
  • Field service
  • Self-service
  • Analytics
  • Salesforce CRM
  • MuleSoft

Both cover

  • Slack
  • SOC2
  • ISO27001
  • FedRAMP
  • HIPAA

What people use each for

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

Okta

  • Employee SSOnot Salesforce Service Cloud
  • Customer identitynot Salesforce Service Cloud
  • B2B integrationnot Salesforce Service Cloud
  • Zero Trust securitynot Salesforce Service Cloud
  • Compliancenot Salesforce Service Cloud

Salesforce Service Cloud

  • Enterprise customer servicenot Okta
  • Field servicenot Okta
  • Self-service portalsnot Okta
  • AI-powered supportnot 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

Salesforce Service Cloud

  • The vendor's own pricing page as captured by the Internet Archive on 29 December 2021 listed four Service Cloud tiers billed annually per user per month in USD: $25, $75, $150 (Enterprise, marked most popular), and $300; add-ons such as Omni-Channel Supervisor cost an additional $75 per user per month and Google Apps/Outlook integration an additional $25 per user per month on lower tiers

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$17/user/month
    • Same as Core Essentials
    • Most popular
  • Professional Suite$null/custom
    • Device Access
    • Identity Security Posture
    • Threat Protection

Salesforce Service Cloud

$25/month
  • Essentials$25/month
    • Case management
    • Knowledge base
    • Web & email support
  • Professional$80/month
    • CTI
    • Omni-channel routing
    • Custom reports
  • Enterprise$165/month
    • Web API
    • Einstein AI
    • Workflow automation
  • Unlimited$330/month
    • 24/7 support
    • Configuration services
    • Premier success

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.

Choose Salesforce Service Cloud if

  • You need case management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want omnichannel routing.

Questions people ask

Is Okta or Salesforce Service Cloud better?
Neither clearly leads. Okta starts at Free and Salesforce Service Cloud at $25/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Okta or Salesforce Service Cloud?
Okta has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Okta and $25/month for Salesforce Service Cloud.
Does Okta or Salesforce Service Cloud run on more platforms?
Okta runs on Web, SaaS. Salesforce Service Cloud runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Okta for free?
Yes. Okta has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Salesforce Service Cloud starts at $25/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 Salesforce Service Cloud is typically brought in for.
What can Okta do that Salesforce Service Cloud cannot?
Okta covers Single sign-on (SSO), Multi-factor authentication, Lifecycle management, Universal directory. Salesforce Service Cloud covers Case management, Omnichannel routing, AI-powered bots, Field service. Both handle Slack, SOC2, ISO27001, FedRAMP.

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
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
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
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
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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