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Cybersecurity · head to head

Ping Identity vs Tanium

Ping Identity logo

Ping Identity

Cybersecurity

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

From
$3/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tanium logo

Tanium

Cybersecurity

Unified platform for real-time endpoint management, security and compliance

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Tanium no public pricing is published, requiring a sales engagement to get a quote.
  • They diverge on capability: Ping Identity covers Single sign-on, Tanium covers Real-time endpoint queries.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Ping Identity and Tanium differ
AttributePing IdentityTanium
Starting price$3/monthOn request
Pricing modelPer user per monthquote
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Windowsweb, windows, mac, linux, api
FoundedUnknown2007

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

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 Ping Identity

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

Only in Tanium

  • Real-time endpoint queries
  • Single lightweight agent
  • Linear Chain Architecture
  • Vulnerability management
  • AI-driven remediation
  • Threat hunting

What people use each for

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

Ping Identity

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

Tanium

  • Getting real-time visibility into all endpoints across a large enterprisenot Ping Identity
  • Patching operating systems and software at scale quicklynot Ping Identity
  • Continuous vulnerability scanning and risk scoringnot Ping Identity
  • Hunting for and remediating active threats across a fleetnot Ping Identity

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Tanium

  • No public pricing is published, requiring a sales engagement to get a quote.
  • Aimed at large enterprises, making it impractical for small teams or budgets.
  • Deployment and configuration of the agent-based architecture requires significant IT expertise.
  • Full value depends on adopting multiple Tanium modules, which can increase cost and complexity versus point solutions.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Tanium

On request
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Custom endpoint volume pricing
    • Full platform modules
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

Choose Ping Identity if

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

Choose Tanium if

  • You need real-time endpoint queries.
  • You work on web, windows, mac, linux, api.
  • You also want single lightweight agent.
Tanium review

Questions people ask

Is Ping Identity or Tanium better?
Neither clearly leads. Ping Identity starts at $3/month and Tanium at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ping Identity or Tanium?
Ping Identity starts at $3/month and Tanium at On request.
Does Ping Identity or Tanium run on more platforms?
Ping Identity runs on Web, Linux, Windows. Tanium runs on web, windows, mac, linux, api.
What is Ping Identity best used for?
Ping Identity is most often used for a bank that must keep identity data on premises in one country while running saas identity elsewhere, an airline or telco with tens of millions of customer identities needing a directory that holds that scale, an enterprise assembling authentication journeys that call several external verification and risk vendors, an existing forgerock customer deciding what its upgrade path looks like under ping ownership. Of those, a bank that must keep identity data on premises in one country while running saas identity elsewhere and an airline or telco with tens of millions of customer identities needing a directory that holds that scale are not what Tanium is typically brought in for.
What can Ping Identity do that Tanium cannot?
Ping Identity covers Single sign-on, Adaptive MFA, Identity orchestration, API access management. Tanium covers Real-time endpoint queries, Single lightweight agent, Linear Chain Architecture, Vulnerability 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.

Tanium: What is Tanium's pricing model?

Tanium does not publish pricing on its website. Interested customers must contact the company or request a demo to discuss pricing and capabilities.

Source
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.

Tanium: Is there a Tanium free trial?

Tanium does not clearly advertise a free trial on its main website, directing customers to schedule a demo or contact sales for more information.

Source
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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