Cisco Duo Passwordless vs OpenCIAM

Cisco Duo Passwordless9.3Visit OOpenCIAM8.6Visit

Higher score Cisco Duo Passwordless #1 in Passwordless Authentication Software 9.3/10 Free plan · 30-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 4 of 5 features Visit Cisco Duo

vs

O OpenCIAM #5 in Passwordless Authentication Software 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 5 features Visit OpenCIAM

• Cisco Duo Passwordless fits best

  Broad passwordless deployments on a budget

• OpenCIAM fits best

  Open-source teams wanting broad identity flows

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Side by side

Feature	Cisco Duo Passwordless 9.3/10 Visit ↗	OOpenCIAM 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.3	8.6
Ranking	#1 in Passwordless Authentication Software	#5 in Passwordless Authentication Software
Best for	Broad passwordless deployments on a budget	Open-source teams wanting broad identity flows
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	$3/user/mo	—
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	30 days	—
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile	Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android	Web
Support	Email, Phone, Tickets, Community, Docs	Email, Live chat, Community, Docs · 24/7
Compliance	SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, 2FA	SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR
Integrations	500+ integrations	30+ integrations
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Cisco Duo Passwordless 4/5 · OpenCIAM 4/5
Magic links	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Biometric login	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
SAML SSO	✓	✓
OpenID Connect	✓	✓
Directory synchronization	✓	✓
Specs
Passwordless methods	Platform authenticators, passkeys, FIDO2 security keys, Duo Push	FIDO2/WebAuthn passkeys, magic links, email OTP, SMS OTP, push approval
Our review
Pros	Supports passkeys, biometrics, FIDO2 keys, and Duo Push Includes SSO, directory synchronization, and device verification policies Offers a free plan and paid access from $3 per user per month	Supports passkeys, magic links, OTP, push approval, and adaptive MFA Self-hosted Community plan includes unlimited monthly active users Covers OAuth, OIDC, SAML, SCIM, REST, GraphQL, and SDKs
Cons	Passwordless authentication starts with Duo Essentials, not Duo Free Advanced identity and remote-access controls require higher tiers Password fallback removal may require broader deployment planning	Cloud pricing becomes usage-based beyond 7,500 monthly active users Enterprise capabilities such as 24/7 support are plan-specific Its platform coverage is narrower than some established alternatives
Our verdict	Cisco Duo Passwordless provides password-free access to web applications through Duo Single Sign-On. It is designed for businesses and enterprises that need phishing-resistant authentication, centralized policy controls, directory… Read the review →	OpenCIAM is an open-source customer identity and access management platform for developers and teams adding authentication to applications. It supports passwordless login through FIDO2/WebAuthn passkeys, magic links, email and SMS OTP, and… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Cisco Duo Passwordless — where it wins

  • Supports passkeys, biometrics, FIDO2 keys, and Duo Push
  • Includes SSO, directory synchronization, and device verification policies
  • Offers a free plan and paid access from $3 per user per month

  Where it doesn't

  • Passwordless authentication starts with Duo Essentials, not Duo Free
  • Advanced identity and remote-access controls require higher tiers
  • Password fallback removal may require broader deployment planning

• OpenCIAM — where it wins

  • Supports passkeys, magic links, OTP, push approval, and adaptive MFA
  • Self-hosted Community plan includes unlimited monthly active users
  • Covers OAuth, OIDC, SAML, SCIM, REST, GraphQL, and SDKs

  Where it doesn't

  • Cloud pricing becomes usage-based beyond 7,500 monthly active users
  • Enterprise capabilities such as 24/7 support are plan-specific
  • Its platform coverage is narrower than some established alternatives

• Cisco Duo Passwordless9.3/10 · Free plan · 30-day trial

  A broad passwordless suite with strong authentication coverage and a low-cost entry tier.

  Visit Cisco DuoFull verdict →
• OOpenCIAM8.6/10 · Free plan

  A flexible open-source identity platform for teams building passwordless login flows.

  Visit OpenCIAMFull verdict →