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Head-to-head · Passwordless Authentication Software

Cisco Duo Passwordless vs Ory

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
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
Ory #17 in Passwordless Authentication Software 7.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 5 features Visit Ory

Cisco Duo Passwordless leads on 0 checks, Ory on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreCisco Duo Passwordless · 9.3/10
  • Free planboth
  • Free trialonly Cisco Duo Passwordless
  • Most featuresCisco Duo Passwordless · 4 of 5

Cisco Duo Passwordless scores higher on our rubric for passwordless authentication software: 9.3 against 7.4 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #17.

Cisco Duo Passwordless is the better fit for broad passwordless deployments on a budget. Ory is the better fit for open-source teams needing identity infrastructure.

  • Cisco Duo Passwordless fits best

    Broad passwordless deployments on a budget

  • Ory fits best

    Open-source teams needing identity infrastructure

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Cisco Duo Passwordless 9.3/10 Visit ↗ Ory 7.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.3 7.4
Ranking #1 in Passwordless Authentication Software #17 in Passwordless Authentication Software
Best for Broad passwordless deployments on a budget Open-source teams needing identity infrastructure
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
Integrations 500+ integrations 9 integrations
Features Cisco Duo Passwordless 4/5 · Ory 1/5
Magic links Not checked yet Not checked yet
Biometric login ✓ (best) Not checked yet
SAML SSO ✓ (best) Not checked yet
OpenID Connect ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Directory synchronization ✓ ✓
Specs
Passwordless methods Platform authenticators, passkeys, FIDO2 security keys, Duo Push Not checked yet
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, passwordless email and SMS, MFA, SSO, and SCIM
  • Offers open-source, self-hosted, and managed cloud deployment options
  • Covers customer identity, B2B SSO, authorization, and API protection
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
  • The Growth plan costs $9,350 per year with annual billing
  • Production includes one production environment and three staging environments
  • Enterprise self-hosting uses custom pricing
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 →

Ory is modular identity and access management infrastructure for customer-facing applications, B2B SaaS products, partners, machines, and AI agents. It supports user profiles, passwordless email and SMS authentication, passkeys, passwords,…

Read the review →
  1. Cisco Duo PasswordlessPasswordless Authentication Software 9.3Free plan · 30-day trial
  2. OryPasswordless Authentication Software 7.4Free plan

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

  • Ory — where it wins

    • Supports passkeys, passwordless email and SMS, MFA, SSO, and SCIM
    • Offers open-source, self-hosted, and managed cloud deployment options
    • Covers customer identity, B2B SSO, authorization, and API protection

    Where it doesn't

    • The Growth plan costs $9,350 per year with annual billing
    • Production includes one production environment and three staging environments
    • Enterprise self-hosting uses custom pricing
  • 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 →
  • Ory7.4/10 · Free plan

    A broad identity platform for teams that need passwordless access and deployment control.

    Visit OryFull verdict →

More comparisons

All passwordless authentication software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update