Cisco Duo Passwordless vs Secret Double Octopus

Cisco Duo Passwordless9.3Visit Secret Double Octopus8.9Visit

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

Secret Double Octopus #2 in Passwordless Authentication Software 8.9/10 Pricing on request ✓ 0 of 5 features Visit site

• Cisco Duo Passwordless fits best

  Broad passwordless deployments on a budget

• Secret Double Octopus fits best

  Hybrid enterprise and network passwordless access

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Side by side

Feature	Cisco Duo Passwordless 9.3/10 Visit ↗	Secret Double Octopus 8.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.3	8.9
Ranking	#1 in Passwordless Authentication Software	#2 in Passwordless Authentication Software
Best for	Broad passwordless deployments on a budget	Hybrid enterprise and network passwordless access
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Paid
Starting price	$3/user/mo	Pricing on request
Free plan	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Free trial	30 days	—
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile	Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android	Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Support	Email, Phone, Tickets, Community, Docs	Email, Tickets, Docs
Compliance	SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, 2FA	SOC 2, ISO 27001, 2FA
Integrations	500+ integrations	11 integrations
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Cisco Duo Passwordless 4/5 · Secret Double Octopus 0/5
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	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
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	Covers cloud, desktop, VPN, VDI, legacy and privileged access Supports mobile push, biometrics, FIDO2, smartcards and OTP Offers hybrid deployment with SAML, OIDC, RADIUS, LDAP and REST API
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	Starter focuses on traditional MFA rather than full passwordless coverage Desktop MFA and offline login begin with the Pro plan Enterprise capabilities such as shared-account support require Enterprise
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 →	Secret Double Octopus provides enterprise multi-factor and passwordless authentication through the Octopus Authentication Platform. It is designed for organizations that need one approach across web and cloud applications, Windows 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

• Secret Double Octopus — where it wins

  • Covers cloud, desktop, VPN, VDI, legacy and privileged access
  • Supports mobile push, biometrics, FIDO2, smartcards and OTP
  • Offers hybrid deployment with SAML, OIDC, RADIUS, LDAP and REST API

  Where it doesn't

  • Starter focuses on traditional MFA rather than full passwordless coverage
  • Desktop MFA and offline login begin with the Pro plan
  • Enterprise capabilities such as shared-account support require Enterprise

• 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 →
• Secret Double Octopus8.9/10 · Pricing on request

  A broad hybrid authentication platform for organizations securing users, devices and legacy access.

  Visit siteFull verdict →