Head-to-head · Identity and Access Management Software

Google Cloud Identity vs Amazon Cognito

Updated Oct 2026
Both researched from official sources
5 checks side by side

Higher score Google Cloud Identity #2 in Identity and Access Management Software 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 3 features Visit Google Cloud

Amazon Cognito #6 in Identity and Access Management Software 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 3 features Visit Amazon Cognito

Google Cloud Identity leads on 0 checks, Amazon Cognito on 1, and 4 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 scoreGoogle Cloud Identity · 9.2/10
Lowest starting priceAmazon Cognito · $0.0055/user/mo
Free planboth
Most featuresGoogle Cloud Identity · 3 of 3

Google Cloud Identity scores higher on our rubric for identity and access management software: 9.2 against 8.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #6.

Amazon Cognito is cheaper to start at $0.0055/user/mo against $6/user/mo.

Google Cloud Identity is the better fit for google-centric organizations needing affordable IAM. Amazon Cognito is the better fit for low-cost application authentication on AWS.

Google Cloud Identity fits best
Google-centric organizations needing affordable IAM
Amazon Cognito fits best
Low-cost application authentication on AWS

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Side by side

Show only differences

Feature	Google Cloud Identity 9.2/10 Visit ↗	Amazon Cognito 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.2	8.8
Ranking	#2 in Identity and Access Management Software	#6 in Identity and Access Management Software
Best for	Google-centric organizations needing affordable IAM	Low-cost application authentication on AWS
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	$6/user/mo	$0.0055/user/mo (best)
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile	Cloud, Mobile
Platforms	Web, Windows, Android, iOS	Web, iOS, Android
Integrations	5 integrations	13 integrations
Features Google Cloud Identity 3/3 · Amazon Cognito 1/3
Directory sync	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Lifecycle provisioning	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Adaptive access policies	✓	✓
Specs
SSO protocols	SAML, OIDC	SAML 2.0, OpenID Connect (OIDC), OAuth 2.0
MFA methods	Security keys, Google Prompt, Google Authenticator and other TOTP code generators, backup codes, SMS, voice calls, passkeys	Email, SMS, TOTP authenticator apps, WebAuthn passkeys with user verification
Included users	Not checked yet	10000 users
Our review
Pros	Free tier includes core identity, SSO, MFA, and endpoint management Supports SAML and OIDC SSO plus broad MFA methods Adds lifecycle provisioning, adaptive access, LDAP, and directory sync	Free plan with 10,000 MAUs for eligible Lite and Essentials accounts OAuth, OIDC, SAML, social login, MFA, and passwordless access Identity pools issue temporary credentials for AWS resource access
Cons	Free edition provides 50 user licenses by default Advanced controls require the Premium edition Flexible Premium billing costs $7.20 per user monthly	Usage-based pricing can vary with monthly active users Plus has no free tier and adds cost for threat protection Developer-oriented customer IAM rather than a workforce directory
Our verdict	Google Cloud Identity is a cloud-based identity and access management platform for organizations that need centralized control over users, groups, applications, and endpoints. It is particularly well suited to Google-centric environments,… Read the review →	Amazon Cognito is a managed identity and access service for web, iOS, Android, and API applications. It provides user directories, authentication, authorization, identity federation, and temporary AWS credentials. The service is aimed… Read the review →

Google Cloud IdentityIdentity and Access Management Software 9.2Free plan
Amazon CognitoIdentity and Access Management Software 8.8Free plan

Compare the top tools in

Strengths and trade-offs

Google Cloud Identity — where it wins
- Free tier includes core identity, SSO, MFA, and endpoint management
- Supports SAML and OIDC SSO plus broad MFA methods
- Adds lifecycle provisioning, adaptive access, LDAP, and directory sync
Where it doesn't
- Free edition provides 50 user licenses by default
- Advanced controls require the Premium edition
- Flexible Premium billing costs $7.20 per user monthly
Amazon Cognito — where it wins
- Free plan with 10,000 MAUs for eligible Lite and Essentials accounts
- OAuth, OIDC, SAML, social login, MFA, and passwordless access
- Identity pools issue temporary credentials for AWS resource access
Where it doesn't
- Usage-based pricing can vary with monthly active users
- Plus has no free tier and adds cost for threat protection
- Developer-oriented customer IAM rather than a workforce directory

Google Cloud Identity9.2/10 · Free plan
A capable IAM choice for Google-centric teams that need MFA, SSO, and lifecycle controls.
Visit Google Cloud Full verdict →
Amazon Cognito8.8/10 · Free plan
A low-cost AWS-native choice for application authentication and customer identity.
Visit Amazon Cognito Full verdict →

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update