Okta Workforce Identity vs Descope pricing: which is cheaper for your team?
Okta Workforce Identity's cheapest paid tier (Starter) lists at $6/user/month, which beats the other on entry pricing. Mid-tier and enterprise math can flip the answer — use the per-tier table below to see the real cost for your team size at each tier.
Calculate the cost for your team
Okta Workforce Identity pricing tiers
| Tier | Monthly | Annual (eq) | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $6 | $6 | user/month | SSO, MFA, Universal Directory, 5 workflows |
| Core Essentials | $14 | $14 | user/month | Adds Adaptive MFA, Privileged Access, Lifecycle Management |
| Essentials Suite | $17 | $17 | user/month | Advanced automation and governance |
Descope pricing tiers
| Tier | Monthly | Annual (eq) | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Forever | $0 | $0 | month | 7,500 MAUs, 10 tenants, 3 SSO connections |
| Pro | $249 | $249 | month | 10,000 MAUs, 35 tenants, 5 SSO connections |
| Growth | $799 | $799 | month | 25,000 MAUs, 100 tenants, 10 SSO connections |
Feature by feature
The non-pricing differences that drive the real decision.
| Capability | Okta Workforce Identity | Descope |
|---|---|---|
| Billing model | user/month | month |
| Pricing model | Per-user/month with annual minimum | Tiered MAU and connection allowances |
| Cheapest paid tier | Starter at $6/user/month | Pro at $249/month |
| Mid-tier benchmark | Core Essentials at $14/user/month | Growth at $799/month |
| Total paid tiers published | 3 | 2 |
| Last verified | 2026-05-17 | 2026-05-17 |
Best for…
Hand-picked use cases mapped to the winner.
| Use case | Winner |
|---|---|
| Lowest entry price (10-person team) | Okta Workforce Identity Starter |
| Most pricing tiers (room to grow) | Okta Workforce Identity (3 tiers) |
| Predictable per-seat billing | Okta Workforce Identity |
| Most recently verified pricing | Okta Workforce Identity |
Choose Okta Workforce Identity when
- Workforce identity standard with per-user pricing.
- Entry tier (Starter) at $6/user/month is your budget ceiling.
- Professional and Enterprise tiers add Device Access, Identity Security Posture Management, API Access Management, and Access Gateway. Quote-only pricing applies.
Choose Descope when
- Tier-based CIAM with included MAU, tenant, and SSO connection allowances.
- Entry tier (Pro) at $249/month is your budget ceiling.
- Enterprise includes custom MAU/tenant/connection limits, bot protection, SCIM provisioning, custom deployments, and unlimited test users. Tiered volume discounts.
Switching considerations
Watch the hidden fees on both sides. Okta Workforce Identity: $1,500 annual contract minimum Descope: Usage-based overages on MAUs above tier allowance Always confirm with the vendor before purchase.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper for a 10-person team, Okta Workforce Identity or Descope?
At entry tier and 10 seats on annual billing: Okta Workforce Identity Starter comes to $60/mo; Descope Pro comes to $249/mo. Okta Workforce Identity is the cheaper entry-tier choice at this team size.
Does Okta Workforce Identity have more pricing tiers than Descope?
Okta Workforce Identity publishes more paid tiers (3 vs 2). More tiers usually means more granular ways to grow without re-platforming.
Which pricing was verified more recently?
Okta Workforce Identity's pricing was last verified 2026-05-17; Descope's on 2026-05-17. Both pages link to the vendor's official pricing source so you can re-check before committing.