MFA & Passwordless Tools 2026
MFA & Passwordless covers the tools that verify a person is who they claim to be: multi-factor authentication, passwordless sign-in, FIDO2 and WebAuthn, passkeys, and biometrics. It sits inside the broader IAM space, but where identity platforms decide what an identity can reach, these tools own the moment of proof at login. For CISOs, this is where the phishing-resistance debate plays out. Credential theft and MFA bypass remain the most reliable way into an enterprise, so the choice between SMS codes, push prompts, and hardware-backed passkeys is a direct risk decision, not a UX preference.
We cover 156 MFA & Passwordless tools, 5 free and 151 commercial.
Accuracy and depth improve over time. Last reviewed Sep 2026. Is something off? Reach out.
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New to this category? What is MFA & Passwordless?
MFA solution securing user access to apps, devices, networks, and resources
MFA solution with biometric authentication and third-party integrations.
Adaptive MFA solution with phishing-resistant auth and contextual policies
On-premises authentication and identity management with MFA and SSO capabilities
IAM platform with MFA, SSO, and adaptive access for cloud, hybrid, on-prem
MFA solution requiring multiple verification factors for user authentication
IAM platform with phishing-resistant MFA, device trust, and continuous auth.
Passwordless authentication solution using FIDO technology and biometrics
Universal MFA solution extending authentication to legacy apps and OT systems
Mobile-based MFA solution for protecting against weak passwords & unauthorized access
Phishing-resistant MFA platform with passwordless auth and device trust
FIDO2-based MFA solution using smartphone push notifications for authentication
How to choose MFA & Passwordless tools
- Prioritize phishing-resistant factors. FIDO2, WebAuthn, and passkeys cannot be relayed or intercepted, unlike SMS codes and push prompts that attackers fatigue users into approving.
- Check coverage of the hard cases: legacy and on-prem apps, RDP and VPN, Windows and SSH logon, and service accounts, not just modern web SSO.
- Look at how it fits your existing identity provider. The strongest options extend your IdP instead of forcing a wholesale swap.
- Weigh enrollment and recovery flows. Account recovery is where passwordless deployments break or quietly fall back to weak factors, so scrutinize the reset path.
- Assess the experience honestly. Friction at login breeds shadow workarounds, so test whether biometrics and passkeys actually feel faster than what users have today.
- Confirm device and platform breadth, including shared devices, BYOD, and users without smartphones, so no population gets stranded on a weaker fallback.
MFA & Passwordless Tools FAQ
Common questions about MFA & Passwordless tools, selection guides, pricing, and comparisons.
It is the layer that proves a user's identity at login using more than a password. MFA combines factors like something you know, have, or are. Passwordless removes the password entirely, relying on cryptographic keys tied to a device. FIDO2, WebAuthn, and passkeys are the open standards behind modern phishing-resistant versions. Biometrics like fingerprint or face usually unlock the credential locally.
Start with the factors it supports and whether they are phishing-resistant. Push and SMS can be bypassed; FIDO2 and passkeys cannot be relayed. Check how it covers your hard cases: legacy apps, service accounts, VPNs, and Windows logon, not just web SSO. Then weigh enrollment friction, recovery flows, and how cleanly it plugs into your existing identity provider rather than replacing it.
IAM and SSO platforms govern the lifecycle of an identity: provisioning, access policies, and which apps a user can reach. MFA and passwordless tools focus on the authentication event itself, the proof of identity at sign-in. The two overlap, since IdPs ship native MFA, but tools in this category often specialize in stronger factors, broader coverage of legacy systems, or removing passwords across the whole estate.
Native MFA from your IdP covers common SSO-connected apps at no extra cost, which suits many organizations. Dedicated tools earn their place when you need phishing-resistant factors everywhere, coverage for legacy and on-prem systems your IdP cannot reach, protection for service and machine accounts, or a real path to going fully passwordless across a mixed environment.
