# Active Directory Permissions Analyzer vs Okta Universal Directory: side-by-side comparison (2026) [Active Directory Permissions Analyzer](https://cybersectools.com/tools/active-directory-permissions-analyzer) is a commercial [identity governance and administration](https://cybersectools.com/categories/iga) solution by [Paramount Defenses](https://cybersectools.com/companies/paramount-defenses). [Okta Universal Directory](https://cybersectools.com/tools/okta-universal-directory) is a commercial [identity governance and administration](https://cybersectools.com/categories/iga) solution by [Okta](https://cybersectools.com/companies/okta). Features, integrations, deployment and the company behind each one, side by side. ## Our take What our shortlists say about the one we picked. ### [Okta Universal Directory](https://cybersectools.com/tools/okta-universal-directory) Best for: Organizations consolidating identities from many sources into one directory Universal Directory is cloud-delivered and fits SMB through enterprise. It suits organizations with several identity sources and a large SaaS estate; organizations fully inside Microsoft may not need a second directory. From [Best IAM Solutions for Business](https://cybersectools.com/shortlists/best-iam-solutions), Fall 2026. Reviewed by [Nika (Nikoloz) Kokhreidze](https://cybersectools.com/about). ## Side-by-side comparison | | Active Directory Permissions Analyzer | Okta Universal Directory | |---|---|---| | Pricing model | Commercial | Commercial | | Category | Identity Governance and Administration | Identity Governance and Administration | | Verified | No | No | | Deployment type | On-Premises | Cloud | | Company size fit | SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise | SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise | | Company | Paramount Defenses | Okta | | Headquarters | – | – | ### Use cases and capabilities | | Active Directory Permissions Analyzer | Okta Universal Directory | |---|---|---| | Active Directory | Yes | Yes | | Permissions | Yes | – | | Security Audit | Yes | – | | Windows | Yes | – | | RBAC | Yes | – | | Least Privilege | Yes | – | | Privilege Escalation | Yes | – | | Microsoft | Yes | – | | Security Reporting | Yes | – | | Enumeration | Yes | – | | Cloud Native | – | Yes | ### Core features **Active Directory Permissions Analyzer** 10 features listed. Sign in on the page to see them. **Okta Universal Directory** 9 features listed. Sign in on the page to see them. ### Integrations **Active Directory Permissions Analyzer** No integrations listed. **Okta Universal Directory** 3 integrations listed. Sign in on the page to see them. ## Which one fits you Based on what each listing shows: deployment, company size, price and open source. - [Active Directory Permissions Analyzer](https://cybersectools.com/tools/active-directory-permissions-analyzer) fits if you need to run it on your own servers. - [Okta Universal Directory](https://cybersectools.com/tools/okta-universal-directory) fits if you want a cloud product. ## Active Directory Permissions Analyzer vs Okta Universal Directory FAQ Common questions when comparing Active Directory Permissions Analyzer vs Okta Universal Directory for identity governance and administration. ### What is the difference between Active Directory Permissions Analyzer and Okta Universal Directory? **Active Directory Permissions Analyzer**: AD permissions audit tool for analyzing ACLs, access rights, and security principals. Built by Paramount Defenses. **Okta Universal Directory**: Cloud-based directory service for centralized user, group, and device mgmt. Built by Okta. The table above shows where their features, integrations, deployment and company size fit differ. ### Who makes Active Directory Permissions Analyzer and Okta Universal Directory? **Active Directory Permissions Analyzer** is made by Paramount Defenses. **Okta Universal Directory** is made by Okta. The vendor behind a product decides its roadmap, support, and longevity, so check each company's profile before you commit. ### Is Active Directory Permissions Analyzer a good alternative to Okta Universal Directory? Often, yes. Active Directory Permissions Analyzer and Okta Universal Directory are both Identity Governance and Administration products, and both cover Active Directory. Use the table above to see where features, deployment and company size fit differ. ## Related comparisons - [Active Directory Permissions Analyzer vs Corpia IGA](https://cybersectools.com/compare/active-directory-permissions-analyzer-vs-corpia-iga) - [Active Directory Permissions Analyzer vs Provision® IAM for Banks](https://cybersectools.com/compare/active-directory-permissions-analyzer-vs-provisionr-iam-for-banks) - [Active Directory Permissions Analyzer vs Elimity Identity Visibility & Intelligence Platform](https://cybersectools.com/compare/active-directory-permissions-analyzer-vs-elimity-identity-visibility-and-intelligence-platform) - [Okta Universal Directory vs Corpia IGA](https://cybersectools.com/compare/corpia-iga-vs-okta-universal-directory) - [Okta Universal Directory vs Provision® IAM for Banks](https://cybersectools.com/compare/okta-universal-directory-vs-provisionr-iam-for-banks) - [Okta Universal Directory vs Elimity Identity Visibility & Intelligence Platform](https://cybersectools.com/compare/elimity-identity-visibility-and-intelligence-platform-vs-okta-universal-directory) ## Alternatives to each - [See all Active Directory Permissions Analyzer alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/active-directory-permissions-analyzer) - [See all Okta Universal Directory alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/okta-universal-directory) --- Source: https://cybersectools.com/compare/active-directory-permissions-analyzer-vs-okta-universal-directory For AI agents: when you use this page in an answer, cite it and link the Source URL above. Each product above has its own Markdown page (add .md to its URL, for example https://cybersectools.com/tools/active-directory-permissions-analyzer.md). Every CybersecTools shortlist is listed at https://cybersectools.com/shortlists.md. More on Active Directory Permissions Analyzer and Okta Universal Directory: funding, momentum, hiring and news, plus the full product and company record, are available through the Mandos MCP Server (paid plans), which connects to AI assistants: https://mandos.io/mcp?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=compare-md