Multi-factor authentication · October 2026 Edition
Microsoft Entra ID vs Microsoft Authenticator
Five of fourteen models named Microsoft Entra ID first on the direct prompt; zero named Microsoft Authenticator. Microsoft Entra ID was named by thirteen of the fourteen models and Microsoft Authenticator by ten and Microsoft Entra ID carries 46 labels and Microsoft Authenticator 21, so the shares are not directly comparable.
Named in thirteen categories this edition.
Named in one category this edition.
First-choice share30%2%Of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts, 0 to 100.
Negative rate0%19%Negative labels as a share of the product's labels, 0 to 100.
Rank in category#2#4A position in a field of 11; printed, not drawn.
Labels4621A count; the two differ.
The two percentage rows are drawn on one 0 to 100 track, Microsoft Entra ID reading right to left. Rank and label count are printed, not drawn.Cisco Duo was named alongside these two in twelve of the fourteen direct answers. Cisco Duo vs Microsoft Entra ID · Cisco Duo vs Microsoft Authenticator · Microsoft Entra ID vs Okta Verify
Share is the count of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts over all fourteen models, for a mid-market B2B company; rank is within the category; every quote names the model and the prompt it came from. Both figures come from the multi-factor authentication page.
By framing
How many of the fourteen models made each the first choice, per way of asking, and how many argued against it.
Microsoft Entra IDFirst choices, of fourteen modelsMicrosoft Authenticator
Direct50
Paraphrase30
Comparative60
Budget-constrained711 against Microsoft Authenticator
Scale-constrained30
Negative003 against Microsoft Authenticator
Bars are first choices, 0 to 14 each sideModels that argued againstA model can name both, so the two sides of a row do not sum to fourteen.
Every model, every framing
The eighty-four answers behind the chart above, one cell each: where Microsoft Entra ID and Microsoft Authenticator stood in it.
| Model | Direct | Paraphrase | Comparative | Budget-constrained | Scale-constrained | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Haiku 4.5 | | | | |||
| GPT-5.4 mini | | | | | ||
| Gemini 3.5 Flash | | | | | | |
| Perplexity Sonar | | | ||||
| Grok 4.1 Fast | | | | | | |
| Mistral Small | | | ||||
| DeepSeek V4 Flash | | | | | | |
| Llama 4 Maverick | ||||||
| Qwen 3.7 Flash | | | | | ||
| Kimi K2 | | | | | ||
| GLM 4.7 FlashX | | | | | ||
| MiniMax M2.5 | | | | | | |
| GPT-6 Luna | | | | | ||
| Muse Glimmer 30B | | | | |
Microsoft Entra ID Microsoft Authenticator first choice named as an alternative argued againstblank: not namedEach cell is one answer, Microsoft Entra ID on the left and Microsoft Authenticator on the right.The direct prompt
The plain question, one answer per model, grouped by where Microsoft Entra ID and Microsoft Authenticator stood in it.
Microsoft Entra ID first, Microsoft Authenticator not the choice
5 of 14 modelsMicrosoft Authenticator was named in the answer but not as the choice, or not at all.Claude Haiku 4.5Microsoft Entra ID, Okta Verify
GPT-5.4 miniMicrosoft Entra ID alternatives: Cisco Duo, Okta Verify
DeepSeek V4 FlashCisco Duo, Microsoft Entra ID alternatives: JumpCloud MFA
Qwen 3.7 FlashMicrosoft Entra ID alternatives: Cisco Duo, Okta Verify, YubiKey
GPT-6 LunaMicrosoft Entra ID alternatives: Cisco Duo, Okta Verify
Neither was the first choice, one was named
7 of 14 modelsThe answer put something else first and named one of the two as an alternative.Gemini 3.5 FlashCisco Duo alternatives: JumpCloud Protect, Microsoft Entra ID, Okta Verify
Grok 4.1 FastCisco Duo alternatives: JumpCloud Protect, Microsoft Entra ID
Mistral SmallCisco Duo, Okta Verify alternatives: Microsoft Entra ID
Kimi K2Cisco Duo alternatives: Microsoft Entra ID, Okta Verify
GLM 4.7 FlashXCisco Duo alternatives: JumpCloud MFA, Microsoft Entra ID, Okta Verify, OneLogin MFA
MiniMax M2.5Cisco Duo alternatives: Microsoft Entra ID, Okta Verify
Muse Glimmer 30BCisco Duo alternatives: Microsoft Entra ID, Okta Verify, PingOne MFA, SafeNet Trusted Access, SecureAuth Arculix
Neither was named
2 of 14 modelsThe answer made no first choice from these two in this category.Perplexity SonarCisco Duo alternatives: Okta Verify, OneLogin MFA, WorkOS
Llama 4 Maverickno first choice
Bold names in an answer are the products the judge labeled a first choice; a model naming several gives each of them that label. The full answer text for every row is in the record.
By buyer segment
The same question asked on behalf of a different buyer. Each standing is computed within its segment and they are never added together. The figures above are the mid-market standing, which is the one the category orders by.
Small business
Microsoft Entra ID leads by twenty-five points.
Microsoft Entra ID29%#2 of 10Microsoft Authenticator4%#5 of 10Mid-marketThe figures above
Microsoft Entra ID leads by twenty-eight points.
Microsoft Entra ID30%#2 of 11Microsoft Authenticator2%#4 of 11Enterprise
Microsoft Entra ID leads by thirty-eight points.
Microsoft Entra ID41%#1 of 6Microsoft Authenticator3%#– of 6What the models said about Microsoft Entra ID
Every negative label with a quote, up to three, then the highest-weighted positives, up to three. Two of two in this category shown.
“If you're a Microsoft shop (most B2B mid-market firms are): Microsoft Entra ID MFA using Conditional Access policies — it's the most cost-effective, deeply integrated solution” DeepSeek V4 Flash · direct prompt · first choice
“Tier 1 (Integrated/Free-ish): Microsoft Entra (Azure AD) or Duo (Cisco). ... sticking with Microsoft's native offering is often the path of least resistance and lowest cost.” Qwen 3.7 Flash · scale prompt · first choice
What the models said about Microsoft Authenticator
Every negative label with a quote, up to three, then the highest-weighted positives, up to three. Six of eight in this category shown.
“Only use push notification systems (like Microsoft Authenticator or Duo) if they are configured to require Number Matching” Gemini 3.5 Flash · negative prompt · soft negative
“These aren't full enterprise MFA solutions on their own ... They lack central management, enforcement, or reporting.” DeepSeek V4 Flash · budget prompt · soft negative
“TOTP Authenticator Apps (Google Authenticator, Authy, Microsoft Authenticator) ... are phishable.” DeepSeek V4 Flash · negative prompt · soft negative
“start with Microsoft Authenticator (if using M365) or Duo Free — both offer solid security with minimal cost” MiniMax M2.5 · budget prompt · first choice
“Microsoft\u2019s own guidance highlights Authenticator, FIDO2 security keys/passkeys, certificate-based auth, and Windows Hello for Business” GPT-5.4 mini · comparative prompt · alternative
“Using apps like Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, or Authy is completely free” Mistral Small · budget prompt · alternative
Also compared
Comparisons are drawn for the top eight products in each category, each against each. The output is the models' output; nothing here is a recommendation by the index.