Okta lists $6, $14 and $17 per user a month, but every workforce plan has a $1,500 yearly minimum. What teams of 5 to 250 pay, and the free options.
By ZeroMetric ยท Published 2026-10-10
Okta publishes three workforce prices: Starter at $6, Core Essentials at $14 and Essentials at $17 per user per month, billed once a year. Professional and Enterprise are quote only.
The number that matters most for a small team is not on the price cards. Every Okta workforce purchase has a $1,500 yearly minimum. A five-person team pays $1,500 a year on any of the three published plans, which works out to $25 per user per month.
Okta's pricing page lists Starter at $6, Core Essentials at $14 and Essentials at $17 per user per month, says all suites are billed annually, and states: "$1,500 annual contract minimum required for Okta Workforce Identity." [1]
Okta has no free plan for running staff logins in production. It has a free test plan for up to 10 users and a 30-day trial. Auth0, which Okta also owns, has a free plan, but it is a separate product for logins to your own apps and websites, not for your staff's work apps.
Okta sells its workforce products as five suites. The price is per user, so you pay for everyone who signs in through Okta.
| Plan | Price per user per month | Included | Add-on, at extra cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $6 | Single sign-on, multi-factor authentication (MFA), Universal Directory, 5 Workflows | Adaptive MFA, Lifecycle Management, Device Access, Privileged Access |
| Core Essentials | $14 | Starter, plus Adaptive MFA and Lifecycle Management | Device Access, Privileged Access, Identity Threat Protection |
| Essentials | $17 | Core Essentials, plus Access Governance, 50 Workflows and Privileged Access for 2 admins | Device Access, Identity Threat Protection, Identity Security Posture Management |
| Professional | Quote only | Essentials, plus Device Access, Identity Threat Protection, a sandbox and unlimited Workflows | API Access Management, Access Gateway |
| Enterprise | Quote only | Professional, plus API Access Management, Access Gateway and Secure Partner Access |
A few terms in plain words: single sign-on lets staff use one login for all their work apps. Adaptive MFA asks for an extra check only when a sign-in looks unusual, for example from a new device or country. Lifecycle Management creates and removes accounts in connected apps automatically when people join or leave.
Okta's comparison table shows Adaptive MFA and Lifecycle Management as add-ons on Starter and included from Core Essentials; Essentials adds 50 Workflows and "2 Privileged Access admins"; Professional adds Device Access and Identity Threat Protection; Enterprise adds API Access Management and Access Gateway. The page says "Almost all of our products can be purchased individually or added to any suite," but does not list prices for individual products or add-ons. [2]
Starter plus add-ons has no published price
Okta does not publish add-on prices. If you need automatic account creation and removal, Core Essentials at $14 is the cheapest plan with a price you can check in advance. Starter with the Lifecycle Management add-on needs a quote.
To find your yearly cost, multiply users by the monthly price and by 12. If the result is under $1,500, you pay $1,500.
| Users | Starter ($6) | Core Essentials ($14) | Essentials ($17) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | $1,500 (minimum; $25.00 per user per month) | $1,500 (minimum; $25.00) | $1,500 (minimum; $25.00) |
| 10 | $1,500 (minimum; $12.50) | $1,680 | $2,040 |
| 25 | $1,800 | $4,200 | $5,100 |
| 50 | $3,600 | $8,400 | $10,200 |
| 100 | $7,200 | $16,800 | $20,400 |
| 250 | $18,000 | $42,000 | $51,000 |
Yearly totals before tax and add-ons, from Okta's published prices on October 10, 2026.
The minimum stops mattering at a different team size on each plan:
| Plan | Yearly cost per user | Users needed to pass $1,500 |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $72 | 21 |
| Core Essentials | $168 | 9 |
| Essentials | $204 | 8 |
21 / 9 / 8 users at which Okta Starter, Core Essentials and Essentials pass the $1,500 yearly minimum
The yearly cost per user is the monthly price times 12: $72 on Starter, $168 on Core Essentials and $204 on Essentials. Dividing $1,500 by each and rounding up gives 21, 9 and 8 users. Below those sizes, a team pays the $1,500 minimum.
For a team under 21 people, this changes the comparison between plans. A 7-person team pays $1,500 on Starter and $1,500 on Essentials, so the extra features of Essentials cost nothing more at that size. An 8-person team pays $1,500 on Starter and $1,632 on Essentials.
Not for production staff logins. "Free" can mean four different things here, and only one of them is a lasting free plan for real use.
| Option | What it is | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Okta Integrator Free Plan | A permanent test environment for building and testing integrations | Non-production use only, up to 10 active users; the account is turned off after 180 days without activity unless you submit an app to Okta's integration catalogue |
| Okta Platform free trial | A trial of the paid platform | 30 days, up to 10 users, five Workflows with up to 1,000 runs; no support; not available to public-sector customers |
| Auth0 Free | A permanent free plan of Auth0, Okta's separate product for logins to your own apps | Up to 25,000 monthly active users; one enterprise connection |
| Microsoft Entra ID Free | Microsoft's identity service, included with Microsoft cloud subscriptions | Comes with Microsoft 365 or Azure; covers basic single sign-on and MFA, not Okta |
Okta's pricing page says the Integrator Free Plan "allows you to explore our platform capabilities in a non-production environment for up to 10 active users" and that orgs "deactivate after 180 days of inactivity unless you submit an app to the OIN." [3]
Okta's Free Trial Service-Specific Terms (revised April 20, 2026), section 3.3, allow up to ten users for thirty days at no additional charge, with Single Sign-on, Universal Directory, Adaptive MFA, Lifecycle Management, API Access Management, Device Access and Workflows limited to five active flows and 1,000 executions. Okta provides no support for the trial, and it is not available to public-sector customers. [4]
Auth0's pricing page lists a Free plan at $0 a month for up to 25,000 monthly active users, with one enterprise connection, and says no credit card is needed to sign up. [5]
So the honest answer to "does Okta have a free tier?" depends on the job. To try Okta for your staff, use the 30-day trial. To build or test an integration, use the Integrator Free Plan. To add logins to an app your customers use, look at Auth0's free plan, which is a different product with different plans.
If the people signing in are your customers rather than your staff, Okta sells two different things.
Okta Customer Identity runs on the same platform as Okta's workforce products. It requires an Enterprise base platform from $3,000 a month, billed annually, which is $36,000 a year before usage-based add-ons. Its B2C and B2B suites are quote only.
Auth0 is a separate platform with self-serve plans. Its free plan covers up to 25,000 monthly active users. Paid plans start at $35 a month on the page we checked. Auth0 prices paid plans by your number of monthly active users, so check the price for your own user count on its pricing page.
Okta's pricing page lists the Okta Customer Identity Enterprise base platform at "$3K per month," billed annually, says add-on pricing depends on usage such as monthly active users, and says the platform and all add-ons "require an annual contract." [6]
A workforce purchase does not include either product. Budget for customer logins separately.
These terms come from Okta's standard Master Subscription Agreement. A signed order can change them, so check your own order form.
Okta's Master Subscription Agreement says in section 6.1 that "all Fees paid and payable to Okta hereunder are non-cancelable and non-refundable," and in section 11.1 that subscriptions "will automatically renew for additional terms equal to the expiring Term," subject to Okta providing reasonable advance notice, unless either party gives notice of non-renewal "at least thirty (30) days prior to the end of the then-current Term." [7]
Put the non-renewal date in your calendar when you sign. If you plan to change providers, you need to act more than 30 days before the renewal date.
Okta, Microsoft Entra ID and Ping Identity all publish workforce prices. Their minimums differ far more than their per-user prices.
| Plan | Price per user per month | Minimum | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Okta Starter | $6 | $1,500 a year | Adaptive MFA is an add-on |
| Okta Core Essentials | $14 | $1,500 a year | Adaptive MFA and Lifecycle Management included |
| Microsoft Entra ID P1 | $7 | None stated; annual commitment | Included in Microsoft 365 E3 and Business Premium |
| Microsoft Entra ID P2 | $10 | None stated; annual commitment | Adds risk-based Conditional Access; included in Microsoft 365 E5 |
| Ping Essential | $3 | 5,000 users | Single sign-on, MFA and directory |
| Ping Plus | $6 | 5,000 users | Adds adaptive MFA and passwordless login |
Microsoft's Entra pricing page lists Microsoft Entra ID P1 at $7.00 and P2 at $10.00 per user per month, billed yearly with an annual commitment. It says P1 is included with Microsoft 365 E3 and Business Premium, P2 with Microsoft 365 E5, and that Microsoft Entra ID Free is included with Microsoft cloud subscriptions. Its comparison table marks risk-based Conditional Access as included in P2. [8]
Ping Identity's pricing page lists PingOne for Workforce Essential at $3 and Plus at $6 per user per month, with the footnote "Based on annual contract for 5,000 user minimum." Plus adds adaptive multi-factor authentication, Microsoft ecosystem integrations and passwordless authentication. [9]
Here is what the published prices add up to at two company sizes:
| Plan | 50 users, per year | 5,000 users, per year |
|---|---|---|
| Okta Starter | $3,600 | $360,000 |
| Okta Core Essentials | $8,400 | $840,000 |
| Microsoft Entra ID P1 | $4,200 | $420,000 |
| Microsoft Entra ID P2 | $6,000 | $600,000 |
| Ping Essential | No published price below 5,000 users | $180,000 |
| Ping Plus | No published price below 5,000 users | $360,000 |
Published list prices only, before tax, add-ons and any negotiated discount. At 5,000 users, buyers usually negotiate, so treat these as a starting point.
180,000-840,000 USD a year for 5,000 users across the published Okta, Entra ID and Ping plans in the table
Each yearly figure is the published monthly price per user times 5,000 users times 12. Ping Essential is the lowest at $180,000; Okta Core Essentials is the highest at $840,000. The plans do not include the same features, so the range shows list-price spread, not a like-for-like ranking.
The plans are not equivalent, so the cheapest line is not automatically the best buy:
How much does Okta cost per user? $6 a month on Starter, $14 on Core Essentials and $17 on Essentials, billed once a year. Professional and Enterprise are quote only.
Does Okta have a minimum? Yes. Every workforce purchase has a $1,500 yearly minimum.
How much does Okta cost for a small team? A team of up to 7 people pays the $1,500 minimum on any published plan. Starter stays at $1,500 up to 20 users.
Is Okta free? Not for production staff logins. There is a free test plan for up to 10 users and a 30-day trial for up to 10 users.
Is Auth0 the same as Okta? No. Okta owns Auth0, but Auth0 is a separate product with its own plans, including a free plan for up to 25,000 monthly active users.
Can I cancel Okta mid-contract? Not under the standard agreement. Fees are non-cancelable and non-refundable, and subscriptions renew unless you give notice at least 30 days before the term ends.
Is Okta cheaper than Microsoft Entra ID? Per user, Okta Starter ($6) is below Entra ID P1 ($7), but they include different features. If your Microsoft 365 plan already includes P1 or P2, adding Okta is an extra cost, not a replacement cost.
Sources. Okta's pricing page, Free Trial Service-Specific Terms (revised April 20, 2026) and Master Subscription Agreement; Auth0's pricing page; Microsoft's Entra pricing page; Ping Identity's pricing page. All checked on October 10, 2026, in the US English version with prices in US dollars.
Calculations. Yearly cost is users times the monthly price times 12, raised to $1,500 when lower, for Okta. The cut-over sizes divide $1,500 by each plan's yearly cost per user and round up. The comparison tables multiply each vendor's published monthly price by the user count and 12.
Where sources disagree. Auth0's pricing page lists its paid plans for up to 500 monthly active users on the plan cards, while its FAQ says paid plans let you choose from 1,000 users upward. We give only the starting price and the free plan.
What we did not check. We did not request a quote, start a trial or sign up for any product. Okta does not publish add-on, individual-product or support-plan prices, and we did not estimate them. Feature lists are summarized from the vendors' pages and are not a test of how the products work.
Affiliate relationships. We have no affiliate relationship with Okta, Microsoft Entra ID or Ping Identity. No vendor pays for placement.
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