Two-factor authentication has emerged as a crucial security measure for organizations to enhance the security of their users. Duo and Microsoft Authenticator are two popular apps that provide this level of security.

Duo uses push notifications, time-based, one-time passwords, physical tokens and biometrics to verify the identity of users at login. Similarly, Microsoft Authenticator utilizes push notifications, one-time passcodes and can integrate with Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory.)

While both 2FA options share some similarities, there are key differences that can sway your decision to choose one over the other.

Duo vs. Microsoft Authenticator: Comparison table

Duo vs Microsoft Authenticator pricing

Below is how Duo and Microsoft Authenticator square up against each other in terms of pricing.

Duo pricing (Free plan; then starts at $3 per user, per month for next-level plan)

Duo follows a tiered system based on features and services you would like added to the application.

• Free plan: The free version allows up to 10 users and offers fundamental security features.
• Essential: This plan starts at $3 per user per month and includes additional features like single sign-on, verified Duo push, trusted endpoints and passwordless authentication.
• Advantage: The Duo Advantage plan is $6 per user per month and includes all Essential features plus risk-based authentication, adaptive access policies, device health checks and complete device visibility.
• Premier: This plan starts at $9 per user per month and offers all Advantage features and inclusions such as complete device trust with endpoint protection check, a comprehensive package for zero-trust access and VPN-less remote access to private resources. (Figure A)

Figure A

Duo single sign on. Image: Duo / Franklin Okeke

Microsoft Authenticator pricing (Free; bundled into some existing products)

Microsoft Authenticator is free and comes bundled with all Microsoft Entra ID (Azure Active Directory) and 365 Business accounts.

For a full list of prices and features, you can visit our articles on Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Entra ID (Azure Active Directory).

Feature comparison: Duo vs. Microsoft Authenticator

Both Duo and Microsoft Authenticator present excellent features to users but here is a head-to-head feature comparison:

Application Programming Interface integration

Most enterprise organizations considering Duo or Microsoft Authenticator will want to integrate these apps with existing software or custom software and server applications.

Duo supports unlimited application integrations through its platform on all editions available.

On the other hand, while Microsoft Authenticator also integrates with other third-party products and services, it is far easier to integrate with Microsoft-supported services because it’s already bundled with some of them.

Security features

Both Duo and Microsoft Authenticator prioritize security and offer robust features to protect user accounts. Duo supports adaptive authentication, which assesses the risk of each login attempt and prompts for additional verification when necessary. It also provides granular access policies, allowing administrators to define specific authentication requirements based on user roles and conditions.

Microsoft Authenticator leverages the power of Microsoft Entra ID (Azure Active Directory) to deliver advanced security features, such as conditional access policies, risk-based authentication and seamless single sign-on experiences across applications. It also supports hardware-backed security keys for enhanced protection against phishing attacks.

Authentication methods

Both Duo and Microsoft Authenticator provide multiple authentication methods. Duo offers a variety of authentication options, including push notifications, WebAuthn and biometrics, tokens, passcodes and hardware security keys.

Meanwhile, Microsoft Authenticator supports push notifications, OTPs and biometric authentication (fingerprint, facial recognition) on supported devices (see Figure B).

Figure B

Microsoft Authenticator push notification. Image: Microsoft / Franklin Okeke

Backup and recovery

Duo’s Restore feature lets users backup Duo-protected accounts and third-party OTP accounts for recovery to the same or new device. This allows you to backup your Duo accounts on cloud services like iCloud and Google Drive.

Similarly, Microsoft Authenticator offers backup and recovery options that allow users to securely store their accounts and settings in the cloud. This feature enables easy restoration of accounts on new devices or in case of device loss.

Figure C

Verification for Duo push. Image: Duo / Franklin Okeke