WorkOS vs Duo Security
WorkOS and Duo Security are both tools people compare when choosing between API and security options. WorkOS lists 7 features across 1 platform; Duo Security lists 6 features across 3 platforms — see the full breakdown below, sourced from each vendor's own site rather than ratings or reviews.
Side-by-side summary
Best for WorkOS
Companies seeking to rapidly expand into enterprise markets without dedicating substantial engineering resources to identity infrastructure, and developers prioritizing speed-to-market for enterprise security controls.
Best for Duo Security
Organizations of any size, including government agencies, that need phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication and zero-trust access controls.
Feature comparison
Every feature listed here comes directly from each vendor's own official site.
WorkOS
- Enterprise SSO with SAML and OIDC support for providers like Okta, Azure, and Google
- AuthKit, a customizable authentication UI, plus social and passwordless (magic link) authentication
- Directory Sync with SCIM provisioning and HRIS integrations
- Role-based access control (RBAC) and audit logs with event export
- Admin Portal for self-service IT admin configuration
- RESTful APIs with SDKs for Node.js, Ruby, Python, Go, PHP, Java, and .NET
- Radar for bot and fraud detection, and Vault for encryption key management
Duo Security
- Multi-factor authentication supporting over 1.3 billion monthly authentications
- Single sign-on across applications
- Device trust to restrict access to trusted devices
- Passwordless authentication via Duo Passport
- Adaptive access policies based on risk factors
- Admin dashboard for policy and user management
Pros and cons
WorkOS
- Enterprise SSO with SAML and OIDC support for providers like Okta, Azure, and Google
- AuthKit, a customizable authentication UI, plus social and passwordless (magic link) authentication
- Directory Sync with SCIM provisioning and HRIS integrations
- Role-based access control (RBAC) and audit logs with event export
- Admin Portal for self-service IT admin configuration
- RESTful APIs with SDKs for Node.js, Ruby, Python, Go, PHP, Java, and .NET
- Radar for bot and fraud detection, and Vault for encryption key management
We don't infer weaknesses from missing or differently worded vendor marketing copy. Use documented plan limits, migration requirements, and other sourced constraints as decision inputs; anything not supported by a source remains unverified.
Duo Security
- Multi-factor authentication supporting over 1.3 billion monthly authentications
- Single sign-on across applications
- Device trust to restrict access to trusted devices
- Passwordless authentication via Duo Passport
- Adaptive access policies based on risk factors
- Admin dashboard for policy and user management
We don't infer weaknesses from missing or differently worded vendor marketing copy. Use documented plan limits, migration requirements, and other sourced constraints as decision inputs; anything not supported by a source remains unverified.
Key differences
- WorkOS is categorized under API, while Duo Security is categorized under Security.
- WorkOS lists Enterprise SSO with SAML and OIDC support for providers like Okta, Azure, and Google, AuthKit, a customizable authentication UI, plus social and passwordless (magic link) authentication, Directory Sync with SCIM provisioning and HRIS integrations, Role-based access control (RBAC) and audit logs with event export, Admin Portal for self-service IT admin configuration, RESTful APIs with SDKs for Node.js, Ruby, Python, Go, PHP, Java, and .NET, Radar for bot and fraud detection, and Vault for encryption key management that Duo Security doesn't list.
- Duo Security lists Multi-factor authentication supporting over 1.3 billion monthly authentications, Single sign-on across applications, Device trust to restrict access to trusted devices, Passwordless authentication via Duo Passport, Adaptive access policies based on risk factors, Admin dashboard for policy and user management that WorkOS doesn't list.
- Duo Security supports iOS, Android, which WorkOS doesn't list.
Choose WorkOS if…
Choose WorkOS if this fits: Companies seeking to rapidly expand into enterprise markets without dedicating substantial engineering resources to identity infrastructure, and developers prioritizing speed-to-market for enterprise security controls. Compared with Duo Security specifically, WorkOS also offers Enterprise SSO with SAML and OIDC support for providers like Okta, Azure, and Google, AuthKit, a customizable authentication UI, plus social and passwordless (magic link) authentication, Directory Sync with SCIM provisioning and HRIS integrations, and 4 more features that Duo Security doesn't list.
Choose Duo Security if…
Choose Duo Security if this fits: Organizations of any size, including government agencies, that need phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication and zero-trust access controls. Compared with WorkOS specifically, Duo Security also offers Multi-factor authentication supporting over 1.3 billion monthly authentications, Single sign-on across applications, Device trust to restrict access to trusted devices, and 3 more features that WorkOS doesn't list, plus iOS, Android support that WorkOS doesn't list.
Facts on this page are sourced from each vendor's official site (linked below), not from ratings or reviews. Products change — verify anything that matters to your decision directly on the vendor's own site before switching. See our Disclaimer and Sources Policy.
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