Customer identity, directories & app access · AWS vs Google Cloud
Amazon Cognito vs Identity Platform
Amazon Cognito maps to Identity Platform, a customer identity service (the backend for Firebase Authentication) with sign-in methods including SAML and OIDC.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Google Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Amazon Cognito | Identity Platform |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Generally available |
| What it is | Customer identity for apps. User pools handle sign-up, sign-in, MFA, federation (social, SAML, OIDC), and managed login. Identity pools exchange tokens for temporary AWS credentials. | Customer identity and access management that backs Firebase Authentication, billed per monthly active user. |
| Pricing model | Per monthly active user, by feature plan (Lite, Essentials, Plus), with a free tier, plus SMS and advanced security charges. | Billed per monthly active user for most sign-in methods. |
| Docs | Amazon Cognito docs | Identity Platform docs |
| Pricing page | Amazon Cognito pricing | Identity Platform pricing |
Key differences
- Identity Platform adds enterprise features such as multi-tenancy and SAML/OIDC providers over Firebase Authentication.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Per monthly active user, by feature plan (Lite, Essentials, Plus), with a free tier, plus SMS and advanced security charges. Amazon Cognito pricing →
- GCP
- Billed per monthly active user for most sign-in methods. Identity Platform pricing →
And on Azure?
Partial match Azure's equivalent is Microsoft Entra External ID. AWS vs Azure comparison →
FAQ
What is the Google Cloud equivalent of Amazon Cognito?
Amazon Cognito maps to Identity Platform, a customer identity service (the backend for Firebase Authentication) with sign-in methods including SAML and OIDC.
How does pricing compare between Amazon Cognito and Identity Platform?
AWS: Per monthly active user, by feature plan (Lite, Essentials, Plus), with a free tier, plus SMS and advanced security charges. Google Cloud: Billed per monthly active user for most sign-in methods. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
What is the Azure equivalent?
Microsoft Entra External ID (partial match). Amazon Cognito user pools map to Microsoft Entra External ID in an external tenant.