Microsoft Active Directory Alternatives

Microsoft Active Directory is described as 'Active Directory (AD) is a directory service that Microsoft developed for Windows domain networks and included in most Windows Server operating systems as a set of processes and services' and is an app in the network & admin category. There are more than 10 alternatives to Microsoft Active Directory for a variety of platforms, including Linux, Windows, Self-Hosted, Mac and Web-based apps. The best Microsoft Active Directory alternative is Zentyal. It's not free, so if you're looking for a free alternative, you could try Samba or Univention Corporate Server (UCS). Other great apps like Microsoft Active Directory are FreeIPA, Microsoft Entra ID, SambaBox and pGina Fork.

filter to find the best alternatives

Microsoft Active Directory alternatives are mainly Identity Management Tools but may also be Linux Distros or Operating Systems.  Other popular filters includes Linux + Open Source. Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Microsoft Active Directory.
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Active Directory (AD) is a directory service that Microsoft developed for Windows domain networks and included in most Windows Server operating systems as a set of processes and services.

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Microsoft Active Directory alternatives page was last updated Apr 8, 2025
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Alternatives
  1. Zentyal icon
     54 likes
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    Zentyal is a native Microsoft Active Directory implementation on Linux incorporating all the network services required in a small and medium business environment: Directory & Domain Server, Mail Server, Gateway and Infrastructure Server.

    26 Zentyal alternatives

    License model

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux

    Zentyal Features

    1.  Gateway
    2.  Member Directory
    3.  Web interface

    Zentyal VS Microsoft Active Directory

     
    Comments about Zentyal as an Alternative to Microsoft Active Directory
    Arffeh
    Positive Dec 15, 2015
    0

    100% drop-in replacement, tried and tested by yours truely.

    pitou
    Positive May 12, 2017
    -2

    It's free and easy to use.

    Microsoft Active Directory Icon
    Zentyal icon
    • Most users think Zentyal is a great Microsoft Active Directory alternative.

    • Zentyal is the most popular Linux alternative to Microsoft Active Directory.

    • Zentyal is the most popular Open Source & commercial alternative to Microsoft Active Directory.

    • Zentyal is Paid and Open SourceMicrosoft Active Directory is Paid and Proprietary
  2. Samba icon
     64 likes
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    Samba is the standard Windows interoperability suite of programs for Linux and Unix.

    14 Samba alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • BSD

    Samba Features

    1.  Filesystem

    Samba VS Microsoft Active Directory

     
    Comments about Samba as an Alternative to Microsoft Active Directory
    Guest
    Negative Apr 8, 2025
    0

    Samba's main prupose is usage of SMB protocol on linux computers than managing ones through a LDAP

    Guest
    Positive Nov 12, 2019
    2

    It's literally a reimplementation of AD on Linux. Samba has been around for many years and is trusted by thousands of admins to provide seamless Windows interoperability.

    Microsoft Active Directory Icon
    Samba icon
    • Most users think Samba is a great Microsoft Active Directory alternative.

    • Samba is the most popular Mac alternative to Microsoft Active Directory.

    • Samba is the most popular free alternative to Microsoft Active Directory.

    • Samba is Free and Open SourceMicrosoft Active Directory is Paid and Proprietary
  3. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    UCS is an open platform for central Identity & Access Management, IT Management, and Active Directory, with a web portal for easy access to applications.

    96 Univention Corporate Server (UCS) alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    Univention Corporate Server (UCS) Features

    1.  DHCP Server
    2.  Single Sign-On
    3.  Based on Debian
    4.  ARM support
    5.  Active Directory Migration
    6.  Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
    7. Microsoft Active Directory icon  Active Directory integration
    8.  SAML Single Sign-On

    Univention Corporate Server (UCS) VS Microsoft Active Directory

     
    Comments about Univention Corporate Server (UCS) as an Alternative to Microsoft Active Directory
    Guest
    Positive Jul 21, 2019
    0

    it works flawless and it's free as long you don't need commercial support. Companies can get professional support from UCS or UCS Partners. It is the most complete alternative to MS ADS.

    Microsoft Active Directory Icon
    Univention Corporate Server (UCS) icon
    • Almost everyone thinks Univention Corporate Server (UCS) is a great Microsoft Active Directory alternative.

    • Univention Corporate Server (UCS) is the most popular Windows alternative to Microsoft Active Directory.

    • Univention Corporate Server (UCS) is Free and Open SourceMicrosoft Active Directory is Paid and Proprietary
  4. FreeIPA icon
     13 likes
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    FreeIPA is an integrated security information management solution combining Linux (Fedora), 389 Directory Server, MIT Kerberos, NTP, DNS, Dogtag (Certificate System). It consists of a web interface and command-line administration tools.

    19 FreeIPA alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Linux

    FreeIPA Features

    1.  DNS Server
    2.  LDAP Services
    3.  Kerberos
    4.  Web interface

    FreeIPA VS Microsoft Active Directory

     
    Comments about FreeIPA as an Alternative to Microsoft Active Directory
    soyatam443
    Negative Dec 9, 2023
    0

    They explicitly state that they don't intend to be a drop in replacement for active directory.

    Guest
    Positive Mar 12, 2020
    0

    not only completely free its the only one i implimented and joined linux hosts to it. all the rest failed to deliver.

    Microsoft Active Directory Icon
    FreeIPA icon
    • Most users think FreeIPA is a great Microsoft Active Directory alternative.

    • FreeIPA is Free and Open SourceMicrosoft Active Directory is Paid and Proprietary
  5. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) is a comprehensive identity and access management cloud solution that provides a robust set of capabilities to manage users and groups.

    30 Microsoft Entra ID alternatives

    License model

    • FreemiumProprietary

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Online

    Microsoft Entra ID Features

    1.  Single Sign-On

    Microsoft Entra ID VS Microsoft Active Directory

     
    • Microsoft Entra ID is the most popular Web-based alternative to Microsoft Active Directory.

    • Microsoft Entra ID is Freemium and ProprietaryMicrosoft Active Directory is Paid and Proprietary
  6. SambaBox icon
     14 likes
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    SambaBox is an enterprise directory appliance with Web based management interface. SambaBox also offers integrated domain name (DNS), dynamic computer configuration (DHCP), certificate authority (CA), Microsoft Exchange compatible and also supports up to 2016 Functional Level...

    18 SambaBox alternatives

    License model

    Platforms

    • Self-Hosted

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Windows Compatible
    2.  Enterprise Directory Service
    3.  Dns
    4.  Active Directory Migration
    5.  Dark Mode
    6.  Two-factor Authentication
    7.  Rolling Release
    8.  No Tracking
    9.  Works Offline
    10.  Ad-free
    11.  Portable
    12.  Network Tools

    SambaBox VS Microsoft Active Directory

     
    Comments about SambaBox as an Alternative to Microsoft Active Directory
    Most Recent Comment
    sudo-supe
    Positive Apr 4, 2024
    0

    I like SambaBox as an alternative to Microsoft AD for its robust GPO management and sleek web interface. It excels with secure, extensive API integrations and efficient bulk operations, making it effective for handling large user data and policies.

    Guest
    Positive May 21, 2022
    0

    I tried with demo license. It was worked with my windows and mac enviroment.

    Guest
    Positive Sep 9, 2021
    0

    SambaBOX offers more tools than standart Microsoft Active Directory like CA, DHCP, SNMP. Best part is installation takes just minutes.

    Microsoft Active Directory Icon
    SambaBox icon
    • SambaBox is the most popular Self-Hosted alternative to Microsoft Active Directory.

    • SambaBox is Paid and ProprietaryMicrosoft Active Directory is also Paid and Proprietary
    • SambaBox is Privacy focused and LightweightMicrosoft Active Directory is not according to our users
  7. pGina Fork icon
     3 likes
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    pGina is a replacement for the default Windows Credential Provider. Through plugins, pGina allows you to configure the login process from authentication and authorization through Radius, SSH, Kerberos, POP, IMAP,... remote servers.

    4 pGina Fork alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Windows

    pGina Fork Features

    1.  Kerberos
    2.  SSH
    3.  IMAP Support

    pGina Fork VS Microsoft Active Directory

     
  8. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Enterprise-class open source Linux LDAP server. Hardened by real-world use, full-featured, supports multi-master replication. 389 DS can be downloaded for free and set up in less than an hour using the graphical console.

    8 389 Directory Server alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • CentOS
    • Fedora

    389 Directory Server VS Microsoft Active Directory

     
  9. OpenLDAP icon
     9 likes
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    OpenLDAP Software is an open source implementation of the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol.

    14 OpenLDAP alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • BSD

    OpenLDAP VS Microsoft Active Directory

     
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