Axiad vs Entrust

Entrust was built for yesterday's PKI world.
Axiad delivers modern, FedRAMP PKIaaS and derived PIV credentials.

Key Takeaways

Axiad delivers measurable cost savings, operational efficiency, and compliance advantages over Entrust, with a modern, unified, and FedRAMP Moderate ATO solution.

Entrust’s legacy architecture and fragmented workflows result in higher costs, slower deployments, and increased compliance burdens.

Axiad’s proven track record with major federal agencies (DOJ, CDC, USPTO, DOE) demonstrates reliability and scalability for mission-critical environments.

Category
Axiad
Entrust
Platform Architecture
Unified, cloud-native, FedRAMP Moderate authorized for human and non-human identities
Fragmented, legacy on-premises ecosystem requires dedicated IT infrastructure resources
Deployment & Integration
Plug-and-play integrations; rapid deployment; no middleware or agents
Difficult to navigate enrollment; requires middleware, agents, technical expertise for integrations
Credential Management
Centralized management; entity-based licensing; automated lifecycle
Disjointed portfolio; PKI services require per-certificate licensing
Cost Structure
No infrastructure costs; predictable per-entity licensing; ~40% lower support costs
High renewal price increases; unpredictable costs; high support costs
Operational Efficiency
Automated credential issuance, renewal, and recovery for all user types; automatic scaling; no rip-and-replace requirements
Manual, fragmented workflows; operational bottlenecks; proprietary vendor requirements
FedRAMP Compliance
FedRAMP Moderate authorized; aligns with EO 14028, OMB M-22-09, pre-mapped security controls to NIST SP 800-53 Rev.5, CISA Zero Trust Maturity Model 2.0, NIST SP 800-63-4, FIPS 201-3
No FedRAMP-certified cloud; agencies manage compliance independently
Security Features
FIPS 140-2 Level 3 HSMs; dedicated VPCs; customizable CAs; automated audit trails
On-premises systems; fragmented documentation; manual compliance
User Experience
Intuitive, unified interface; fast enrollment (<2 min, <5 clicks) with simplified self-verification for Derived PIV, Temporary PIV/PIV-Compatible; proof of customer satisfaction with 95% customer retention rate
Inconsistent UI; legacy workflows; high support requirements
Audit & Monitoring
Automated compliance mapping; delegated admin; real-time logging
Manual audit prep; increased risk and audit costs
Mission Support
Vendor-neutral; scalable; supports hybrid, on-prem, air-gapped; proven with DOJ, CDC, USPTO, DOE
Vendor lock-in; high operational overhead; slow adaptation
Procurement & Licensing
Simplified procurement via GSA MAS; flexible terms; identity-based licensing
Complex procurement; may require certificate-based licensing; less flexibility
Future-Proofing
Supports new devices/endpoints; automated renewals; rapid ROI
Legacy systems impede modernization and mission agility
Platform Architecture
Axiad
Unified, cloud-native, FedRAMP Moderate authorized for human and non-human identities
Entrust
Fragmented, legacy on-premises ecosystem requires dedicated IT infrastructure resources
Deployment & Integration
Axiad
Plug-and-play integrations; rapid deployment; no middleware or agents
Entrust
Difficult to navigate enrollment; requires middleware, agents, technical expertise for integrations
Credential Management
Axiad
Centralized management; entity-based licensing; automated lifecycle
Entrust
Disjointed portfolio; PKI services require per-certificate licensing
Cost Structure
Axiad
No infrastructure costs; predictable per-entity licensing; ~40% lower support costs
Entrust
High renewal price increases; unpredictable costs; high support costs
Operational Efficiency
Axiad
Automated credential issuance, renewal, and recovery for all user types; automatic scaling; no rip-and-replace requirements
Entrust
Manual, fragmented workflows; operational bottlenecks; proprietary vendor requirements
FedRAMP Compliance
Axiad
FedRAMP Moderate authorized; aligns with EO 14028, OMB M-22-09, pre-mapped security controls to NIST SP 800-53 Rev.5, CISA Zero Trust Maturity Model 2.0, NIST SP 800-63-4, FIPS 201-3
Entrust
No FedRAMP-certified cloud; agencies manage compliance independently
Security Features
Axiad
FIPS 140-2 Level 3 HSMs; dedicated VPCs; customizable CAs; automated audit trails
Entrust
On-premises systems; fragmented documentation; manual compliance
User Experience
Axiad
Intuitive, unified interface; fast enrollment (<2 min, <5 clicks) with simplified self-verification for Derived PIV, Temporary PIV/PIV-Compatible; proof of customer satisfaction with 95% customer retention rate
Entrust
Inconsistent UI; legacy workflows; high support requirements
Audit & Monitoring
Axiad
Automated compliance mapping; delegated admin; real-time logging
Entrust
Manual audit prep; increased risk and audit costs
Mission Support
Axiad
Vendor-neutral; scalable; supports hybrid, on-prem, air-gapped; proven with DOJ, CDC, USPTO, DOE
Entrust
Vendor lock-in; high operational overhead; slow adaptation
Procurement & Licensing
Axiad
Simplified procurement via GSA MAS; flexible terms; identity-based licensing
Entrust
Complex procurement; may require certificate-based licensing; less flexibility
Future-Proofing
Axiad
Supports new devices/endpoints; automated renewals; rapid ROI
Entrust
Legacy systems impede modernization and mission agility