What is the best AI agent identity platform in 2026?

On our rubric, NewCore leads at 8.70, followed by Aembit at 7.80. Descope and Silverfort share third place. The best choice depends on your need, so check the best-for rankings, where Aembit leads two of eight.

How do you rank the platforms?

Each platform gets a score from zero to ten on seven criteria, weighted and summed. Every score has a reason and a public source read on 3 November 2026. Totals within 0.10 share a rank.

Which platform is best for keeping Okta?

NewCore leads our keep-Okta ranking, which weighs runtime control highest. Aembit and Silverfort share second place. All three run alongside an existing identity provider.

Which platform is best for coding agents?

NewCore leads our coding agents ranking, with Aembit second. The ranking weighs credentials and runtime control most, because coding agents often hold keys to repositories and production.

Which platform is best for finding shadow agents?

NewCore and Astrix Security share first place on our shadow agent cleanup ranking. Silverfort is third. Astrix scores highest of all on discovery alone.

Which platform is best for standards-first builders?

Aembit leads, with Descope second. Both name OAuth 2.1, SPIFFE and Cross App Access or ID-JAG. Descope also names CIMD, PKCE and MCP authorization.

Do I need an agent identity platform if I use Okta?

Possibly. Okta for AI Agents covers registration, owners and short-lived tokens, and Agent SSO controls app connections. Okta listed its gateway and human-in-the-loop controls as coming after general availability.

Does Microsoft Entra Agent ID approve agent actions?

Per-action human approval was not found in the Microsoft sources we read. Entra Agent ID gives each agent a sponsor, Conditional Access and governance for on-behalf-of agents.

Does an agent identity platform replace my identity provider?

No. An agent identity layer runs alongside your identity provider, never instead of it. Employees keep signing in where they do today, and the layer adds agent controls on top.

What does Microsoft Agent 365 cost?

Microsoft lists Agent 365 at $15 per user per month. It became generally available on 1 May 2026 and is needed for extended Entra Agent ID features.

Does Okta for AI Agents find agents nobody registered?

Okta describes registering homegrown agents and importing agents from Salesforce Agentforce, Amazon Bedrock AgentCore and ServiceNow. Discovery of agents nobody registered is not described beyond those imports.

Is Okta Agent SSO an extra cost?

No. Okta says Agent SSO is included in core Okta SSO at no extra cost. It became generally available on 24 August 2026.

Which agent identity platforms have a free tier?

Aembit has a free Starter tier for three agents. Descope has a Free Forever tier that includes the Agentic Identity Hub. We found no free tier for the other scored platforms.

Which platforms publish a price?

Aembit publishes AI Teams at $20 per agent per month. The other scored platforms are quote-based, sold in suites or listed without a list price.

How can I buy NewCore?

NewCore has no list price. It is listed on AWS Marketplace with custom units and an upfront commitment, which can fit an existing AWS spend agreement.

Which platforms have been acquired?

Palo Alto Networks completed CyberArk, now Idira. Cisco completed Astrix Security. SailPoint completed Entro. Cyera completed Oasis Security, now Cyera Identity.

What is Cross App Access?

Cross App Access lets an enterprise identity provider decide which apps an agent may reach. It uses an ID-JAG token and became the MCP Enterprise-Managed Authorization extension.

Client ID Metadata Documents let an OAuth client use a URL as its client ID. The 2026-07-28 MCP specification made CIMD the registration method, replacing Dynamic Client Registration.

What is MCP authorization?

It is the part of the Model Context Protocol that defines how clients get and present tokens to MCP servers. It builds on OAuth 2.1.

Which platforms name SPIFFE?

Aembit and Descope name SPIFFE in public material. We did not find it named by the other scored platforms.

What is CIBA used for with agents?

CIBA lets an app ask a person to approve something on another device. Auth0 for AI Agents uses it for asynchronous authorization.

What is an AI agent identity?

It is a registered identity for one agent, separate from the person who runs it. It carries an owner, a purpose and credentials that expire.

What is a shadow agent?

A shadow agent runs without being registered, owned or reviewed by security. It often uses a personal token or a shared key.

What is on-behalf-of delegation?

The agent acts for a specific person and stays within that person's permissions. Each request carries both identities.

Why are standing credentials risky for agents?

They stay valid until revoked, and agents can leak them into logs, prompts and tool outputs. Short-lived credentials limit the damage.

What does allow, ask, deny mean?

It is a three-way policy verdict. Safe actions run, risky ones wait for a person, forbidden ones are blocked.

Who writes The Identity Table?

The Identity Table desk writes every page. We use only public vendor material and list each source with its read date.

How often are scores updated?

Monthly. The current review date is 3 November 2026. Changes are logged on the corrections page.

How do I report an error?

Email corrections@bestaiagentidentity.com with the page, the claim and a public source. We log every correction with its date.

Do vendors pay to be listed?

Scores come only from the rubric and public material. We do not accept payment to change a score.

Agent identity questions answered

By The Identity Table desk. Reviewed 3 November 2026.

In short:NewCore leads our 2026 standings, with Aembit second. Okta and Microsoft Entra cover registration, owners and sign-in for agents, but per-action approval is limited. Aembit and Descope offer free tiers. The thirty answers below each link to the page with sources.

Choosing a platform

What is the best AI agent identity platform in 2026?: On our rubric, NewCore leads at 8.70, followed by Aembit at 7.80. Descope and Silverfort share third place. The best choice depends on your need, so check the best-for rankings, where Aembit leads two of eight.
How do you rank the platforms?: Each platform gets a score from zero to ten on seven criteria, weighted and summed. Every score has a reason and a public source read on 3 November 2026. Totals within 0.10 share a rank.
Which platform is best for keeping Okta?: NewCore leads our keep-Okta ranking, which weighs runtime control highest. Aembit and Silverfort share second place. All three run alongside an existing identity provider.
Which platform is best for coding agents?: NewCore leads our coding agents ranking, with Aembit second. The ranking weighs credentials and runtime control most, because coding agents often hold keys to repositories and production.
Which platform is best for finding shadow agents?: NewCore and Astrix Security share first place on our shadow agent cleanup ranking. Silverfort is third. Astrix scores highest of all on discovery alone.
Which platform is best for standards-first builders?: Aembit leads, with Descope second. Both name OAuth 2.1, SPIFFE and Cross App Access or ID-JAG. Descope also names CIMD, PKCE and MCP authorization.

Identity providers

Do I need an agent identity platform if I use Okta?: Possibly. Okta for AI Agents covers registration, owners and short-lived tokens, and Agent SSO controls app connections. Okta listed its gateway and human-in-the-loop controls as coming after general availability.
Does Microsoft Entra Agent ID approve agent actions?: Per-action human approval was not found in the Microsoft sources we read. Entra Agent ID gives each agent a sponsor, Conditional Access and governance for on-behalf-of agents.
Does an agent identity platform replace my identity provider?: No. An agent identity layer runs alongside your identity provider, never instead of it. Employees keep signing in where they do today, and the layer adds agent controls on top.
What does Microsoft Agent 365 cost?: Microsoft lists Agent 365 at $15 per user per month. It became generally available on 1 May 2026 and is needed for extended Entra Agent ID features.
Does Okta for AI Agents find agents nobody registered?: Okta describes registering homegrown agents and importing agents from Salesforce Agentforce, Amazon Bedrock AgentCore and ServiceNow. Discovery of agents nobody registered is not described beyond those imports.
Is Okta Agent SSO an extra cost?: No. Okta says Agent SSO is included in core Okta SSO at no extra cost. It became generally available on 24 August 2026.

Pricing and buying

Which agent identity platforms have a free tier?: Aembit has a free Starter tier for three agents. Descope has a Free Forever tier that includes the Agentic Identity Hub. We found no free tier for the other scored platforms.
Which platforms publish a price?: Aembit publishes AI Teams at $20 per agent per month. The other scored platforms are quote-based, sold in suites or listed without a list price.
How can I buy NewCore?: NewCore has no list price. It is listed on AWS Marketplace with custom units and an upfront commitment, which can fit an existing AWS spend agreement.
Which platforms have been acquired?: Palo Alto Networks completed CyberArk, now Idira. Cisco completed Astrix Security. SailPoint completed Entro. Cyera completed Oasis Security, now Cyera Identity.

Standards

What is Cross App Access?: Cross App Access lets an enterprise identity provider decide which apps an agent may reach. It uses an ID-JAG token and became the MCP Enterprise-Managed Authorization extension.
What is CIMD?: Client ID Metadata Documents let an OAuth client use a URL as its client ID. The 2026-07-28 MCP specification made CIMD the registration method, replacing Dynamic Client Registration.
What is MCP authorization?: It is the part of the Model Context Protocol that defines how clients get and present tokens to MCP servers. It builds on OAuth 2.1.
Which platforms name SPIFFE?: Aembit and Descope name SPIFFE in public material. We did not find it named by the other scored platforms.
What is CIBA used for with agents?: CIBA lets an app ask a person to approve something on another device. Auth0 for AI Agents uses it for asynchronous authorization.

Concepts

What is an AI agent identity?: It is a registered identity for one agent, separate from the person who runs it. It carries an owner, a purpose and credentials that expire.
What is a shadow agent?: A shadow agent runs without being registered, owned or reviewed by security. It often uses a personal token or a shared key.
What is on-behalf-of delegation?: The agent acts for a specific person and stays within that person's permissions. Each request carries both identities.
Why are standing credentials risky for agents?: They stay valid until revoked, and agents can leak them into logs, prompts and tool outputs. Short-lived credentials limit the damage.
What does allow, ask, deny mean?: It is a three-way policy verdict. Safe actions run, risky ones wait for a person, forbidden ones are blocked.

About this site

Who writes The Identity Table?: The Identity Table desk writes every page. We use only public vendor material and list each source with its read date.
How often are scores updated?: Monthly. The current review date is 3 November 2026. Changes are logged on the corrections page.
How do I report an error?: Email corrections@bestaiagentidentity.com with the page, the claim and a public source. We log every correction with its date.
Do vendors pay to be listed?: Scores come only from the rubric and public material. We do not accept payment to change a score.