What Microsoft Entra Suite Includes, Cost, and Replaces

Identity is now the most targeted layer in enterprise security. Many organizations are still trying to manage it with disconnected tools that were never built for today's threat landscape.

Legacy VPNs carry known vulnerabilities. User accounts are often provisioned manually. Overprivileged access is rarely reviewed. Employees adopt AI tools without oversight. IT teams are left managing identity risk with solutions that were never designed for this environment.   

Microsoft Entra Suite consolidates identity and network access into a single platform at $12 per user per month. It enforces Zero Trust across users, devices, applications, and networks. 

Built on top of Entra ID P1, the suite bundles Entra ID Governance, Entra ID Protection, Entra Private Access, Entra Internet Access, and Entra Verified ID into one platform. It replaces multiple third-party tools and tightens security at every access point. It is also included in the Microsoft 365 E7 bundles at $99 per user per month. 

For organizations already running Business Premium, Microsoft 365 E3, or Microsoft 365 E5, understanding where Entra Suite fits and what problems it solves is critical to building a modern identity strategy. 

What Problems Does Microsoft Entra Suite Solve for IT Teams?

In a recent episode of the Demystifying Microsoft podcast, Nathan Taylor walked through the full Microsoft Entra Suite, including each of its five core products, where they fit in a security hardening engagement, and how the suite compares to buying standalone SKUs. The episode also covers newer capabilities like AI-powered threat detection in Entra ID Protection, the AI gateway in International Access, and the emerging Entra Agent ID framework for governing AI agent identities. 

How do Entra ID SKUs Compare Across P1, P2, and Entra Suite?

Entra ID P1 provides core identity controls. P2 adds risk-based identity protection. Entra Suite extends Zero Trust across network access, governance, and identity verification. 

Microsoft sells three SKUs in the Entra ID space. Entra ID P1 is included in most common licenses like Business Premium, E3, and E5. It provides single sign-on, conditional access, dynamic groups, and role-based access controls.

Entra ID P2 adds identity protection capabilities including risk-based conditional access, authentication context, token protections, and risk detection automation. P2 is available standalone at $9 per user per month or as part of the Defender Suite.

Entra Suite sits above both. It includes everything in P2 and adds integrated products that extend Zero Trust enforcement into areas P1 and P2 do not cover. 

Why is Conditional Access the Foundation of Microsoft Entra Suite?

Conditional access is the backbone of the Entra Suite. It functions as the firewall rules of identity. It evaluates signals before every access request in real time.

Policies can be configured around a range of variables, including:

• User identity and group membership
• Device compliance status through Intune
• IP location and named locations
• Sign-in risk level and application sensitivity
• Platform type such as iOS, Android, Windows, or Linux
• Level of phishing-resistant MFA such as FIDO2 passkeys 

Higher-tier licenses unlock risk-based and time-based policies where access rules shift dynamically based on a user's current risk score.

There is also continuous access evaluation. This goes beyond access at sign-in. If a session becomes risky after authentication, the token can be revoked in near real time and the user is forced to reauthenticate. 

In a world where token theft and business email compromise are increasing, this capability is critical.

How does Entra ID Protection Use AI to Detect Identity Threats?

Entra ID Protection is the risk engine that feeds signals into conditional access.

It operates on two levels: 

User risk evaluates whether the identity itself is compromised through leaked credentials or suspicious activity patterns.

Sign-in risk evaluates whether the login attempt is coming from an unfamiliar location, a malicious IP, or abnormal behavior. 

When risk is detected, policies respond based on severity:

• High user risk forces a password reset and MFA
• Medium sign-in risk can trigger an MFA challenge
• High sign-in risk blocks access entirely 

This is especially important for token-based attacks. A stolen token cannot satisfy a new MFA challenge once risk is detected. 

Can Microsoft Entra Suite Replace your VPN and Secure Web Gateway?

Yes. Entra Private Access can replace legacy VPNs, and Entra Internet Access can replace traditional secure web gateways for many workloads. 

The suite includes two products under the Global Secure Access umbrella.

Entra Private Access is a Zero Trust Network Access solution that replaces legacy VPNs by extending conditional access and MFA to on-premises resources.

Entra Internet Access is an identity-centric secure web gateway that protects outbound internet and SaaS traffic, including AI applications. 

Legacy VPNs come with well-known challenges:

• Broad network access instead of per-application access
• Limited identity-based controls after authentication
• Ongoing infrastructure and maintenance requirements
• Frequent exploitation through vulnerabilities 

Entra Private Access addresses these issues by applying identity-based controls to every session. 

Entra Internet Access extends that model to internet traffic. It allows organizations to monitor and control AI usage, block unsanctioned tools, and audit activity. 

Both products require Entra ID joined endpoints for full client-based deployment. 

What does Entra ID Governance Automate for User Access and Lifecycle Management?

Entra ID Governance answers three core questions: who has access, whether they should still have it, and how to automate the process. 

How Do Entitlement Management and Access Packages Work?

Access packages allow IT teams to bundle applications, scripts, and SharePoint sites into packages that users can request. These requests go through single or multi-stage approval processes with time-limited grants. Non-technical approvers can manage access for sensitive projects without involving IT, and automated expiration and renewal keep access current without manual intervention. 

Access reviews prompt resource owners to regularly verify who has access, with automatic revocation if the reviewer does not respond. A risk-based approval feature announced at Ignite 2025 triggers access reviews when Entra detects new risk on an account. 

Can Entra ID Governance Automate Employee Onboarding and Offboarding?

Lifecycle workflows handle the full spectrum of identity events across an employee's time at an organization:

• Onboarding includes provisioning applications, assigning groups, and sending welcome emails
• Role changes trigger updates to access and group membership
• Offboarding revokes access, disables accounts, and removes licenses 

For larger organizations, this automation can significantly reduce the volume of HR-related IT tickets. The suite also includes Privileged Identity Management for just-in-time elevation of admin roles with MFA, approval workflows, time-limited access, and full audit trails. 

What makes Entra Verified ID Different from Passwords and MFA?

Entra Verified ID uses verifiable credentials to prove identity beyond passwords and MFA.

Its face check feature uses biometric liveness validation that cannot be spoofed with a static image or video. This helps address deepfake and impersonation risks. 

Use cases include:

• High-assurance employee verification 
• External partner validation without directory access
• Self-service account recovery

Why do AI Agents Need Zero Trust Identity Controls?

AI agents need identity controls because they operate inside your environment with real permissions. 

As organizations deploy agents across Copilot, Azure AI, and third-party tools, those agents need governance just like users. 

Entra Agent ID provides a framework to: 

• Register agents centrally
• Enforce least-privileged access
• Manage token and OAuth flows
• Capture audit log 
  

How Much Does Microsoft Entra Suite Cost?

When evaluating the cost, the individual products in the suite would run $17 to $23 per user per month purchased separately. Organizations should also factor in what they currently spend on VPN hardware and licenses, third-party SASE solutions, standalone PIM tools, and manual user lifecycle management processes. In many cases, the suite can consolidate and replace those costs. 

Take the Next Step on Identity and Zero Trust

Microsoft Entra Suite is available today, competitively priced, and solves problems that nearly every mid-market and enterprise organization is dealing with. Whether it is uncontrolled VPN costs, identity-based attacks, shadow AI, overprivileged access, or manually provisioning and deprovisioning users, the five products in the suite work together as a single enforcement platform.

If you want help understanding how Entra Suite fits into your environment, setting up a trial, or building a proof of concept, reach out to our team. We can walk you through the licensing, assess your current identity posture, and help you build a plan that makes sense for your organization.

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