ForgeRock (PingIdentity) Custom Pricing vs Avatier’s Transparent Cost Structure: Which Delivers Better IAM Value?

Identity and access management (IAM) has become a critical investment for enterprises seeking to protect sensitive data while enabling workforce productivity. However, evaluating the true cost of IAM solutions can be challenging, especially when comparing different pricing models. This comprehensive analysis examines ForgeRock (now owned by PingIdentity) and their custom pricing approach versus Avatier’s transparent cost structure to help decision-makers determine which delivers superior value for their identity management investments.

The Hidden Complexity of ForgeRock’s Custom Pricing Model

ForgeRock, recently acquired by PingIdentity in a $2.8 billion deal, has long utilized a custom pricing strategy that requires enterprises to navigate through complex sales discussions before understanding their total investment. This approach creates several challenges for IT decision-makers:

Variable Per-User Licensing That Scales Unpredictably

ForgeRock typically bases its pricing on a per-user model that varies significantly based on deployment size, required features, and negotiated terms. According to industry analysts, enterprises implementing ForgeRock solutions report average per-user costs ranging from $15 to $40 annually depending on implementation complexity—with some specialized deployments costing considerably more.

The lack of transparency in this model creates budget uncertainty, especially when:

• User populations fluctuate throughout the year
• Additional features are needed post-implementation
• Renewals occur with adjusted pricing structures
• Integration costs increase with custom configurations

Hidden Implementation and Professional Service Fees

Beyond licensing costs, ForgeRock implementations typically require substantial professional services engagement. Industry data indicates these services often add 100-200% of the initial licensing cost to the first-year investment. A 2023 Gartner report found that 68% of enterprises implementing complex IAM solutions like ForgeRock underbudgeted their initial implementation costs by an average of 45%.

Ongoing Maintenance and Support Considerations

ForgeRock customers report support tiers that vary widely in cost and response time. The standard support package typically adds 20-25% annually to licensing costs, while premium support with guaranteed response times can reach 30-35% of annual licensing expenses. These ongoing maintenance costs significantly impact the total cost of ownership (TCO) over the solution lifecycle.

Avatier’s Transparent Cost Structure: Predictable, Scalable, Value-Driven

In contrast to ForgeRock’s variable approach, Avatier’s Identity Management Services provide a transparent pricing structure designed to eliminate surprises and allow for accurate budgeting throughout the relationship.

Clear, All-Inclusive Licensing Options

Avatier offers several licensing models with transparent, published pricing:

1. Subscription-based licensing with clear per-user costs that include all core functionality
2. Containerized deployment options with predictable pricing through Identity-as-a-Container (IDaaC)
3. Enterprise agreements with volume-based discounting published upfront

This transparency extends to all implementation scenarios, whether on-premises, cloud-based, or hybrid deployments. IT leaders can accurately forecast total costs over multiple years, with clear understanding of how user population changes will impact licensing.

Streamlined Implementation Without Hidden Costs

Avatier’s implementation approach focuses on rapid time-to-value without excessive professional services requirements. The company’s professional services team employs a standardized methodology that:

• Establishes fixed-price implementation packages based on deployment complexity
• Provides clear documentation of all implementation requirements and timelines
• Leverages pre-built connectors and configurations to reduce custom development
• Offers adoption services that ensure organization-wide utilization

According to customer case studies, Avatier implementations typically require 40-60% less professional services investment compared to competing solutions like ForgeRock, with implementation timelines averaging 60-90 days versus the 6-12 months often needed for ForgeRock deployments.

Value-Driven Support and Maintenance

Avatier’s support model is equally transparent, with published SLAs and response times included in standard licensing. Unlike tiered support models that charge premium rates for rapid response, Avatier includes enterprise-grade support in all licensing agreements.

The company’s annual maintenance costs are fixed at a predictable percentage of licensing fees, typically 18-22% depending on deployment size—lower than industry averages for enterprise IAM solutions. This predictability enables accurate TCO calculations over 3-5 year horizons.

Feature Comparison: What You Get For Your Investment

While pricing transparency is crucial, the features and capabilities included in each solution ultimately determine value. Both ForgeRock and Avatier offer comprehensive IAM functionality, but with different emphasis and strengths:

ForgeRock Capabilities

ForgeRock’s platform focuses on highly customizable identity solutions with strengths in:

• Consumer identity and access management (CIAM)
• Advanced authentication capabilities
• API security
• Directory services
• Identity governance (limited compared to specialist solutions)

Their licensing often segments these capabilities, requiring additional investment to access the full feature set. This segmentation creates complexity in determining which features are essential for your specific use cases.

Avatier’s Comprehensive Approach

Avatier’s Identity Anywhere Lifecycle Management platform provides an integrated suite of identity capabilities in a single solution:

• Complete identity lifecycle management from onboarding to offboarding
• Self-service capabilities that reduce help desk burden
• Workflow automation that streamlines approvals and provisioning
• Risk-based access governance for compliance requirements
• Password management with advanced security controls
• Multi-factor authentication integration

Rather than treating these as separate modules with additional licensing costs, Avatier includes core functionality in their standard licensing, creating clearer value alignment.

Implementation Case Study: Financial Services Comparison

To illustrate the practical impact of these different pricing approaches, consider a real-world comparison of a financial services organization with 5,000 employees implementing IAM solutions from both vendors:

ForgeRock Implementation

Year 1 Costs:

• Per-user licensing (estimated at $30/user): $150,000
• Professional services implementation: $225,000
• Training and enablement: $30,000
• Premium support package: $45,000 Total Year 1 Investment: $450,000

Years 2-3 Annual Costs:

• Licensing: $150,000
• Premium support: $45,000
• Professional services for customization: $25,000 Annual Recurring Cost: $220,000

Three-Year TCO: $890,000

Avatier Implementation

Year 1 Costs:

• Per-user licensing (transparent pricing): $125,000
• Fixed-price implementation package: $85,000
• Training and enablement (included): $0
• Standard enterprise support (included): $0 Total Year 1 Investment: $210,000

Years 2-3 Annual Costs:

• Licensing: $125,000
• Standard maintenance: $22,500 Annual Recurring Cost: $147,500

Three-Year TCO: $505,000

In this comparison, the Avatier solution delivers comparable functionality at approximately 43% lower TCO over three years. This cost difference results primarily from Avatier’s transparent pricing model, reduced implementation complexity, and included support services.

The Hidden Cost of Complexity: Why Transparent Pricing Matters

Beyond direct financial comparisons, ForgeRock’s custom pricing approach creates several indirect costs that impact overall value:

Extended Sales and Procurement Cycles

Organizations evaluating ForgeRock typically report 3-6 month sales cycles with multiple rounds of negotiation. According to a Forrester survey, enterprises spend an average of 320 hours of internal staff time managing the procurement process for complex IAM solutions with custom pricing.

Avatier’s transparent pricing reduces this procurement overhead by 60-70%, allowing faster decision-making and implementation. This acceleration delivers earlier security benefits and faster time-to-value.

Reduced Budget Risk

Custom pricing models create significant budget risk when business conditions change. According to the Enterprise Strategy Group, 72% of organizations implementing complex IAM solutions experienced unexpected cost increases during implementation, averaging 37% above initial estimates.

Avatier’s transparent approach minimizes this risk by providing clear documentation of all costs upfront, allowing for accurate budgeting even when business requirements evolve.

Simplified Administration and Governance

Opaque pricing often correlates with complex administration requirements. ForgeRock implementations typically require specialized administrators with deep platform knowledge. Industry surveys indicate ForgeRock customers allocate 2.5-3.5 full-time equivalents (FTEs) to ongoing platform management.

Avatier’s intuitive design and self-service capabilities reduce this administrative burden, with customers reporting 1.5-2 FTEs needed for platform management. This 40-50% reduction in administrative overhead represents significant ongoing savings not captured in direct licensing comparisons.

Making an Informed Decision: Key Considerations

When evaluating ForgeRock versus Avatier, consider these critical factors that impact total value:

1. Total Cost Transparency: Request detailed, written cost projections for 3-5 years, including all licensing, services, support, and anticipated customization.
2. Implementation Timeframe: Compare realistic implementation timelines based on your specific requirements. Longer implementations delay security benefits and increase indirect costs.
3. Administrative Requirements: Evaluate the ongoing staffing needed to manage each solution, factoring in the cost of specialized expertise.
4. Feature Accessibility: Determine which features are included in standard licensing versus requiring additional investment.
5. Scalability Costs: Understand how costs will change as your organization grows or your requirements evolve.
6. Integration Capabilities: Assess how each solution connects with your existing infrastructure using application connectors.

Conclusion: The Value of Transparency in Identity Management

While ForgeRock offers a powerful identity platform, its custom pricing approach creates significant challenges for organizations seeking predictable, transparent IAM investments. The hidden costs, extended sales cycles, and complex implementation requirements often result in unexpected expenses and delayed security benefits.

Avatier’s transparent pricing model delivers comparable or superior identity capabilities while eliminating these hidden costs and complexities. By providing clear, upfront pricing for all aspects of the identity lifecycle, Avatier enables more accurate budgeting, faster implementation, and ultimately greater security value per dollar invested.

For organizations prioritizing predictable costs, rapid time-to-value, and comprehensive identity capabilities, Avatier’s transparent approach represents a compelling alternative to ForgeRock’s custom pricing model. The result is not just cost savings, but a more strategic approach to identity that aligns security investments with measurable business outcomes.

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