# Multi-factor authentication: what AI models recommend, November 2026

Gane Index, November 2026 Edition. Asked as "MFA solution" and as "multi-factor authentication tool", six framings each, to fourteen models with search on, on behalf of a mid-market B2B company. Page: https://www.gane.ai/index/it/identity/multi-factor-authentication/2026-11

**Standing:** Cisco Duo leads with 43% of first choices; verdict clear leader. 65 first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts.

## First-choice share

| Rank | Product | Share | Negative rate | Labels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [Cisco Duo](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/cisco-duo/index.md) | 43% | 2% | 66 |
| 2 | [Microsoft Entra ID](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/microsoft-entra-id/index.md) | 29% | 0% | 56 |
| 3 | [Okta Verify](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/okta-verify/index.md) | 8% | 13% | 53 |
| 4 | [Google Authenticator](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/google-authenticator/index.md) | 6% | 44% | 32 |
| 6 | [Microsoft Authenticator](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/microsoft-authenticator/index.md) | 5% | 28% | 18 |
| 7 | [Authy](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/authy/index.md) | 2% | 31% | 13 |
| 10 | [YubiKey](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/yubikey/index.md) | 0% | 5% | 21 |
| 11 | [Auth0](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/auth0/index.md) | 0% | 0% | 19 |
| 12 | [JumpCloud Protect](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/jumpcloud-protect/index.md) | 0% | 0% | 14 |
| 13 | [Ping Identity](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/ping-identity/index.md) | 0% | 8% | 12 |
| 14 | [OneLogin MFA](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/onelogin-mfa/index.md) | 0% | 0% | 11 |

Rank is by share of first choices among all 88 products named; products with the same share are tied, and the order among them carries no meaning. The table lists those with at least 10 labels.

## Each model's first choice on the direct prompt

- Claude Haiku 4.5: Cisco Duo; alternatives JumpCloud Protect, Microsoft Entra ID, Okta Verify
- GPT-5.4 mini: Microsoft Entra ID, Okta Verify
- Gemini 3.5 Flash: Cisco Duo; alternatives Auth0, JumpCloud Protect, Microsoft Entra ID, Okta Verify
- Perplexity Sonar: Cisco Duo; alternatives JumpCloud Protect, Microsoft Entra ID, Okta Verify
- Grok 4.20: Cisco Duo, Microsoft Entra ID
- Mistral Small: Cisco Duo, Microsoft Entra ID; alternatives Okta Verify, OneLogin MFA
- DeepSeek V4 Flash: Cisco Duo; alternatives Auth0, Microsoft Entra ID
- Llama 4 Maverick: Cisco Duo; alternatives Microsoft Entra ID, Okta Verify
- Qwen 3.7 Flash: Microsoft Entra ID, Okta Verify; alternatives Cisco Duo, JumpCloud Protect
- Kimi K2: Cisco Duo; alternatives Microsoft Entra ID, Okta Verify
- GLM 4.7 FlashX: Cisco Duo; alternatives Microsoft Entra ID
- MiniMax M2.5: Cisco Duo; alternatives Microsoft Entra ID
- GPT-6 Luna: Microsoft Entra ID; alternatives Cisco Duo, Okta Verify
- Muse Glimmer 30B: Cisco Duo; alternatives Microsoft Entra ID, Okta Verify

## Sources the answers cite

67 of 84 answers came back with a source list, from 13 of 14 models. Sites named in the most answers:

- techrepublic.com: 34 answers, 34 citations
- aimultiple.com: 30 answers, 33 citations
- cisa.gov: 25 answers, 53 citations
- duo.com: 25 answers, 39 citations
- mojoauth.com: 18 answers, 24 citations
- onelogin.com: 17 answers, 20 citations
- okta.com: 16 answers, 25 citations
- expertinsights.com: 16 answers, 16 citations

Pages named in the most answers:

- https://techrepublic.com/article/best-multi-factor-authentication-solutions (34 answers)
- https://aimultiple.com/mfa-solutions (28 answers)
- https://expertinsights.com/identity-and-access-management/the-top-multi-factor-authentication-mfa-solutions-for-business (16 answers)
- https://onelogin.com/learn/top-5-mfa-tools-for-iam-security (16 answers)
- https://protectimus.com/blog/best-mfa-solutions (15 answers)
- https://encomputers.com/2024/05/best-multi-factor-authentication-small-businesses (14 answers)
- https://frontegg.com/guides/multi-factor-authentication-solutions (12 answers)
- https://mojoauth.com/blog/top-mfa-tools-secure-identity.md (12 answers)
- https://cisa.gov/audiences/small-and-medium-businesses/secure-your-business/require-multifactor-authentication (11 answers)
- https://cisa.gov/resources-tools/training/why-strong-password-isnt-enough-your-guide-multifactor-authentication (9 answers)

## Warned against

- Google Authenticator: 14 of 32 labels negative. "Avoid for mid-size: Pure consumer tools like Google Authenticator (too basic, no central management)" (Grok 4.20, paraphrase prompt)
- Authy: 4 of 13 labels negative. "TOTP authenticator apps – e.g., Google Authenticator, Authy. They are stronger than SMS/email, but the 6-digit codes can be phished in real time" (Muse Glimmer 30B, negative prompt)
- Microsoft Authenticator: 5 of 18 labels negative. "Cybercriminals exploit push-based MFA apps (like Microsoft Authenticator) by bombarding users with authentication requests until they accidentally approve one" (Claude Haiku 4.5, negative prompt)
- Okta Verify: 7 of 53 labels negative. "Avoid premium-heavy tools like Okta (can get expensive)" (Grok 4.20, budget prompt)

## Movement since October 2026

Floor: 11 points of share, measured on the calibration repeat.
Same leader: Cisco Duo at 43%.

- Google Authenticator: 0% to 6%, +6. Inside the floor by 5 points · rank 77 → 4 of 88.
- Okta Verify: 13% to 8%, −5. Inside the floor by 6 points · rank 3 of 88, unchanged.
- Cisco Duo: 47% to 43%, −4. Inside the floor by 7 points · rank 1 of 88, unchanged.
- Microsoft Authenticator: 2% to 5%, +3. Inside the floor by 8 points · rank 5 → 6 of 88.
- Authy: 0% to 2%, +2. Inside the floor by 9 points · rank 68 → 7 of 88.
- OneLogin MFA: 2% to 0%, −2. Inside the floor by 9 points · rank 6 → 14 of 88.
- Microsoft Entra ID: 30% to 29%, −1. Inside the floor by 10 points · rank 2 of 88, unchanged.
- YubiKey: 0% to 0%, ±0. Inside the floor by 11 points · rank 9 → 10 of 88.
- Auth0: 0% to 0%, ±0. Inside the floor by 11 points · rank 12 → 11 of 88.
- JumpCloud Protect: 0% to 0%, ±0. Inside the floor by 11 points · rank 11 → 12 of 88.
- Ping Identity: 0% to 0%, ±0. Inside the floor by 11 points · rank 10 → 13 of 88.

## Record

- Method: https://www.gane.ai/index/it/methodology
- License: CC BY 4.0. Cite as Gane Index, November 2026 Edition, www.gane.ai/index/it.