TL;DR: Single Sign-On (SSO) Solutions
- Definition: SSO streamlines user authentication by allowing access to multiple applications/services with one set of credentials, reducing login fatigue and enhancing security.
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Market: Valued at USD 4.5B in 2024, projected to reach USD 9.4B by 2030 (CAGR 13.1%), driven by complex cloud/SaaS environments, with IT & Telecom and large enterprises leading adoption.
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Benefits:
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Improved user experience by reducing login frequency and password frustration.
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Enhanced security by minimizing risky password practices and credential abuse.
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Reduced IT helpdesk requests for password resets.
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Streamlined access management for better operational efficiency.
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Challenges:
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Integration complexity and vendor lock-in, especially for SMBs.
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High upfront costs and lack of in-house expertise for smaller organizations.
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Single point of failure risk, requiring additional tools like MFA for robust security.
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Key Features: Centralized authentication, support for multiple apps/protocols, integration with MFA, role-based access controls, audit logging, and user-friendly interfaces.
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Future Trends: Increased adoption of cloud-based SSO, enhanced integration with MFA and zero-trust frameworks, and AI-driven analytics to optimize access management and security.
In today’s hybrid and remote work environments, Single Sign-On (SSO) plays a critical role in improving security posture and enhancing user experience
The goal of single sign-on is to streamline the process of authenticating users, minimizing the need for manual log-ins with alternative credentials, thereby reducing login fatigue and risky password practices. It achieves this by allowing users to access multiple applications and services via one single set of credentials.
As organizations today are adopting more and more cloud-based and SaaS applications, managing user access at scale becomes increasingly complex and risky. SSO addresses this by reducing password frustration, minimizing helpdesk requests for password resets, and lowering the risk of credential-related breaches.
Expert Insights have taken a deeper look into SSO statistics, examining multiple reports to bring you a comprehensive look at the current SSO market, as well as the benefits and potential impact of its use.
For more information on how SSO works, we would recommend reading this article: Single Sign-On (SSO) Buyer’s Guide.
General Market Statistics
- The SSO market had an estimated value of $4.5 billion in 2024. This is projected to grow to $9.4 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 13.1%.
- By industry, the IT & Telecom industry holds the largest share of the SSO market.
- By region, North America holds the largest share.
- By organization size, large enterprises hold the majority market share for SSO.
- The following factors have been identified as key drivers as to why people are adopting SSO tools, driving the market growth:
- Frequent logins to multiple applications disrupt employee workflows, causing frustration and reducing overall efficiency
- Using several different sets of credentials increases the chances that passwords can be forgotten or stolen
- A report from CISA cites the following reasons why smaller businesses often hesitate to adopt SSO:
- Implementation challenges – It can be difficult to switch to a different SSO provider once locked in
- Costs – especially when SMBs may need to focus more of their resources on profit-driving aspects of their business
- Lack of in-house technical resources and expertise
Reasons For SSO
- In a global survey of over 8,000 consumers, Ping Identity found that 89% of respondents have complaints about keeping track of their passwords.
- 54% of consumers surveyed have stopped using an account or online service because the login process was too frustrating.
- According to Verizon’s 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report, 22% of security incidents had credential abuse as an initial attack vector.
- A 2022 report from Gartner Peer Community found that the #1 reason organizations adopt SSO (66% of responses) was to improve access management. The next most popular reasons were to solve poor end-user password practices (56%), reduce IT support ticket requests (55%), and improve the end-user experience (55%).
- The #1 challenge organizations reported with SSO in their organization (52% of responses) was that SSO alone was not sufficient, and additional access management tools were needed. It is commonplace and often recommended for SSO to be used alongside MFA rather than by itself.
SSO Usage In The Wild
- According to OneLogin, 68% of employees switch between ten apps every hour. This means that if workers have to manually log into each one separately every day, the time it takes to do so can add up quickly.
- While employees are supposed to use separate passwords for each app, they usually don’t. In fact, 59% use the same or similar passwords on multiple accounts.
- A 2025 study found SSO to be an effective authentication tool for 80% of participating organizations. The average decrease in incidents was 35% from pre-implementation to post-implementation.
- However, SSO also runs the risk of a single point of failure where the compromise of the SSO system could lead to multiple application vulnerabilities.
- Users favored SSO for improving productivity and reducing login fatigue, although there were concerns over the centralized nature of access management.
Related articles from Expert Insights on the topic of Single Sign-On:
- Top Single Sign-On Solutions For Business
- Single Sign-On (SSO) Buyers’ Guide 2025
- Pros and Cons of Single Sign-On (SSO)
- How Does Single Sign-On Work?
- Are There Security Risks For Using Single Sign-On?
