# Hawcx vs Descope for AI agent authentication

> Hawcx vs Descope: both tie each AI agent to the person behind it. Hawcx also checks each individual tool call and makes every grant single-use.

Markdown version of <https://www.hawcx.com/compare/hawcx-vs-descope>. Last updated 2026-10-03.

Both give each AI agent its own identity, tied to the person it acts for. Hawcx also checks each individual tool call against policy before it executes, carries proof of who delegated the action, and gives every call a grant that works once.

## Hawcx vs Descope, side by side

Nine capabilities: the six most vendors now cover, and the three that carry a person’s authority to each action.

| Capability | Hawcx | Descope |
|---|---|---|
| The basics |   |   |
| Discovery: Finds the agents already running across your tools. | Partial | Not covered |
| Zero standing credentials: Agents hold no long-lived secrets; access is issued when it’s needed. | Full | Partial |
| Agent authentication: Each agent proves its own identity. | Full | Full |
| Authorization policy: Rules decide what each agent may do. | Full | Full |
| Runtime enforcement: Every call is checked before it runs. | Full | Not covered |
| Governance and audit: A record of every agent, its owner and its actions. | Full | Partial |
| From the person to the action |   |   |
| Phishing-resistant human root of trust: The agent’s authority starts with a person’s phishing-resistant sign-in. | Full | Full |
| Proof of delegation on every action: Each action carries proof that a specific person delegated it. | Full | Partial |
| A single-use grant for every tool call: A captured call can’t run twice. | Full | Not covered |

Based on public materials, September 2026.

## Which one fits?

### Choose Hawcx when

Your agents act for your own employees, each tool call needs its own policy check and delegation proof, and a replayed call must fail.

### Choose Descope when

You’re building customer-facing AI apps or MCP servers and want user sign-in, consent, OAuth scopes and agent tokens in one platform, with managed credentials for the services agents call.

[All comparisons](https://www.hawcx.com/compare)