# Hawcx vs Microsoft Entra Agent ID for AI agent authentication

> Hawcx vs Microsoft Entra Agent ID: both tie AI agents to people. Hawcx works with Entra and adds delegation proof and a one-time grant to each call.

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

Both give AI agents their own identities, tied to people in your directory. Hawcx works with Entra ID and adds three things at every tool call: a policy check before it runs, proof of who delegated it, and a grant that works once.

## Hawcx vs Microsoft Entra, 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 | Microsoft Entra Agent ID |
|---|---|---|
| The basics |   |   |
| Discovery: Finds the agents already running across your tools. | Partial | Full |
| 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 | Partial |
| Runtime enforcement: Every call is checked before it runs. | Full | Partial |
| Governance and audit: A record of every agent, its owner and its actions. | Full | Full |
| 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

Entra ID stays your directory, and every agent tool call must be checked before it runs, carry proof of who delegated it, and get a grant that works once.

### Choose Microsoft Entra when

Your agents mostly live in Microsoft 365 and Copilot Studio, and you want them registered, governed and protected with the same Entra controls you already apply to your people.

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