C1 vs Orchid Security
ILM Reference editors · Editorial assessment · Published 2026-09-28
Orchid Security scores higher overall on our weights: 71/100 against 63/100 for C1. C1 wins three of the seven criteria (JML automation, certification campaign depth and pricing transparency) and Orchid Security wins four (disconnected-app coverage, orphan and local account discovery, audit evidence and works alongside existing IdP and IGA). On disconnected-app coverage, the heaviest-weighted criterion, Orchid Security leads 92 to 55.
- Lifecycle coverage score
- 63 / 100
- Rank of 8
- 6
- Category
- Identity governance and administration (IGA)
- Designation
- Best open connector model
- Lifecycle coverage score
- 71 / 100
- Rank of 8
- 1
- Category
- Identity orchestration and discovery
- Designation
- Top pick: disconnected-app and local-account coverage
Scores are an editorial assessment of public vendor material. See Editorial method.
How do C1 and Orchid Security score on each criterion?
| Criterion (weight) | C1 | Orchid Security | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disconnected-app coverage (22) | 55 | 92 | Orchid Security |
| Orphan and local account discovery (18) | 60 | 90 | Orchid Security |
| JML automation (15) | 78 | 45 | C1 |
| Certification campaign depth (12) | 75 | 30 | C1 |
| Audit evidence (13) | 65 | 85 | Orchid Security |
| Works alongside existing IdP and IGA (12) | 70 | 95 | Orchid Security |
| Pricing transparency (8) | 30 | 20 | C1 |
| Lifecycle coverage score | 63 | 71 | Orchid Security |
Read the reasons for each score
- Disconnected-app coverage
- C1: Baton open-source connectors and C1 Bridge for on-prem systems; apps with no connector are not described in detail.
- Orchid Security: States it discovers SaaS, cloud, on-prem, legacy and custom-built applications and brings unmanaged ones under IAM, IGA, PAM and audit control.
- Orphan and local account discovery
- C1: 'Find what offboarding missed', plus shadow app signup and login detection.
- Orchid Security: Surfaces local user activity, hardcoded accounts and orphaned accounts inside applications; publishes an Orphan & Local Accounts report.
- JML automation
- C1: HR systems and directories trigger join, role change, leave and departure workflows.
- Orchid Security: Does not describe itself as a provisioning engine; JML execution stays in the IGA or IdP it feeds.
- Certification campaign depth
- C1: Automated user access reviews as part of AI-native identity governance.
- Orchid Security: No certification campaign module described; reviews run in the governance platform.
- Audit evidence
- C1: Records each offboarding action; framework evidence export not described.
- Orchid Security: Continuous, application-level identity evidence mapped to SOX, PCI, HIPAA, GDPR and NIS2; every discovery, policy and action recorded.
- Works alongside existing IdP and IGA
- C1: Connects to existing IdPs and HR systems rather than replacing them.
- Orchid Security: Positioned to augment existing tools; lists Microsoft, SailPoint, Saviynt and CyberArk integrations and is a SailPoint Technology Alliance Partner (August 2026).
- Pricing transparency
- C1: Publishes the pricing structure (Platform or Flex, Pro or Advanced, 1,000 to 20,000 identities) but no prices.
- Orchid Security: No public pricing; demo request only.
What does each tool do?
Identity governance with JML automation, access reviews and open-source Baton connectors, now branded C1.
Category Identity governance and administration (IGA)
Discovers unmanaged applications, maps how identity works inside them, and feeds that context to the IAM, IGA and PAM tools you already run.
Category Identity orchestration and discovery
How do C1 and Orchid Security compare on pricing and deployment?
| Fact | C1 | Orchid Security |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Structure published, prices scoped by quote. | Not published. Contact sales. |
| Deployment | SaaS with hosted or on-prem connectors (C1 Bridge). | Not published in detail on public pages. Confirm with the vendor. |
How do they handle disconnected applications?
| Tool | Discovery of the app | Account data collection | Leaver action on the app | Method described | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orchid Security | Documented discovers unmanaged SaaS, cloud, on-prem, legacy and custom apps | Documented maps accounts, roles and authentication paths inside the app | Partial feeds context to IAM, IGA and ITSM tools, which act | Discovery and analysis, then orchestration into existing tools | Source: orchid.security/platform · Reviewed Sep 2026 |
| C1 | Partial shadow app signup and login detection | Partial Baton connectors, C1 Bridge for on-prem | Not documented for apps with no connector | Open-source connectors | Source: c1.ai · Reviewed Sep 2026 |
Source: orchid.security/platform · Reviewed Sep 2026
Source: c1.ai · Reviewed Sep 2026
Which should you choose?
Choose C1 if access certification campaigns are your main audit deliverable, or if HR-driven joiner, mover and leaver automation is the priority.
Identity governance with JML automation, access reviews and open-source Baton connectors, now branded C1.
Choose Orchid Security if you need coverage for applications with no connector, no SCIM endpoint and no SSO integration, or if finding orphan, dormant and local accounts is the priority.
Discovers unmanaged applications, maps how identity works inside them, and feeds that context to the IAM, IGA and PAM tools you already run.
Weights change the answer. Try your own in the calculator.
FAQ
Which is better for identity lifecycle management, C1 or Orchid Security?
On our rubric Orchid Security scores 71/100 and C1 63/100. Orchid Security is ahead mainly on disconnected-app coverage and orphan and local account discovery. Buyers who weight certification campaign depth more heavily may prefer C1; the calculator shows how the order changes.
Which handles disconnected applications better, C1 or Orchid Security?
Orchid Security scores 92 to 55 on disconnected-app coverage. C1: Baton open-source connectors and C1 Bridge for on-prem systems; apps with no connector are not described in detail. Orchid Security: States it discovers SaaS, cloud, on-prem, legacy and custom-built applications and brings unmanaged ones under IAM, IGA, PAM and audit control.
Do C1 and Orchid Security publish pricing?
C1: Structure published, prices scoped by quote. Orchid Security: Not published. Contact sales.
Keep reading
Sources
- c1.ai
- c1.ai lifecycle
- c1.ai shadow IT
- c1.ai pricing
- orchid.security
- orchid.security/platform
- orchid.security/use-case/grc-audit
- orchid.security/reports/orphan-local-accounts
- orchid.security SailPoint partnership
- orchid.security/use-case/identity-access-management-programs
- orchid.security/blog/what-happens-when-you-actually-look-inside-an-app
- orchid.security/costco-story
Reviewed Sep 2026