WordPress Single Sign-on or SSO

Single sign-on (SSO) allows users to login to WordPress using the username and password from another service. For example, if you use Google services for your business, WordPress SSO can allow users to log in to WordPress with their Google account details.

One advantage of WordPress SSO for users is that they only need to remember one set of login credentials.

One advantage of WordPress SSO for site administrators is that they can use a single trusted source of user information to control logins to all their sites.

Google is just one example. WordPress SSO plugins are also available for Salesforce, Microsoft Office 365, OneLogin, Azure, Okta and more. This image below shows a WordPress login screen that has been customized for SSO with Google:

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Advantages of WordPress SSO services

1. Simplified password management. Remembering just one password makes the lives of users or employees so much simpler. In truth, when challenged to use different passwords for different services, most people do not; the vast majority actually use the same password across multiple sites, creating an even bigger risk. The use of SSO usually results in unusually strong passwords since users only have to use one.
2. Increased admin control. SSO streamlines the management of employee credentials. When employees turn over, in one shot departing users lose their login privileges across the entire organization.
3. Improved security. With most SSO services admins can easily view and change access levels which keeps your organization secure from disgruntled ex-employees. They can quickly add or remove users.
4. Fewer support requests. Because SSO greatly simplifies password management, it takes much of the burden off IT help desks, saving significant amounts of time and money.

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Disadvantages of WordPress SSO

1. SSO configuration can be complex. Just one example: take a look at the integration process between WordPress and Google accounts. You need to create an app and navigate through multiple confusing screens. Linking WordPress to the service provider is rarely easy.
2. SSO often relies on services that are blocked. We’ve seen problematic SSO integrations with Facebook, Twitter, Google services. These have caused issues with adblocking tools and corporate firewalls that are trained to block social media services.
3. Some SSO services have GDPR and privacy issues. If your sites are based in Europe, do you want to be using Google or a similar company as the backbone of your company’s login services?
4. SSO can get expensive, fast. For smaller companies, SSO can provide great benefits, but it can also become a heavy burden on the budget. If every user needs a Google account, that can easily be over $200 per year per user.

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RoleUp is a Great Alternative to WordPress SSO

RoleUp is a very good alternative to WordPress SSO.

Unlike many other SSO services, RoleUp is designed 100% for WordPress. You are not dealing with a service designed with WordPress as an after-thought.

RoleUp is simpler for users than normal WordPress SSO services. Many SSO integration will redirect users to another site to login. This can be confusing and break the normal sign-in process. With RoleUp, the users gain access via the normal WordPress login screen and nothing else.

RoleUp is simpler for site administrators than normal WordPress SSO services. RoleUp doesn’t use LDAP, SAML, SCIM, or any other complex identity provider configuration. Our WordPress integration uses application passwords, which are part of the WordPress core. All you need to do is log in to your WordPress site and approve the integration.

After you have approved the integration, RoleUp will then automatically import user accounts from your WordPress site. And what is more, RoleUp will group your accounts by email, making it easy to track which accounts are used by which person. This also makes onboarding and offboarding easy.

Features	RoleUp	Single Sign-On
Cost per user	Low	High
Separate accounts for each site (more secure)	Yes	No
Independent. No requirements to use 3rd-party services	Yes	No
Hassle-free integration	Yes	No
Easily add admins to sites	Yes	Yes
Free of impacts from firewalls and ad-blockers	Yes	No
Privacy-first approach	Yes	No
Easily remove admins from sites	Yes	Yes
View all sites available to each admin	Yes	No
Assign users to different roles on different sites	Yes	No
One-click setup and configuration	Yes	No