In short: Google Cloud Identity Premium is Google's identity-as-a-service product: a managed user directory with single sign-on to SAML apps, automated user provisioning, 2-Step Verification, context-aware access, advanced mobile and Windows device management and security reporting. It is licensed per user, monthly or annually, and works with or without Google Workspace.
What Cloud Identity is
Cloud Identity is the identity layer underneath Google Workspace, sold on its own. It gives you a managed Google account for each user, a directory of users and groups, and the Google Admin console to control sign-in, devices and access to apps, without paying for Gmail, Drive or Meet.
Organisations use it to manage identities for people who do not need Workspace apps (for example, staff who use another email platform but sign in to Google Cloud or Chromebooks), to add single sign-on and device management to a mixed estate, or to manage users of Google Cloud. Google offers a Free edition and a Premium edition; we supply Cloud Identity Premium. Enterprise editions of Google Workspace already include Cloud Identity Premium features, so you do not need both.
Free vs Premium
| Capability | Cloud Identity Free | Cloud Identity Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Managed user accounts and groups | Yes | Yes |
| 2-Step Verification and security keys | Yes | Yes |
| SSO to SAML and custom apps, with Google or a third party as identity provider | Yes | Yes |
| Automated user provisioning to apps | No | Yes |
| Basic mobile and computer management, endpoint verification | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced mobile management, zero-touch enrolment, device approval, remote wipe | No | Yes |
| Windows device management | No | Yes |
| Context-aware access | No | Yes |
| Security dashboard, investigation tool and health page | No | Yes |
| Device log events and audit log export to BigQuery | No | Yes |
| Secure LDAP | No | Yes |
| Drive storage | None of its own | 15GB per user, pooled |
Premium is the edition to choose if you want policy-driven access (only allow sign-in from managed, encrypted devices, for example) or automatic creation and removal of accounts in your other cloud apps.
How Cloud Identity Premium is licensed
Cloud Identity Premium is licensed per user. Licensing applies to people, not devices: anyone who signs in to a managed device needs a licence that supports the features you apply to it. It is available on Google's Flexible Plan (monthly, add and remove users at any time) or Annual/Fixed-Term Plan (a commitment of a year or more at a lower per-user cost, reducible only at renewal).
Cloud Identity Premium can sit in the same Google account as Workspace users, so you can license Workspace for people who need the apps and Cloud Identity Premium for those who only need managed sign-in. Ask us for a quote.
Who it suits and requirements
Cloud Identity Premium suits organisations that already use Google for identity, such as Chromebook fleets, Google Cloud projects or a partial Workspace roll-out, and want stronger control without upgrading every user to an Enterprise Workspace edition. It also suits schools and charities managing Chromebooks for staff who use another email platform.
To set it up you need a domain you can verify. Context-aware access and some device features need devices to be enrolled or to run endpoint verification. If your main identity platform is elsewhere and you mainly need MFA and device trust for many apps, a dedicated access product such as Cisco Duo may be a better fit; we can help you compare.
How we help
We set up Cloud Identity Premium on your Forever Systems account, verify your domain, connect SSO and provisioning to your key apps, enrol devices and build context-aware access levels that match your policies. We then handle user changes and renewals.
Contact us for a quote, or browse other identity and access products.
How Forever Systems supplies your software licences
Forever Systems Ltd supplies business software subscriptions to UK organisations from one account, with one monthly invoice and a UK team who know the products.
- The right edition first time: we check what you need before you buy, so you are not paying for features you will never use
- Monthly or annual terms where the vendor offers them, and help timing renewals and commitments
- Licence changes handled for you: add or remove users, upgrade editions and true-up without starting a new contract
- Deployment and support from engineers who run these products every day, not just a reseller account
- Consolidated billing and renewal reminders so nothing lapses unexpectedly
We work with businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations of all sizes.
Need a licence quote or a second opinion on your renewal?
Tell Forever Systems what you need and we will come back to you by email with options, not a hard sell.
Contact usFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Cloud Identity Free and Premium?
Premium adds automated user provisioning, context-aware access, advanced mobile and Windows device management, the security dashboard and investigation tool, Secure LDAP and BigQuery log export to the core directory, SSO and 2-Step Verification in the Free edition.
Do I need Cloud Identity Premium if I have Google Workspace?
Not if you have an Enterprise edition, which includes it. Business edition customers may add it for users who need context-aware access or advanced device management without changing their Workspace edition.
Is Cloud Identity Premium licensed per device?
No. It is licensed per user. Anyone who signs in to a managed device needs a licence that supports the features applied to that device.
Can Cloud Identity provide single sign-on to other apps?
Yes. Both editions support SAML single sign-on, with Google as the identity provider or federated to a third-party provider; Premium adds automatic user provisioning to supported apps.