Identity is the frontline of today’s cybersecurity battles.
Whether it’s stolen credentials, over-provisioned access, or dormant accounts, attackers have found that the easiest way in is often through the front door—by posing as someone who already belongs. And yet, for many organizations, the systems meant to manage identity and access are either too costly, too complex, or simply out of reach.
This tension is pushing the Identity Governance and Administration market to evolve. Even small and mid-sized organizations need identity tools they can deploy quickly, manage easily, and afford without budgetary gymnastics.
The Identity Gap for Growing Organizations
The cybersecurity community agrees: identity is the new perimeter. I talk to executives from technology and cybersecurity vendors across the spectrum. Regardless of the area of focus of the company or the solutions they provide, the discussion frequently comes back to the importance of identity security.
But that awareness hasn’t necessarily translated into action, particularly among resource-constrained companies. While Fortune 500 enterprises deploy full-fledged IGA platforms with lifecycle management, access reviews, and privileged access monitoring, smaller firms often make do with spreadsheets, email approvals, and best guesses.
The result? A growing identity gap where bad actors have more opportunities to exploit excessive access or outdated entitlements in environments with fewer safeguards.
I spoke with Subbu Rama, CEO of BalkanID, about these challenges. He explained, “If somebody gets into Tony’s account, acts as Tony, and Tony is not least privileged, now you actually have exposed too much in your company—and now that’s the keys to the whole kingdom.”
The Problem with Traditional IGA
Many IGA solutions were built in a different era—one where long implementation cycles, high-touch professional services, and six-figure price tags were the norm. They assumed companies had security teams to spare and the patience to customize workflows for months before realizing value.
The environment looks very different today. Organizations are leaner, faster, and operating in a digital landscape that changes daily. They need tools that can adapt just as quickly, not platforms that require a project manager just to get started.
A Shift Toward Lightweight, Modular Models
In response to growing demand from lean security teams, a new generation of IGA platforms is emerging. These solutions are built for speed, simplicity, and scalability. They can often be deployed in under an hour and are designed with modular features that organizations can enable as needed. But one of the most transformative aspects of this new model is how these platforms are priced..
Traditionally, IGA pricing has been a black box. Organizations are often required to sit through multiple sales calls before they get any sense of what the solution will cost—and even then, pricing is frequently bundled, inconsistent, or tied to long-term contracts. This lack of transparency creates friction and mistrust at a time when security teams need clarity and flexibility.
BalkanID’s new product, BalkanID Lite, challenges that approach. It’s a self-service offering designed for mid-market companies that need essential identity governance features without the enterprise-level price tag or implementation burden. What sets it apart isn’t just its features—it’s the way it’s priced.
BalkanID publishes clear, modular pricing directly on its website. Organizations can see what each component costs, pick only what they need, and understand exactly what they’re committing to. It’s an approach borrowed from consumer experiences—simple, upfront, and predictable.
“We wanted to solve [the problem] by making the pricing completely transparent,” Rama explained. “Just like you buy cars now—hey, do I want a low-end model? That’s all I care about, like a Model 3? Sure. Here’s the Model 3. Want a Model X? Here’s the pricing for a Model X.”
By removing the need for negotiations and eliminating hidden fees, this model empowers customers to make informed decisions based on their actual needs and budgets. It also reflects a broader trend in SaaS: transparency is becoming a feature, not just a nice-to-have.
From Compliance Checkbox to Security Cornerstone
The evolution of tools is important, but so is the mindset shift. For years, identity governance was viewed primarily as a compliance necessity—something done quarterly to satisfy auditors. That’s no longer enough.
As threat actors grow more sophisticated, identity governance must become continuous and dynamic. Least privilege can’t be a one-time review—it needs to be a living principle embedded into how access is granted, adjusted, and revoked. The challenge is balancing that level of control with the need for business agility.
Building the Future on Flexibility
According to Rama, the future of identity governance is modular. It’s accessible. It’s aligned with how companies actually work today. For SMBs and mid-market players, that means having options that don’t require tradeoffs between productivity and protection.
It also means recognizing that the value of a security tool isn’t just in its features—it’s in how quickly and consistently it delivers results without becoming a burden to manage.
As companies reassess their security priorities, identity governance is getting the long-overdue attention it deserves. And thanks to this wave of more agile, transparent, and user-friendly platforms, that attention might finally translate into action.
Because identity risk isn’t reserved for the Fortune 500—and neither should be the tools to manage it.
