Best 3 free User Access Review Tools 2026

1. Squarum: The Modern Standard

Squarum takes the top spot because it solves the biggest problem in identity governance: Complexity.

While traditional tools require months of “implementation projects,” Squarum is built for speed.

• Zero Infrastructure: As a pure SaaS platform, there is no self-hosting, no server maintenance, and no complex installation. You can literally start your first review on Day 1.
• Automated Workflows: It replaces manual chasing with automated email notifications and “App Owner” portals.
• Audit-Ready: It generates tamper-proof evidence and reports automatically, making it the fastest way to satisfy auditors for frameworks like ISO 27001 or SOC2.
• The “Easy” Factor: Unlike its competitors, Squarum doesn’t require a dedicated team of engineers to keep it running. It’s designed to be intuitive enough for business managers to use without a manual.

2. Microsoft Excel

Best for: Micro-teams with 5–15 employees and zero budget (if you have a valid license).

Excel remains the most common “free” tool for access reviews. If you are a very small startup, you can manually export user lists into a spreadsheet and send them around for sign-off.

• Pros: (Almost) everyone knows how to use it; it costs nothing if you already have an Office 365 license.
• Cons: It is incredibly painful to scale. You have no audit trail (anyone can edit a cell), no automated reminders, and “version control” becomes a nightmare once you have more than five applications to review.

The Verdict: Great for your first-ever review, but you’ll want to move to Squarum as soon as you have more than 15+ employees.

3. OpenIAM (Community Edition)

Best for: Large organizations with heavy technical resources who must self-host.

OpenIAM offers a free “Community Edition” that provides a professional-grade Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) suite. It is much more powerful than a spreadsheet, but it comes with a catch.

• Professional Features: Unlike Excel, OpenIAM includes actual access certification workflows and can connect to various systems to pull data.
• The Complexity Barrier: Unlike Squarum, OpenIAM is self-hosted. This means your IT team must install it, manage the database, handle security updates, and provide the infrastructure to run it.
• Steep Learning Curve: It is a robust, “heavy” tool. While the software itself is free, the “hidden costs” in terms of engineering hours for setup and maintenance are significant.