In short: Duo Free is Cisco Duo's free edition for up to 10 users. It includes multi-factor authentication, application integrations and the Duo Mobile app, but not the Essentials features: single sign-on, Duo Directory, phishing-resistant MFA, complete passwordless, Trusted Endpoints and unlimited applications. Larger teams need a paid edition.
What is Duo Free?
Duo Free is the entry-level edition of Cisco Duo. It is not a trial: it is a standing edition aimed at small businesses, charities and teams with 10 or fewer users. You get the same cloud service, Admin Panel and Duo Mobile app as paying customers, with a smaller feature set.
It is a sensible way to put multi-factor authentication in front of the systems a small team relies on, or to learn how Duo works before rolling out a paid edition.
What Duo Free includes
- Multi-factor authentication for up to 10 users, with Duo Push as the main method
- Application integrations: Duo's catalogue of integrations for cloud and on-premises systems
- The Duo Mobile app for iOS and Android, including passcodes that work without a signal
- The Duo Admin Panel to add applications, manage users and set policy
Duo's website describes the Free edition only at this headline level, so if a specific integration or method matters to you, test it in the trial or ask us to check before you rely on it.
What Duo Free does not include
Everything Duo lists as an Essentials feature is missing from Free:
| Feature | Duo Free | Duo Essentials |
|---|---|---|
| Users | Up to 10 | Licensed per user, no 10-user cap |
| Unlimited applications | Not listed | Yes |
| Duo Single Sign-On | No | Yes |
| Duo Directory | No | Yes |
| Phishing-resistant MFA | No | Yes |
| Complete passwordless | No | Yes |
| Trusted Endpoints (device trust) | No | Yes |
| Offline access for Windows Logon | No | Yes |
Free also has none of the Advantage or Premier features, such as risk-based authentication, device health checks, Identity Intelligence or Duo Network Gateway. The full grid is on the Cisco Duo pricing page.
The 30-day trial and Duo Free
When you sign up for a new Duo account, you start on a 30-day trial of Duo Advantage, not on Duo Free. That gives you a month to try SSO, passwordless, risk-based policies and device health checks.
If you do not buy a paid subscription by the end of the trial, Duo switches the account to Duo Free. Any features that belong to paid editions stop working, so check that your policies and integrations still behave as expected after the switch; buying a paid plan later restores the trial settings. During the trial, phone-call authentication is not available and some branding settings are locked, but Duo Push, SMS passcodes, security keys and hardware tokens all work.
When to upgrade from Duo Free
Look at Duo Essentials when any of these apply:
- You have, or soon will have, more than 10 people who need to log in
- You want single sign-on, so staff log in once to reach all their SaaS apps
- You want phishing-resistant or passwordless login with passkeys or security keys
- You need to allow only company-managed devices through Trusted Endpoints
- Laptops need Windows Logon protection that still works offline
- You need to evidence MFA for Cyber Essentials or a cyber insurance proposal across every service
Free customers can move to a paid edition at any time: we can quote the upgrade and help switch on the new features.
How we help small teams
Many small organisations do not have in-house IT. We can set up Duo Free or a paid edition for you, protect Microsoft 365, your VPN and Windows logon, and write simple enrolment instructions for staff. Read more about Duo for small businesses, or contact us to talk through your options.
How Forever Systems supplies and supports Cisco Duo
We supply, set up and support Cisco Duo for UK organisations, from small teams and schools to multi-site businesses.
- Edition selection: Duo Free, Essentials, Advantage or Premier, matched to your users, applications and compliance needs
- Integration design: Microsoft 365 and Entra ID, Google Workspace, AWS, VPNs and firewalls, Windows and macOS logon, RDP and RD Gateway, the Authentication Proxy and Duo Single Sign-On
- Device trust: Trusted Endpoints, device health policies and Duo Desktop, alongside your MDM
- Roll-out: user enrolment, communications, hardware tokens for staff without smartphones, and help desk processes that stop MFA fatigue
- Ongoing support: policy tuning, reporting, Cyber Essentials and cyber insurance evidence, renewals and licence changes
Forever Systems Ltd is an independent IT and cyber security provider and also supplies the wider Cisco Secure portfolio.
Want a Cisco Duo quote, trial or roll-out plan?
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
Is Cisco Duo free?
Duo Free is free for teams of up to 10 users and includes MFA, integrations and the Duo Mobile app. Paid editions start at Duo Essentials.
How many users can use Duo Free?
Up to 10. Beyond that you need a paid edition, licensed per user.
What happens when the Duo trial ends?
New accounts start on a 30-day Duo Advantage trial. If you do not buy a paid edition by the end, Duo switches the account to Duo Free and the paid features stop working. Buying a paid plan later restores the trial settings.
Does Duo Free include single sign-on?
No. Duo Single Sign-On, Duo Directory, passwordless and Trusted Endpoints start at Duo Essentials.
Is the Duo Mobile app free?
Yes. Duo Mobile is free to download for iOS and Android on every edition, including Duo Free. It can also hold passcodes for other services that use standard one-time codes.