When looking for a reliable multi-factor authentication (MFA) solution, it’s easy to get lost in the variety of options available on the market. To help you navigate these choices, we’ve launched a series of comparison articles that examine how the Protectimus MFA platform stacks up against other prominent providers. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Protectimus and Rublon. Both companies provide comprehensive two-factor authentication (2FA) solutions, but differ significantly in deployment options, features, provided authentication methods, and customization options. We’ll walk you through the key differences in server-side deployment, supported technologies, core features, authentication methods, and pricing. Prefer short reads? See the comparison table below! 1. Server-Side Component Key Difference:  Rublon is a cloud-based solution. Protectimus offers both fully cloud-based and comprehensive on-premise MFA server deployment options. Rublon Rublon is a cloud-based two-factor authentication solution. This means Rublon hosts and manages all authentication servers in its infrastructure. When an organization activates Rublon MFA, the cloud platform handles all authentication logic, configuration, policies, and event logs. There is no option to deploy the authentication server on-premise — this makes Rublon easier to set up and manage, but limits its applicability in environments with strict data residency, privacy, or regulatory requirements. The Rublon Admin Console is the central control point. From there, administrators can: Configure MFA rules and policies (e.g. IP allowlisting, adaptive access conditions). View authentication events and audit logs. Assign applications for protection, such as VPN, Microsoft 365, RDP, and ADFS. Add or remove users. Deploy Rublon’s connectors to protect systems and integrate with the Rublon cloud backend. Users are authenticated through connectors or agents (e.g., Rublon Windows Logon & RDP agent, VPN plugin, SSO connector), which communicate with the Rublon cloud to verify credentials and deliver second factors like push notifications or TOTP challenges. These connectors are lightweight components that do not operate as full authentication servers, but rather serve as a bridge between local applications and the Rublon cloud. There is no local fallback option — if the Rublon cloud service is unreachable (e.g., due to internet outage), MFA functionality will be affected. Protectimus Protectimus offers its clients a choice between two deployment options: a Cloud MFA Service or a Self-Hosted On-Premises MFA Platform. This flexibility caters to businesses of all sizes, from a small startup to larger companies and enterprises with strict security and compliance needs. Protectimus Cloud Service The cloud version of Protectimus MFA is a fully managed service hosted in secure, geographically distributed data centers. It allows organizations to: Quickly integrate MFA into their infrastructure with minimal setup. Avoid the overhead of maintaining authentication infrastructure. Scale easily as user count or service coverage grows. Access the Protectimus Administration Panel to set up the settings and reports. All user data, OTP generation, policy enforcement, and access control are managed within Protectimus’ secure cloud backend. Integration usually happens through: API and SDKs (Java, PHP, Python). Pre-built plugins that include connectors for LDAP, Windows, RADIUS, ADFS, Azure AD, OWA, Citrix, VPNs, and others. Protectimus Cloud appears to be very user-friendly for companies looking to lower their infrastructure management without sacrificing security. Protectimus On-Premise Platform For enterprises and government agencies that require complete control over their authentication system, Protectimus offers a full-featured on-premise platform. This platform is installed in the customer’s private infrastructure (local data center or private cloud), allowing them to: Control all authentication data locally. Operate in air-gapped or offline environments. Comply with internal and external regulations (e.g., GDPR, ISO 27001, national security requirements). Key features of the on-premise version: Full-featured Admin Console identical to the cloud version. Support for all token types and authentication policies. Ability to configure integrations via the same...