Organizations face the challenge of securing sensitive data while ensuring user-friendly access, leading to the evolution from traditional identity and access management (IAM) to customer identity and access management (CIAM) solutions. CIAM focuses on external users like customers and partners, prioritizing user experience and scalability, while IAM targets internal users, emphasizing security and operational efficiency. Although both aim to protect data through authentication and authorization, they differ in target audiences, user experience priorities, and integration needs. CIAM solutions, often cloud-based, handle millions of consumer identities and adapt to business growth, whereas IAM manages internal access with a focus on enterprise systems. Companies may choose between CIAM, IAM, or a hybrid approach based on their unique needs, with tools like Descope offering low-code CIAM platforms to streamline user authentication and security, enhancing both user interaction and data protection.