SP
Service Provider.
In SAML federation, the application that consumes authentication assertions from an identity provider, the SAML term for what OIDC calls the relying party.
Most enterprise SAML deployments require bidirectional metadata exchange: the SP publishes its metadata, the IdP imports it; the IdP publishes its metadata, the SP imports it. Modern CIAM ships self-service Admin Portal flows where the customer's IdP admin uploads the IdP metadata XML and downloads the SP metadata, removing the engineering touch from per-customer onboarding.
Common questions
Is Service Provider the same as Relying Party?
What is an SP entity ID?
What is the ACS URL?
Related terms
In the guides
B2B SaaS Identity: Organizations, SSO, SCIM, and the Enterprise Sales Checklist
How to design B2B SaaS identity: Organizations, Enterprise SSO with SAML and OIDC, SCIM provisioning, audit logs, and the IT-admin features that close enterprise deals.
Enterprise SSO: SAML vs OIDC, and How to Pick
SAML and OIDC are the two protocols that dominate enterprise SSO. A practical comparison, when each is the right answer, and the IdP-side considerations that determine the choice.