Authentik
FreemiumOpen-source identity provider
About Authentik
Authentik is an open-source identity provider built with Python and Django, supporting SAML, OIDC, OAuth2, LDAP, and SCIM. Around 15K GitHub stars. It positions itself as a modern Keycloak alternative with a cleaner UI and faster setup. The admin interface is more approachable than Keycloak's, and the flow editor — a visual drag-and-drop pipeline for authentication steps — makes customizing login workflows easier without editing XML configs. It runs on PostgreSQL with Redis for session storage and caching. Docker Compose setup works in under an hour for basic SSO. The main operational gotcha is that minor version upgrades have introduced breaking changes in flows and policy configurations — read every release note before upgrading. Memory usage runs around 500MB baseline, higher than Keycloak for comparable setups. SCIM provisioning for automating user lifecycle in connected apps is a standout feature. The community is active on Discord and documentation covers most scenarios with working examples.
Key Features
Pricing Plans
Open Source
- All core features
- Unlimited users
- Community support
Enterprise
- Per user
- Enterprise support
- Remote troubleshooting
Pros
- Comprehensive SSO solution
- Beautiful modern UI
- Flexible flow designer
- Easy Docker deployment
- Active development
- Good documentation
Cons
- Complex initial setup
- Resource hungry compared to alternatives
- Younger project less battle-tested
- Limited enterprise ecosystem
- Steep learning curve
- Fewer third-party integrations than Auth0
Best For
- SSO across self-hosted apps
- Teams starting fresh without Keycloak lock-in
- Custom authentication flows with SAML, OIDC, LDAP, and SCIM
- Organizations building multi-app identity infrastructure
Not Ideal For
- Teams requiring zero breaking changes between minor upgrades
- Enterprises with existing Keycloak-specific tooling
Potential Deal Breakers
- Breaking changes introduced between minor versions
- ~500MB baseline memory footprint
- Redis dependency adds operational complexity
Data & Privacy
Self-hosted identity provider. All user credentials, SSO sessions, and authentication data stored on your infrastructure. No telemetry. All identity data stays within your network. GDPR compliant by design.
Who Is This For?
Hands-on tested May 2026
Signup Experience
Self-hosted setup via Docker Compose -- no account or signup required. A working SSO instance is running in under an hour following the documentation. The visual flow editor is accessible immediately after setup. Connecting the first application via OIDC or SAML takes 15-30 minutes depending on the app.
For Home Users
Free and open source with no user limits -- ideal for homelab users wanting SSO across self-hosted services like Nextcloud, Grafana, and Jellyfin. The modern UI and visual flow editor make it more approachable than Keycloak for technical home users. The 500MB baseline memory requirement is acceptable on modern hardware.
For Business Users
Open source self-hosted is free with no per-user fees. Enterprise tier at $5/user/mo adds dedicated support and remote troubleshooting. The SCIM provisioning automates user lifecycle management across connected applications, reducing manual deprovisioning work significantly. Teams starting fresh without existing Keycloak infrastructure will find Authentik meaningfully faster to set up. The main operational risk is breaking changes between minor versions -- teams should maintain a test environment and read all release notes before upgrading production.
Our Verdict
Authentik is the best self-hosted IdP if you're starting fresh. The flow editor is a real differentiator and setup is meaningfully faster than Keycloak. Read every release note before upgrading — minor versions have broken flow configs for people who skipped that step.