Authelia vs keycloak
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Authelia is an open-source authentication server that provides Single Sign-On (SSO) and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for web applications. It is designed to be highly customizable and scalable, making it suitable for a wide range of use cases.
Keycloak provides single sign‑on (SSO) and identity brokering for web, mobile, and API‑based applications. It supports standard protocols like OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0, and SAML, allowing seamless integration with existing user stores. The platform includes an admin console, user self‑service, and fine‑grained authorization policies, all available under an Apache 2.0 license. It can be deployed on‑premises or used as a managed service, making it suitable for both startups and large enterprises.
- Highly customizable and scalable
- Supports OpenID Connect (OIDC) and OAuth 2.0 protocols
- Provides Single Sign-On (SSO) and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
- Open-source and free to use
- Fully open source with no licensing fees
- Supports all major authentication standards
- Extensible with custom providers and scripts
- Strong community and Red Hat enterprise support
- Requires technical expertise to set up and configure
- Limited documentation and community support
- May require additional infrastructure to support large-scale deployments
- Initial setup can be complex for beginners
- Admin UI may feel dated compared to newer SaaS solutions
- Self‑hosted scaling requires operational expertise
More alternatives & similar tools
Alternatives to Authelia
View all →Alternatives to keycloak
View all →The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataBoth Keycloak and Authelia are free, self‑hosted open‑source IAM solutions; Keycloak offers broader out‑of‑the‑box integrations and a mature admin UI, while Authelia focuses on highly customizable SSO/MFA with a lighter integration set.
Key differences
- •Keycloak includes built‑in user federation (LDAP/AD) and many ready‑made integrations; Authelia lists only OIDC/OAuth integrations.
- •Keycloak’s admin console is feature‑rich for realms, roles, and policies; Authelia relies on configuration files and has limited UI.
- •Authelia emphasizes MFA and customizable authentication flows; Keycloak supports MFA but highlights broader SSO and authorization policies.
- •Community size: Keycloak has more GitHub stars (36,057 vs 28,425), indicating a larger ecosystem.
- •Support channels differ: Keycloak offers Red Hat enterprise support; Authelia provides only email and GitHub issues.
Pricing & value
Both are free open‑source; no licensing fees for either product.
Ease of use / learning curve
Keycloak’s web admin console eases management, whereas Authelia relies on config files and has limited documentation.
Features & depth
Keycloak provides extensive SSO, user federation, role‑based/attribute‑based policies, and multi‑tenant realms out of the box.
Integrations & ecosystem
Keycloak lists LDAP, AD, Kubernetes, Docker, Spring Boot; Authelia lists only OIDC/OAuth integrations.
Support
Keycloak offers Red Hat enterprise support in addition to community forums; Authelia only offers email and GitHub issues.
Scalability
Authelia is described as having a scalable architecture for large‑scale deployments; Keycloak scaling requires operational expertise.
Security & privacy
Authelia highlights built‑in MFA and customizable authentication flows; Keycloak supports MFA but focuses more on authorization policies.
Choose Authelia if…
DevOps teams prioritizing MFA customization and lightweight, scalable deployment.
Choose keycloak if…
Enterprises needing extensive integrations, admin UI, and enterprise support.
Common questions
Is there any cost to use either product?
Both Keycloak and Authelia are free open‑source; no licensing fees are required.
Which solution has more built‑in integrations with existing directory services?
Keycloak supports LDAP and Active Directory federation out of the box; Authelia does not list these integrations.
What support options are available if I need enterprise‑grade assistance?
Keycloak offers Red Hat enterprise support; Authelia provides only email and GitHub issue support.

