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authentik alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave authentik: flow and stage concepts take time to learn, and no managed cloud; you operate it yourself. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces authentik, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Keycloak currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Keycloak logoKeycloakOpen sourceYesSelf-hosted, Linux, macOS +14 of 466.5
2Kanidm logoKanidmOpen sourceYesSelf-hosted, Linux4 of 455.3
  1. Keycloak logo

    1. KeycloakTop pick

    Best for: Organisations that want standards-based SSO on their own infrastructure at no licence cost

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Linux, macOS, Windows

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from authentik

    More widely deployed in enterprises, with a large body of documentation.

    Pros

    • Free and open source under Apache 2.0
    • Supports OIDC, OAuth 2.0 and SAML with LDAP and AD federation
    • Mature, widely deployed and well understood

    Cons

    • You run, scale and upgrade it yourself
    • Admin concepts and theming have a steep learning curve
    • Login pages look dated without custom themes
    Visit Keycloak Compare with authentikDetails and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Keycloak a good authentik alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Protocols
    OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0, SAML
    Checked Oct 25, 2026keycloak.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Directory federation
    LDAP and Active Directory
    Checked Oct 25, 2026keycloak.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Deployment
    Container image for Docker, Podman, Kubernetes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026keycloak.org(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Kanidm logo

    2. Kanidm

    Best for: Technical teams that want one identity source for Linux servers, Wi-Fi and web SSO

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Linux

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from authentik

    Rust-based identity server with Linux login and SSH key distribution built in.

    Pros

    • Covers Linux login, SSH keys, RADIUS and OIDC together
    • Passkeys supported as a first-class method
    • Memory-safe Rust codebase, free and open source

    Cons

    • Administration is mainly through the CLI
    • No SAML support
    • Volunteer-run with no commercial support
    Visit Kanidm Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Kanidm a good authentik alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    MPL-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Language
    Rust
    Checked Oct 25, 2026kanidm.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Network auth
    RADIUS for Wi-Fi and VPN
    Checked Oct 25, 2026kanidm.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Linux integration
    Login with offline auth and SSH keys
    Checked Oct 25, 2026kanidm.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best authentik alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Keycloak logo

Best authentik alternative for most people

Keycloak

More widely deployed in enterprises, with a large body of documentation.

Authelia logo

Best authentik alternative for a free option

Authelia

Much lighter option when you mainly need SSO and 2FA in front of a reverse proxy.

Pocket ID logo

Best authentik alternative for open source

Pocket ID

Far simpler passkey-only OIDC provider for small teams and homelabs.

Zitadel logo

Best authentik alternative for self-hosting

Zitadel

Open-source with a managed cloud option if you want to stop self-hosting.

Keycloak logo

Best authentik alternative for Mac

Keycloak

More widely deployed in enterprises, with a large body of documentation.

Keycloak logo

Best authentik alternative for Windows

Keycloak

More widely deployed in enterprises, with a large body of documentation.

Kanidm logo

Best authentik alternative for Linux

Kanidm

Rust-based identity server with Linux login and SSH key distribution built in.

Zitadel logo

Best authentik alternative for working in the browser

Zitadel

Open-source with a managed cloud option if you want to stop self-hosting.

authentik alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to authentik?

Keycloak ranks first right now. More widely deployed in enterprises, with a large body of documentation. Authelia and Pocket ID follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to authentik?

Yes. Keycloak (open source), Authelia (open source), Pocket ID (open source) and Zitadel (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to authentik?

Yes: Keycloak, Authelia, Pocket ID and Zitadel, plus 1 more in the list above. Keycloak, Authelia and Pocket ID can also be self-hosted.

Which authentik alternatives work on Linux?

Keycloak and Kanidm run on Linux.

Why do people switch from authentik?

The complaints we hear most: flow and stage concepts take time to learn; no managed cloud; you operate it yourself; some enterprise features need a paid licence.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces authentik, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.