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Kanidm alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Kanidm: administration is mainly through the CLI, and no SAML support. We ranked 4 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Kanidm, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. authentik currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1authentik logoauthentikOpen sourceYesSelf-hosted4 of 466.5
2Keycloak logoKeycloakOpen sourceYesSelf-hosted, Linux, macOS +14 of 462.6
3Pocket ID logoPocket IDOpen sourceYesSelf-hosted4 of 459.6
  1. authentik logo

    1. authentikTop pick

    Best for: Self-hosters and IT teams who want one identity provider for web apps, LDAP and VPNs

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Kanidm

    Full web admin UI plus SAML and an application proxy.

    Pros

    • Covers OIDC, SAML, LDAP, RADIUS and proxy auth in one tool
    • Visual flows and Python policies for custom logic
    • Free open-source edition with no user limits

    Cons

    • Flow and stage concepts take time to learn
    • No managed cloud; you operate it yourself
    • Some enterprise features need a paid licence
    Visit authentik Details 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 authentik a good Kanidm alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Open-source edition, free
    Checked Oct 25, 2026goauthentik.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Protocols
    OIDC, SAML, LDAP, SCIM, RADIUS, Kerberos
    Checked Oct 25, 2026goauthentik.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Enterprise price
    $5 per user/month, billed annually
    Checked Oct 25, 2026goauthentik.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026goauthentik.io(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Keycloak logo

    2. Keycloak

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

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

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Kanidm

    Industry-standard SSO server with SAML and LDAP federation.

    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 Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    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 Kanidm 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)
  3. Pocket ID logo

    3. Pocket ID

    Best for: Homelabs and small teams that want passwordless SSO for self-hosted apps

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Kanidm

    Simpler passkey-only OIDC provider when you only need web SSO.

    Pros

    • Very easy to deploy and configure
    • Passkey-only login removes password risks
    • OpenID Connect Certified

    Cons

    • No password, LDAP or SAML support
    • Users without passkey-capable devices are left out
    • Community project without commercial support
    Visit Pocket ID Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    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 Pocket ID a good Kanidm alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    BSD-2-Clause
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Login methods
    Passwordless only, mainly passkeys
    Checked Oct 25, 2026pocket-id.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Certification
    OpenID Connect Certified
    Checked Oct 25, 2026pocket-id.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026pocket-id.org(opens source in a new tab)

The best Kanidm alternative for…

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

authentik logo

Best Kanidm alternative for most people

authentik

Full web admin UI plus SAML and an application proxy.

Keycloak logo

Best Kanidm alternative for a free option

Keycloak

Industry-standard SSO server with SAML and LDAP federation.

Pocket ID logo

Best Kanidm alternative for open source

Pocket ID

Simpler passkey-only OIDC provider when you only need web SSO.

authentik logo

Best Kanidm alternative for self-hosting

authentik

Full web admin UI plus SAML and an application proxy.

JumpCloud logo

Best Kanidm alternative for Mac

JumpCloud

Managed cloud directory with device management if you want a commercial service.

Keycloak logo

Best Kanidm alternative for Windows

Keycloak

Industry-standard SSO server with SAML and LDAP federation.

Keycloak logo

Best Kanidm alternative for Linux

Keycloak

Industry-standard SSO server with SAML and LDAP federation.

JumpCloud logo

Best Kanidm alternative for iPhone and Android

JumpCloud

Managed cloud directory with device management if you want a commercial service.

JumpCloud logo

Best Kanidm alternative for working in the browser

JumpCloud

Managed cloud directory with device management if you want a commercial service.

Kanidm alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Kanidm?

authentik ranks first right now. Full web admin UI plus SAML and an application proxy. Keycloak and Pocket ID follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Kanidm?

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

Is there an open-source alternative to Kanidm?

Yes: authentik, Keycloak and Pocket ID. authentik, Keycloak and Pocket ID can also be self-hosted.

Which Kanidm alternatives work on Linux?

Keycloak and JumpCloud run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Kanidm?

The complaints we hear most: administration is mainly through the CLI; no SAML support; volunteer-run with no commercial support.

How is this list ranked?

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