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Cloud · head to head

Akamai vs Authelia

Akamai logo

Akamai

Cloud

Leading content delivery and security platform

From
$1000/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

Open-source authentication and two-factor portal for reverse proxies

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Authelia has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Akamai no public pricing available; custom quotes required; Authelia depends on a reverse proxy: it is not a standalone identity provider
  • They diverge on capability: Akamai covers CDN, Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Akamai and Authelia actually diverge.

Attributes where Akamai and Authelia differ
AttributeAkamaiAuthelia
Starting price$1000/monthFree
Pricing modelquoteOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, ApiDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted
CategoryCloudCybersecurity
Founded1998Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Akamai

  • CDN
  • DDoS Protection
  • Web Application Firewall
  • Bot Management
  • Image Optimization
  • Video Platform
  • API Gateway
  • Analytics

Only in Authelia

  • Reverse proxy integration
  • Two-factor authentication
  • Access control rules
  • Lightweight backends

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Akamai

  • Content delivery and web performance through Ion and adaptive media deliverynot Authelia
  • DDoS protection, bot management and API securitynot Authelia
  • Running compute, Kubernetes and managed databases on Akamai's cloudnot Authelia
  • Edge compute with EdgeWorkersnot Authelia
  • Zero trust access for enterprise applicationsnot Authelia

Authelia

  • Putting a login and 2FA in front of self-hosted services that have nonenot Akamai
  • Adding SSO across a small set of internal tools without a full identity platformnot Akamai
  • Home and small-team infrastructure behind a single reverse proxynot Akamai

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Akamai

  • No public pricing available; custom quotes required
  • Sales-focused pricing model

Authelia

  • Depends on a reverse proxy: it is not a standalone identity provider
  • Configuration is YAML-first with no administrative interface, so changes mean editing files
  • Not a full IAM: user management, provisioning and federation are limited compared with Keycloak
  • Scales poorly as an organisation-wide identity solution, which is not its target

Pricing, plan by plan

Akamai

$1000/month
  • CDN$1000/month
    • Content delivery
    • Global edge network
    • Real-time analytics
  • Security Suite$2000/month
    • DDoS protection
    • WAF
    • Bot management

Authelia

Free
  • AutheliaFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Akamai if

  • You need cdn.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want ddos protection.
Akamai review

Choose Authelia if

  • You need reverse proxy integration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted.
  • You also want two-factor authentication.
Authelia review

Questions people ask

Is Akamai or Authelia better?
Neither clearly leads. Akamai starts at $1000/month and Authelia at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Akamai or Authelia?
Authelia has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1000/month for Akamai and Free for Authelia.
Does Akamai or Authelia run on more platforms?
Akamai runs on Web, Api. Authelia runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted.
Can I use Authelia for free?
Yes. Authelia has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Akamai starts at $1000/month.
What is Akamai best used for?
Akamai is most often used for content delivery and web performance through ion and adaptive media delivery, ddos protection, bot management and api security, running compute, kubernetes and managed databases on akamai's cloud, edge compute with edgeworkers. Of those, content delivery and web performance through ion and adaptive media delivery and ddos protection, bot management and api security are not what Authelia is typically brought in for.
What can Akamai do that Authelia cannot?
Akamai covers CDN, DDoS Protection, Web Application Firewall, Bot Management. Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Two-factor authentication, Access control rules, Lightweight backends.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Akamai: How is Akamai pricing structured?

Akamai emphasizes straightforward pricing with no hidden fees, no egress surprises, and no vendor lock-in, but specific pricing is not published. Regional pricing pages exist for North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and other areas, with customers directed to contact sales.

Source
Authelia: Is Authelia free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

Akamai: Does Akamai offer a free trial?

Akamai offers a promotional trial with $100 in credits for Akamai Cloud, though conditions apply.

Source
Authelia: Does Authelia need a reverse proxy?

Yes. It integrates through forward authentication with Nginx, Traefik, Caddy or HAProxy rather than sitting in front of traffic itself.

Authelia: Authelia or Keycloak?

Authelia is far lighter and aimed at protecting self-hosted services behind a proxy. Keycloak is a full identity and access management platform, and much more to run.

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