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Alkami vs Keycloak

Alkami logo

Alkami

Technology

Digital banking platform for United States banks and credit unions

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Keycloak logo

Keycloak

Developer Tools

Open-source identity and access management server.

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Keycloak has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Alkami pricing is per registered user with contractual minimums, so institutions with many enrolled but dormant users pay for accounts that never log in.; Keycloak requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Alkami and Keycloak actually diverge.

Attributes where Alkami and Keycloak differ
AttributeAlkamiKeycloak
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidSelf-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API
CategoryTechnologyDeveloper Tools

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 Alkami

  • Retail digital banking
  • Business banking
  • Digital account opening
  • Payments and money movement
  • Data and marketing
  • Extensibility framework
  • Card controls
  • Multi core integration

Only in Keycloak

Nothing recorded that Alkami does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Alkami

  • A credit union replacing the weak digital banking bundled with its core contractnot Keycloak
  • A community bank that needs commercial entitlements and approvals its core vendor does not providenot Keycloak
  • An institution wanting digital account opening and digital banking from one vendor after the MANTL acquisitionnot Keycloak
  • A bank competing for deposits online and needing an onboarding funnel that works on mobilenot Keycloak

Keycloak

  • Organisations requiring self-hosted identity infrastructure for compliance or data residencynot Alkami
  • Companies with existing LDAP/Active Directory systems needing federated authenticationnot Alkami
  • Open-source projects and communities requiring free IAM without licensing costsnot Alkami
  • Enterprises building custom identity workflows requiring fine-grained authorisationnot Alkami
  • Teams with sufficient operational expertise to manage infrastructurenot Alkami

Where each one falls short

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

Alkami

  • Pricing is per registered user with contractual minimums, so institutions with many enrolled but dormant users pay for accounts that never log in.
  • Alkami is a channel layer, not a core, so functionality is bounded by what the core exposes, and a poor core integration produces a slow product no amount of channel work fixes.
  • Implementation typically runs six to twelve months and requires institution staff time, which small credit unions consistently underestimate.
  • The MANTL acquisition adds account opening but also another integration programme, and consolidating on one vendor removes leverage to swap a weak module for a best of breed alternative.
  • Buying digital banking separately from the core vendor means you own the integration risk between two suppliers who will each blame the other when something breaks.

Keycloak

  • Requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain
  • No managed cloud option provided by Red Hat; organisations must operate infrastructure themselves or use third-party distributions
  • Clustering and high-availability configurations require additional operational knowledge
  • Community support only; commercial support requires third-party vendors or distributions

Pricing, plan by plan

Alkami

On request
  • Alkami Digital Banking Platform$undefined/year
    • Priced per registered user per month with multi year terms
    • Minimum user commitments typical, so enrolled inactive users are still billed
    • Implementation and core integration charged separately

Keycloak

Free
  • Open-sourceFree
    • Full platform functionality
    • Self-hosted deployment
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Alkami if

  • You need retail digital banking.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want business banking.
Alkami review

Choose Keycloak if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API.
Keycloak review

Questions people ask

Is Alkami or Keycloak better?
Neither clearly leads. Alkami starts at On request and Keycloak at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Alkami or Keycloak?
Keycloak has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Alkami and Free for Keycloak.
Does Alkami or Keycloak run on more platforms?
Alkami runs on Web, iOS, Android. Keycloak runs on Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API.
Can I use Keycloak for free?
Yes. Keycloak has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Alkami starts at On request.
What is Alkami best used for?
Alkami is most often used for a credit union replacing the weak digital banking bundled with its core contract, a community bank that needs commercial entitlements and approvals its core vendor does not provide, an institution wanting digital account opening and digital banking from one vendor after the mantl acquisition, a bank competing for deposits online and needing an onboarding funnel that works on mobile. Of those, a credit union replacing the weak digital banking bundled with its core contract and a community bank that needs commercial entitlements and approvals its core vendor does not provide are not what Keycloak is typically brought in for.
What can Alkami do that Keycloak cannot?
Alkami covers Retail digital banking, Business banking, Digital account opening, Payments and money movement.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Alkami: Does Alkami replace our core?

No. It is the digital channel and account opening layer on top of a core such as Fiserv, Jack Henry or FIS.

Keycloak: What protocols does Keycloak support?

Keycloak supports OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0 and SAML 2.0 protocols for authentication and authorisation.

Source
Alkami: How is it priced?

Per registered user per month on multi year contracts with minimums, so model your enrolled user count rather than your active user count.

Keycloak: Can Keycloak integrate with existing user directories?

Yes. Keycloak supports user federation with LDAP and Active Directory systems, allowing organisations to leverage existing user directories.

Source
Alkami: What did the MANTL acquisition change?

It brought deposit account opening in house, announced February 2025 at $400 million enterprise value, so account opening and digital banking can come from one vendor.

Keycloak: Is Keycloak free?

Yes. Keycloak is fully open-source and free to deploy and use. No licensing fees are required.

Source
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