Technology · head to head
Auth0 vs Keycloak

Keycloak
Developer Tools
Open-source identity and access management server.
- From
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Auth0 free tier limited to 25,000 monthly active users, requiring upgrade for growth beyond that; Keycloak requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Auth0 and Keycloak actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Auth0
- Universal login
- Social login
- Multi-factor authentication
- Passwordless
- User management
- Anomaly detection
- Extensibility
- Machine to machine
Only in Keycloak
Nothing recorded that Auth0 does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Auth0
- B2C authenticationnot Keycloak
- B2B authenticationnot Keycloak
- B2E authenticationnot Keycloak
- API securitynot Keycloak
- Mobile app securitynot Keycloak
Keycloak
- Organisations requiring self-hosted identity infrastructure for compliance or data residencynot Auth0
- Companies with existing LDAP/Active Directory systems needing federated authenticationnot Auth0
- Open-source projects and communities requiring free IAM without licensing costsnot Auth0
- Enterprises building custom identity workflows requiring fine-grained authorisationnot Auth0
- Teams with sufficient operational expertise to manage infrastructurenot Auth0
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Auth0
- Free tier limited to 25,000 monthly active users, requiring upgrade for growth beyond that
- Advanced features like MFA and RBAC only available on paid Essentials tier and above
- Ownership by Okta introduces risk that independent product roadmap may change
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
Auth0
Free- FreeFree
- Up to 25,000 monthly active users
- Basic authentication
- Email/password login
- Essentials (B2C)$35/month
- Unlimited MAUs beyond free tier
- Multi-Factor Authentication
- Role-Based Access Control
- Professional (B2C)$240/month
- All Essentials features
- Advanced security
- Custom branding
Keycloak
Free- Open-sourceFree
- Full platform functionality
- Self-hosted deployment
- Community support
Which should you pick?
Choose Auth0 if
- You need universal login.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want social login.
Choose Keycloak if
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API.
Questions people ask
- Is Auth0 or Keycloak better?
- Neither clearly leads. Auth0 starts at Free and Keycloak at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Auth0 or Keycloak?
- Auth0 starts at Free and Keycloak at Free.
- Does Auth0 or Keycloak run on more platforms?
- Auth0 runs on Web, iOS, Android. Keycloak runs on Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API.
- Can I use Auth0 for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Auth0 best used for?
- Auth0 is most often used for b2c authentication, b2b authentication, b2e authentication, api security. Of those, b2c authentication and b2b authentication are not what Keycloak is typically brought in for.
- What can Auth0 do that Keycloak cannot?
- Auth0 covers Universal login, Social login, Multi-factor authentication, Passwordless.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Auth0: How much does Auth0 cost?
Auth0 has a Free tier for up to 25,000 monthly active users (MAUs). Paid plans start at $35/month (Essentials B2C) and scale to $240/month (Professional B2C) and higher for Enterprise. Pricing scales with MAU usage.
SourceKeycloak: What protocols does Keycloak support?
Keycloak supports OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0 and SAML 2.0 protocols for authentication and authorisation.
SourceAuth0: Does Auth0 include Multi-Factor Authentication?
No. MFA, RBAC (Role-Based Access Control), and premium support are not included in the free tier and require upgrading to paid Essentials plans or higher.
SourceKeycloak: 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.
SourceAuth0: Is Auth0 independent or part of a larger company?
Auth0 was acquired by Okta in May 2021 for $6.5 billion. It now operates as a subsidiary business unit within Okta, but maintains its own brand and operations.
SourceKeycloak: Is Keycloak free?
Yes. Keycloak is fully open-source and free to deploy and use. No licensing fees are required.
SourceAuth0: Who should use Auth0 vs Okta?
Auth0 is developer-focused and serves customer identity use cases (B2C). Okta serves workforce identity (B2B) and has broader enterprise features. Auth0 now serves both markets post-acquisition but maintains its developer-friendly positioning.
SourceRelated pages
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