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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authelia vs authentik

Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
authentik logo

authentik

Cybersecurity

Open-source identity provider with flexible authentication flows

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Authelia depends on a reverse proxy: it is not a standalone identity provider; authentik smaller project than Keycloak, with a correspondingly smaller community and fewer integration guides
  • They diverge on capability: Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, authentik covers Configurable flows.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authelia and authentik actually diverge.

Attributes where Authelia and authentik differ
AttributeAutheliaauthentik
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeOpen-source core with a paid enterprise tier

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

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 Authelia

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

Only in authentik

  • Configurable flows
  • Protocol support
  • Application proxy
  • Modern admin interface

What people use each for

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

Authelia

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

authentik

  • Self-hosted SSO across internal services without commercial identity pricingnot Authelia
  • Putting authentication in front of applications that have none, via the proxynot Authelia
  • Teams who tried Keycloak and wanted something less heavynot Authelia

Where each one falls short

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

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

authentik

  • Smaller project than Keycloak, with a correspondingly smaller community and fewer integration guides
  • The flow model is flexible but conceptually unfamiliar, and simple setups can feel over-abstracted
  • Enterprise support and some governance features sit behind the paid tier
  • Self-hosted identity is still yours to secure, patch and keep available

Pricing, plan by plan

Authelia

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

authentik

Free
  • Open sourceFree
    • Full identity provider
    • All protocols
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

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

Choose authentik if

  • You need configurable flows.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted.
  • You also want protocol support.
authentik review

Questions people ask

Is Authelia or authentik better?
Neither clearly leads. Authelia starts at Free and authentik at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authelia or authentik?
Authelia starts at Free and authentik at Free.
Does Authelia or authentik run on more platforms?
Both run on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Authelia for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Authelia best used for?
Authelia is most often used for putting a login and 2fa in front of self-hosted services that have none, adding sso across a small set of internal tools without a full identity platform, home and small-team infrastructure behind a single reverse proxy. Of those, putting a login and 2fa in front of self-hosted services that have none and adding sso across a small set of internal tools without a full identity platform are not what authentik is typically brought in for.
What can Authelia do that authentik cannot?
Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Two-factor authentication, Access control rules, Lightweight backends. authentik covers Configurable flows, Protocol support, Application proxy, Modern admin interface.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Authelia: Is Authelia free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

authentik: Is authentik free?

The open-source edition is free and complete for most use. An enterprise tier adds support and additional features.

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.

authentik: authentik or Keycloak?

authentik is generally reported as easier to run and administer; Keycloak is more established with a larger community and Red Hat behind it.

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.

authentik: Can authentik protect apps with no login of their own?

Yes. Its application proxy places authentication in front of services that have no built-in authentication.

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