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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authelia vs Bitbucket

Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Bitbucket logo

Bitbucket

Developer Tools

Git code management for professional teams

From
Free
Free plan
Yes

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Authelia depends on a reverse proxy: it is not a standalone identity provider; Bitbucket limited build minutes compared to GitHub Actions - free tier capped at 50 minutes/month vs unlimited on GitHub
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authelia and Bitbucket actually diverge.

Attributes where Authelia and Bitbucket differ
AttributeAutheliaBitbucket
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeUnknown
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedWeb, Data Center
CategoryCybersecurityDeveloper Tools
FoundedUnknown2008

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 Authelia

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

Only in Bitbucket

Nothing recorded that Authelia does not also cover.

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 Bitbucket
  • Adding SSO across a small set of internal tools without a full identity platformnot Bitbucket
  • Home and small-team infrastructure behind a single reverse proxynot Bitbucket

Bitbucket

  • Hosting Git repositories for a software teamnot Authelia
  • Running CI and deployments with Bitbucket Pipelinesnot Authelia
  • Code review with branch permissions and access controlsnot Authelia
  • Linking commits to Jira issues and updating their status automaticallynot Authelia
  • Security scanning through Snyk and partner integrationsnot 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

Bitbucket

  • Limited build minutes compared to GitHub Actions - free tier capped at 50 minutes/month vs unlimited on GitHub
  • Reliability issues with frequent outages reported by users
  • No native way to execute Bitbucket Pipeline YAML files locally for testing
  • Smaller ecosystem and community compared to GitHub

Pricing, plan by plan

Authelia

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

Bitbucket

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 5 users
    • Unlimited repositories
    • 1 GB storage
  • Standard$3.65/month
    • 2,500 pooled build minutes
    • All Bitbucket features
  • Premium$7.25/month
    • 3,500 build minutes
    • Merge checks
    • IP allowlisting

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.

Choose Bitbucket if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Data Center.

Questions people ask

Is Authelia or Bitbucket better?
Neither clearly leads. Authelia starts at Free and Bitbucket at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authelia or Bitbucket?
Authelia starts at Free and Bitbucket at Free.
Does Authelia or Bitbucket run on more platforms?
Authelia runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. Bitbucket runs on Web, Data Center.
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 Bitbucket is typically brought in for.
What can Authelia do that Bitbucket cannot?
Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Two-factor authentication, Access control rules, Lightweight backends.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Authelia: Is Authelia free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

Bitbucket: Does Bitbucket offer a free tier?

Yes. The Free plan supports up to 5 users with 1 GB of file storage for LFS, 50 build minutes per month, and unlimited public and private repositories. The plan can be upgraded anytime.

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.

Bitbucket: Can I self-host Bitbucket?

Yes. Bitbucket Data Center is available for self-hosted deployments starting at $2,300 per year. It provides teams with complete control of their environments and disaster recovery capabilities.

Source
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.

Bitbucket: How many build minutes do I get with Bitbucket Pipelines?

Free plan includes 50 build minutes per month. Standard plan ($3.65/user/month) includes 2,500 pooled build minutes. Premium plan ($7.25/user/month) includes 3,500 build minutes. Additional minutes can be purchased in $10 packs for 1,000 minutes.

Source
Bitbucket: Does Bitbucket integrate with Jira?

Yes. Bitbucket integrates natively with Jira, allowing you to track associated builds and deployments to Jira work items. It also integrates with Slack, Compass, and VS Code.

Source
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