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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authelia vs CodeSandbox

Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
CodeSandbox logo

CodeSandbox

Developer Tools

Cloud platform for instant, isolated development sandboxes and code execution

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; CodeSandbox detailed paid plan pricing was not published on the accessible pages, making cost comparison difficult.
  • They diverge on capability: Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, CodeSandbox covers Instant sandboxes.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authelia and CodeSandbox actually diverge.

Attributes where Authelia and CodeSandbox differ
AttributeAutheliaCodeSandbox
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feefreemium
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedweb, api
CategoryCybersecurityDeveloper Tools

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 CodeSandbox

  • Instant sandboxes
  • Programmatic sandbox API
  • Secure isolated execution
  • Browser-based editor
  • CI/CD sandbox support
  • Scalable VM infrastructure

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

CodeSandbox

  • Running AI agent-generated code safely in isolationnot Authelia
  • Prototyping and sharing web projects in-browsernot Authelia
  • Executing untrusted code for a code playground productnot Authelia
  • Using sandboxes as ephemeral CI/CD build environmentsnot 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

CodeSandbox

  • Detailed paid plan pricing was not published on the accessible pages, making cost comparison difficult.
  • Focus has shifted toward programmatic sandbox infrastructure, which may be less approachable for casual users just wanting a quick online editor.
  • Public sandboxes are visible to others by default, which is not ideal for proprietary code.

Pricing, plan by plan

Authelia

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

CodeSandbox

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Public sandboxes
    • Basic sandbox usage

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 CodeSandbox if

  • You need instant sandboxes.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want programmatic sandbox api.
CodeSandbox review

Questions people ask

Is Authelia or CodeSandbox better?
Neither clearly leads. Authelia starts at Free and CodeSandbox at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authelia or CodeSandbox?
Authelia starts at Free and CodeSandbox at Free.
Does Authelia or CodeSandbox run on more platforms?
Authelia runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. CodeSandbox runs on web, api.
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 CodeSandbox is typically brought in for.
What can Authelia do that CodeSandbox cannot?
Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Two-factor authentication, Access control rules, Lightweight backends. CodeSandbox covers Instant sandboxes, Programmatic sandbox API, Secure isolated execution, Browser-based editor.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Authelia: Is Authelia free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

CodeSandbox: Does CodeSandbox offer a free tier?

Yes, CodeSandbox offers a free option available on the platform. Users can start for free.

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.

CodeSandbox: Where can I find CodeSandbox's pricing details?

CodeSandbox maintains a dedicated pricing page, but specific tier names, feature breakdowns, and costs are not displayed on the landing page.

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.

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Related pages

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