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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authelia vs Dahua Technology

Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Dahua Technology logo

Dahua Technology

Cybersecurity

Large Chinese video platform that US federal buyers and federal contractors cannot lawfully use

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Authelia has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Authelia depends on a reverse proxy: it is not a standalone identity provider; Dahua Technology dahua is named under NDAA Section 889 and listed on the FCC Covered List, so the US federal government cannot procure its video surveillance equipment and cannot contract with entities that use it, which disqualifies most organisations with any federal contracting ambition regardless of how good the software is.
  • They diverge on capability: Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Dahua Technology covers DSS Pro V8.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authelia and Dahua Technology actually diverge.

Attributes where Authelia and Dahua Technology differ
AttributeAutheliaDahua Technology
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedWindows, Linux, Web, iOS, Android

Identical on both: 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 Dahua Technology

  • DSS Pro V8
  • Distributed architecture
  • DeepXplore
  • Access management
  • Parking Lot application
  • Intelligent Analysis
  • Maintenance Center
  • DMSS mobile app

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

Dahua Technology

  • A private industrial site outside the United States with no federal or defence supply chain exposurenot Authelia
  • A large-channel-count deployment in a market where Section 889 and the FCC Covered List do not applynot Authelia
  • An existing Dahua estate authorised before February 2023 being maintained rather than expandednot Authelia
  • A buyer who has taken written legal advice confirming no federal contracting exposure now or in futurenot 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

Dahua Technology

  • Dahua is named under NDAA Section 889 and listed on the FCC Covered List, so the US federal government cannot procure its video surveillance equipment and cannot contract with entities that use it, which disqualifies most organisations with any federal contracting ambition regardless of how good the software is.
  • Rules adopted by the FCC in late 2025 gave the Commission authority to revoke equipment authorisations already granted, so equipment that is legal to sell today may not be tomorrow and a multi-year rollout carries regulatory risk the vendor cannot indemnify.
  • Sourcing has degraded sharply: new equipment, replacement parts and system expansions are increasingly difficult to obtain through compliant US distribution and major retailers have removed listings, so an installed estate faces a spares problem long before end of life.
  • Any organisation that later wins or bids for federal work, or supplies a federal contractor, must audit and replace Dahua equipment across all its facilities under Section 889(a)(1)(B), turning a cheap installation into an expensive forced rip-out.
  • Beyond procurement law, insurers, auditors and enterprise customers increasingly treat Chinese-manufactured surveillance as a supply chain finding in its own right, so the reputational cost lands even where the legal prohibition does not.

Pricing, plan by plan

Authelia

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

Dahua Technology

On request
  • DSS Pro V8$undefined/year
    • Base video licence covering 16 channels, required before adding more
    • Additional video channel licences purchased per channel
    • Access control, video intercom and parking licensed separately

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 Dahua Technology if

  • You need dss pro v8.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want distributed architecture.
Dahua Technology review

Questions people ask

Is Authelia or Dahua Technology better?
Neither clearly leads. Authelia starts at Free and Dahua Technology at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authelia or Dahua Technology?
Authelia has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Authelia and On request for Dahua Technology.
Does Authelia or Dahua Technology run on more platforms?
Authelia runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. Dahua Technology runs on Windows, Linux, Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Authelia for free?
Yes. Authelia has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Dahua Technology starts at On request.
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 Dahua Technology is typically brought in for.
What can Authelia do that Dahua Technology cannot?
Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Two-factor authentication, Access control rules, Lightweight backends. Dahua Technology covers DSS Pro V8, Distributed architecture, DeepXplore, Access management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Authelia: Is Authelia free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

Dahua Technology: Can a US federal agency buy Dahua?

No. Dahua is explicitly named under NDAA Section 889, so federal agencies cannot procure or obtain its video surveillance equipment, including OEM-rebadged versions.

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.

Dahua Technology: Can a private US company use Dahua cameras?

Section 889 does not directly regulate private companies without federal contracts, and existing installations are not required to be removed. But the moment the company bids for federal work or supplies a federal contractor, Section 889(a)(1)(B) makes the installed equipment a problem.

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.

Dahua Technology: Is existing Dahua equipment banned?

No. The prohibition on new authorisations does not apply retroactively to equipment authorised before February 2023, and legacy systems may remain in use. New purchases and expansions are the restricted part.

Dahua Technology: Is Dahua available outside the United States?

Yes, and it remains one of the two largest manufacturers globally, though a number of other countries have introduced their own restrictions on government use.

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