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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authelia vs Flagsmith

Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Flagsmith logo

Flagsmith

Software Development

Open-source feature flag and remote config platform

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; Flagsmith the Free plan supports only a single team member, limiting collaboration for small teams.
  • They diverge on capability: Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Flagsmith covers Feature flags.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authelia and Flagsmith actually diverge.

Attributes where Authelia and Flagsmith differ
AttributeAutheliaFlagsmith
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feefreemium
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedweb, api
CategoryCybersecuritySoftware Development

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 Flagsmith

  • Feature flags
  • Segments
  • A/B testing
  • Scheduled flags
  • SDKs
  • SAML/SSO

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

Flagsmith

  • Gradual feature rollouts across environmentsnot Authelia
  • Remote configuration without redeploying codenot Authelia
  • Running A/B tests tied to feature flagsnot Authelia
  • Self-hosting feature flags for data residency requirementsnot 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

Flagsmith

  • The Free plan supports only a single team member, limiting collaboration for small teams.
  • Exceeding request limits triggers overage charges after a one-time 30-day grace period.
  • Enterprise-grade SSO and governance are locked behind the Scale-Up and Enterprise tiers.
  • Self-hosting requires operating and updating the platform yourself, unlike a fully managed SaaS competitor.

Pricing, plan by plan

Authelia

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

Flagsmith

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 50,000 requests/month
    • 1 team member
    • Unlimited feature flags, environments, identities and segments
  • Start-Up$45/month
    • Up to 1,000,000 requests/month
    • 3 team members
    • Scheduled flags, 2FA, A/B testing, integrations, email support
  • Scale-Up$300/month
    • 5,000,000+ requests/month
    • 5-20 team members
    • SAML/SSO, governance features, priority 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 Flagsmith if

  • You need feature flags.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want segments.
Flagsmith review

Questions people ask

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

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Authelia: Is Authelia free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

Flagsmith: What does Flagsmith cost?

Flagsmith has a Free plan, a Start-Up plan from $40-45/month, a Scale-Up plan from $250-300/month, and custom Enterprise pricing.

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.

Flagsmith: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

The Free plan supports up to 50,000 requests per month and 1 team member, with unlimited feature flags, environments, identities and segments.

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.

Flagsmith: How is usage metered?

Usage is metered by monthly API requests; exceeding a plan's limit triggers overage charges starting around $50 per million requests, with a 30-day grace period the first time a paid plan exceeds its limit.

Source
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