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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authelia vs HTTPie

Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
HTTPie logo

HTTPie

APIs

Command-line HTTP client with intuitive interface and syntax

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; HTTPie the desktop application is in public beta rather than a finished release
  • They diverge on capability: Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, HTTPie covers REST Client.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authelia and HTTPie actually diverge.

Attributes where Authelia and HTTPie differ
AttributeAutheliaHTTPie
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeopen-source
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedLinux, MacOS, Windows, Web
CategoryCybersecurityAPIs
FoundedUnknown2012

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 HTTPie

  • REST Client
  • JSON support
  • Colored output
  • CI/CD
  • Shell scripting
  • Automation
  • Linux support
  • MacOS support

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

HTTPie

  • Sending and inspecting HTTP requests from the terminalnot Authelia
  • A readable alternative to curl for API debuggingnot Authelia
  • Testing APIs through a graphical clientnot Authelia
  • Installing through apt, brew or pip in a development environmentnot 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

HTTPie

  • The desktop application is in public beta rather than a finished release
  • Pricing for the desktop and web products is not published, while the terminal client is free and open source
  • The graphical versions are newer than the CLI, so parity between them is not guaranteed

Pricing, plan by plan

Authelia

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

HTTPie

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full HTTPie CLI
    • Community support
  • HTTPie for Web$10/monthly
    • Web interface
    • Cloud storage
    • Team collaboration

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 HTTPie if

  • You need rest client.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, MacOS, Windows, Web.
  • You also want json support.
HTTPie review

Questions people ask

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

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Authelia: Is Authelia free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

HTTPie: Is HTTPie free?

HTTPie for Terminal is open source and free. The Desktop and Web versions are in public beta, and their pricing model is not disclosed.

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.

HTTPie: Can I use HTTPie for commercial purposes?

HTTPie Terminal is open source, but check the specific license (likely MIT, Apache, or GPL) to confirm commercial use is permitted in your jurisdiction.

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.

HTTPie: What is HTTPie Desktop and how much does it cost?

HTTPie Desktop is an API testing client in public beta. Pricing is not disclosed on the website.

Source
HTTPie: Is there an HTTPie AI version?

Yes, HTTPie AI is mentioned as a product, but details about functionality and pricing are not provided on the main page.

Source
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