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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authelia vs Idira

Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Idira logo

Idira

Cybersecurity

Built on CyberArk's legacy and powered by Palo Alto Networks

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; Idira no pricing is published anywhere on the product page; every call to action is Request a Demo or a sales contact form
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authelia and Idira actually diverge.

Attributes where Authelia and Idira differ
AttributeAutheliaIdira
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedWeb

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 Idira

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

Idira

  • Tracking all privileged account usage in manufacturing facilitiesnot Authelia
  • Securing clinical resource access across distributed healthcare practicesnot Authelia
  • Implementing managed privilege access management across government agenciesnot Authelia
  • Consolidating human, machine, and AI agent activity monitoringnot Authelia
  • Centralizing vault and secrets management across 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

Idira

  • No pricing is published anywhere on the product page; every call to action is Request a Demo or a sales contact form
  • Endpoint privilege management and agentic AI identity governance are sold as separate solution categories rather than one bundled price, so evaluating total cost requires multiple sales conversations

Pricing, plan by plan

Authelia

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

Idira

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Idira review.

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 Idira if

Nothing in the data separates Idira from Authelia on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Idira review

Questions people ask

Is Authelia or Idira better?
Neither clearly leads. Authelia starts at Free and Idira at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authelia or Idira?
Authelia has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Authelia and On request for Idira.
Does Authelia or Idira run on more platforms?
Authelia runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. Idira runs on Web.
Can I use Authelia for free?
Yes. Authelia has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Idira 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 Idira is typically brought in for.
What can Authelia do that Idira 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.

Idira: How is Idira priced and what are the costs?

Idira pricing is not disclosed on the Palo Alto Networks website. The company directs interested organizations to request a demo or contact their sales team directly to discuss pricing and licensing options for this identity security platform.

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.

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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