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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authelia vs kind

Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
kind logo

kind

Cloud

Run Kubernetes clusters inside Docker containers

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; kind requires Docker or Podman, so it inherits whatever container runtime limitations exist on the host
  • They diverge on capability: Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, kind covers Nodes as containers.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authelia and kind actually diverge.

Attributes where Authelia and kind differ
AttributeAutheliakind
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedLinux, macOS, Windows
CategoryCybersecurityCloud

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), 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 kind

  • Nodes as containers
  • Multi-node topologies
  • CI-friendly
  • Local image loading

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

kind

  • Spinning up and destroying a Kubernetes cluster inside a CI jobnot Authelia
  • Testing controllers and operators against several Kubernetes versionsnot Authelia
  • Local multi-node clusters without the memory cost of virtual machinesnot 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

kind

  • Requires Docker or Podman, so it inherits whatever container runtime limitations exist on the host
  • Fewer conveniences than minikube: no addon system, so ingress and metrics need manual installation
  • Because nodes are containers sharing the host kernel, it is a weaker simulation of real node behaviour and storage

Pricing, plan by plan

Authelia

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

kind

Free
  • kindFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community 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 kind if

  • You need nodes as containers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want multi-node topologies.
kind review

Questions people ask

Is Authelia or kind better?
Neither clearly leads. Authelia starts at Free and kind at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authelia or kind?
Authelia starts at Free and kind at Free.
Does Authelia or kind run on more platforms?
Authelia runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. kind runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
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 kind is typically brought in for.
What can Authelia do that kind cannot?
Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Two-factor authentication, Access control rules, Lightweight backends. kind covers Nodes as containers, Multi-node topologies, CI-friendly, Local image loading.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Authelia: Is Authelia free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

kind: Is kind free?

Yes, open source and maintained under Kubernetes SIGs.

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.

kind: Why run Kubernetes nodes as containers?

Speed and cost. A container node starts in seconds and uses far less memory than a virtual machine, which is what makes per-CI-run clusters realistic.

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.

kind: Is kind suitable for production?

No. It is a development and testing tool, and node isolation is weaker than real nodes because containers share the host kernel.

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