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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authelia vs Mapbox Government

Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Mapbox Government logo

Mapbox Government

Government

Maps and Location for Government

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Authelia depends on a reverse proxy: it is not a standalone identity provider; Mapbox Government the Navigation SDK free tier covers only up to 10 monthly active users, and 11 or more requires contacting sales
  • They diverge on capability: Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Mapbox Government covers Custom Map Design.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authelia and Mapbox Government actually diverge.

Attributes where Authelia and Mapbox Government differ
AttributeAutheliaMapbox Government
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeusage-based
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment
FoundedUnknown2010

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 Mapbox Government

  • Custom Map Design
  • Navigation SDK
  • Geocoding
  • Spatial Analysis
  • Offline Maps
  • AWS
  • Azure
  • Google Cloud

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

Mapbox Government

  • Embedding maps and turn by turn navigation in government applicationsnot Authelia
  • Routing and geocoding for public sector fleet and field operationsnot Authelia
  • Custom cartography for agency web and mobile appsnot 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

Mapbox Government

  • The Navigation SDK free tier covers only up to 10 monthly active users, and 11 or more requires contacting sales
  • Volume pricing beyond the published free tiers is not listed and requires contacting sales for a discount
  • Pricing is metered per product, so Directions API, Navigation SDK and map loads are each billed on their own meter

Pricing, plan by plan

Authelia

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

Mapbox Government

Free
  • GovernmentFree
    • Custom Maps
    • Navigation
    • Geocoding

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 Mapbox Government if

  • You need custom map design.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want navigation sdk.
Mapbox Government review

Questions people ask

Is Authelia or Mapbox Government better?
Neither clearly leads. Authelia starts at Free and Mapbox Government at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authelia or Mapbox Government?
Authelia starts at Free and Mapbox Government at Free.
Does Authelia or Mapbox Government run on more platforms?
Authelia runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. Mapbox Government runs on Web, Ios, Android.
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 Mapbox Government is typically brought in for.
What can Authelia do that Mapbox Government cannot?
Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Two-factor authentication, Access control rules, Lightweight backends. Mapbox Government covers Custom Map Design, Navigation SDK, Geocoding, Spatial Analysis.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Authelia: Is Authelia free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

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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