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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authelia vs Motorola Vigilant

Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Motorola Vigilant logo

Motorola Vigilant

Cybersecurity

Fixed and mobile licence plate recognition with a shared law enforcement plate database

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; Motorola Vigilant state law can decide eligibility outright: California's SB 34 imposes operator duties and restricts sharing ALPR data with out-of-state and federal agencies, and agencies have been audited and found non-compliant.
  • They diverge on capability: Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Motorola Vigilant covers Fixed LPR cameras.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authelia and Motorola Vigilant actually diverge.

Attributes where Authelia and Motorola Vigilant differ
AttributeAutheliaMotorola Vigilant
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedWeb, Windows, iOS, Android

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 Motorola Vigilant

  • Fixed LPR cameras
  • Mobile LPR
  • LEARN database
  • VehicleManager analytics
  • Hotlist alerting
  • Published API
  • Audit logging

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

Motorola Vigilant

  • A police department building a hotlist alerting network on arterial roads into a jurisdictionnot Authelia
  • An investigator reconstructing a suspect vehicle's movements across multiple agency jurisdictionsnot Authelia
  • A toll or parking authority enforcing against a registered vehicle listnot Authelia
  • A sheriff's office locating a vehicle associated with an active AMBER or missing person alertnot 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

Motorola Vigilant

  • State law can decide eligibility outright: California's SB 34 imposes operator duties and restricts sharing ALPR data with out-of-state and federal agencies, and agencies have been audited and found non-compliant.
  • Local surveillance technology ordinances increasingly require a published usage policy, retention limits and a public council hearing before purchase, which can add many months or block the procurement entirely.
  • Motorola has faced litigation over its dual role as ALPR operator and end user, so the legal exposure of the data-sharing model is unresolved and sits partly with the purchasing agency.
  • The value comes from the shared LEARN database, which means the capability an agency actually buys depends on what other agencies contribute, and that can shrink if peers withdraw for legal or political reasons.
  • Nothing is published on price, and camera hardware, database subscription and analytics are separate line items, so the multi-year total is far higher than the initial camera quote suggests.

Pricing, plan by plan

Authelia

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

Motorola Vigilant

On request
  • Vigilant LPR$undefined/year
    • Fixed and mobile camera hardware quoted per unit
    • LEARN database access subscribed per agency
    • Analytics software licensed separately

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 Motorola Vigilant if

  • You need fixed lpr cameras.
  • You work on Web, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want mobile lpr.
Motorola Vigilant review

Questions people ask

Is Authelia or Motorola Vigilant better?
Neither clearly leads. Authelia starts at Free and Motorola Vigilant at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authelia or Motorola Vigilant?
Authelia has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Authelia and On request for Motorola Vigilant.
Does Authelia or Motorola Vigilant run on more platforms?
Authelia runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. Motorola Vigilant runs on Web, Windows, iOS, Android.
Can I use Authelia for free?
Yes. Authelia has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Motorola Vigilant 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 Motorola Vigilant is typically brought in for.
What can Authelia do that Motorola Vigilant cannot?
Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Two-factor authentication, Access control rules, Lightweight backends. Motorola Vigilant covers Fixed LPR cameras, Mobile LPR, LEARN database, VehicleManager analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Authelia: Is Authelia free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

Motorola Vigilant: What is LEARN?

The Law Enforcement Archival Reporting Network, the shared database where plate reads from subscribing agencies are stored and queried. It is the core of the product.

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.

Motorola Vigilant: Can any agency buy it?

No. Several states restrict ALPR use and data sharing, and many municipalities require a published usage policy and a public hearing first. Check statute and local ordinance before budgeting.

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.

Motorola Vigilant: Does California allow sharing with federal agencies?

SB 34 restricts sharing ALPR information with out-of-state and federal agencies, and California agencies have been audited on precisely that point.

Motorola Vigilant: Is it only for police?

No. Toll and parking authorities, and some commercial repossession and insurance operations, also use LPR, though the LEARN law enforcement network is agency restricted.

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