Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

Authelia vs NextRequest

Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
NextRequest logo

NextRequest

Government

Public Records Request Management

From
$300/month
Free plan
No
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; NextRequest now sold as part of the CivicPlus product line rather than standalone, and nextrequest.com redirects into the CivicPlus site
  • They diverge on capability: Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, NextRequest covers Request Intake.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authelia and NextRequest actually diverge.

Attributes where Authelia and NextRequest differ
AttributeAutheliaNextRequest
Starting priceFree$300/month
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedWeb
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment
FoundedUnknown2015

Identical on both: 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 NextRequest

  • Request Intake
  • Workflow Management
  • Document Redaction
  • Public Portal
  • Reporting
  • Document Systems
  • Email
  • Payment Processors

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

NextRequest

  • Receiving and routing public records and FOIA requestsnot Authelia
  • Tracking request status and statutory deadlines centrallynot Authelia
  • Redacting documents before release with RapidReviewnot Authelia
  • Invoicing and collecting payment for records requestsnot Authelia
  • Publishing a public-facing request portal for residentsnot 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

NextRequest

  • Now sold as part of the CivicPlus product line rather than standalone, and nextrequest.com redirects into the CivicPlus site
  • Pricing is not published
  • Aimed at government agencies, so it is not a general purpose request or ticketing tool

Pricing, plan by plan

Authelia

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

NextRequest

$300/month
  • Standard$300/month
    • Request Management
    • Document Redaction
    • Public Portal

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 NextRequest if

  • You need request intake.
  • You also want workflow management.
NextRequest review

Questions people ask

Is Authelia or NextRequest better?
Neither clearly leads. Authelia starts at Free and NextRequest at $300/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authelia or NextRequest?
Authelia has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Authelia and $300/month for NextRequest.
Does Authelia or NextRequest run on more platforms?
Authelia runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. NextRequest runs on Web.
Can I use Authelia for free?
Yes. Authelia has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. NextRequest starts at $300/month.
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 NextRequest is typically brought in for.
What can Authelia do that NextRequest cannot?
Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Two-factor authentication, Access control rules, Lightweight backends. NextRequest covers Request Intake, Workflow Management, Document Redaction, Public Portal.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Authelia: Is Authelia free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

NextRequest: What is the price of NextRequest FOIA management?

NextRequest pricing is not published on their website. Customers must request pricing directly through the website contact form or call the sales team at 888-228-2233.

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.

Share

Related pages

More on Authelia

More on NextRequest

Keep looking

Other head to heads