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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authelia vs Rust

Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Rust logo

Rust

Developer Tools

A language empowering everyone to build reliable and efficient software

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; Rust compile times significantly longer than languages like Go or C
  • They diverge on capability: Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Rust covers Memory safety.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authelia and Rust actually diverge.

Attributes where Authelia and Rust differ
AttributeAutheliaRust
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeopen-source
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedWindows, Linux, macOS
CategoryCybersecurityDeveloper Tools
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 Rust

  • Memory safety
  • Zero-cost abstractions
  • Ownership system
  • Pattern matching
  • Type inference
  • Cargo package manager
  • Cross compilation
  • Fearless concurrency

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

Rust

  • Systems programming and operating system developmentnot Authelia
  • Performance-critical applicationsnot Authelia
  • Embedded systems and firmwarenot Authelia
  • Network services and concurrent applicationsnot 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

Rust

  • Compile times significantly longer than languages like Go or C
  • Smaller ecosystem of libraries and frameworks compared to Python or JavaScript
  • Community still smaller than mainstream languages, reducing available third-party resources

Pricing, plan by plan

Authelia

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

Rust

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Rust 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 Rust if

  • You need memory safety.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, macOS.
  • You also want zero-cost abstractions.
Rust review

Questions people ask

Is Authelia or Rust better?
Neither clearly leads. Authelia starts at Free and Rust at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authelia or Rust?
Authelia starts at Free and Rust at Free.
Does Authelia or Rust run on more platforms?
Authelia runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. Rust runs on Windows, Linux, macOS.
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 Rust is typically brought in for.
What can Authelia do that Rust cannot?
Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Two-factor authentication, Access control rules, Lightweight backends. Rust covers Memory safety, Zero-cost abstractions, Ownership system, Pattern matching.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Authelia: Is Authelia free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

Rust: Is Rust free?

Yes, Rust is free and open-source. The Rust Foundation provides institutional support for this community-driven project, and there are no costs associated with using the programming language.

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.

Rust: What license does Rust use?

Rust is open-source and operated under an open-source license. Full license details are available in the policies section of the Rust website.

Source
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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