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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authelia vs SafeCity

Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
S

SafeCity

Government

Integrated Public Safety Platform

From
$2000/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; SafeCity the vendor's own homepage as captured by the Internet Archive in December 2021/January 2022 confirms Safecity is run by Red Dot Foundation, presenting itself as a community safety initiative with blog content and no commercial pricing page, product tier, or subscription anywhere on the site, consistent with a not-for-profit rather than a commercially sold product
  • They diverge on capability: Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, SafeCity covers Video Surveillance.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authelia and SafeCity actually diverge.

Attributes where Authelia and SafeCity differ
AttributeAutheliaSafeCity
Starting priceFree$2000/month
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedWeb, Desktop, Mobile
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment
FoundedUnknown2014

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 SafeCity

  • Video Surveillance
  • AI Analytics
  • Command Center
  • Incident Management
  • Emergency Response
  • Camera Systems
  • CAD
  • GIS

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

SafeCity

  • Citizen Servicesnot Authelia
  • Records Managementnot Authelia
  • Public Safetynot Authelia
  • Civic Engagementnot 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

SafeCity

  • The vendor's own homepage as captured by the Internet Archive in December 2021/January 2022 confirms Safecity is run by Red Dot Foundation, presenting itself as a community safety initiative with blog content and no commercial pricing page, product tier, or subscription anywhere on the site, consistent with a not-for-profit rather than a commercially sold product

Pricing, plan by plan

Authelia

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

SafeCity

$2000/month
  • City Platform$2000/month
    • Video Analytics
    • Command Center
    • Incident Management

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 SafeCity if

  • You need video surveillance.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want ai analytics.
SafeCity review

Questions people ask

Is Authelia or SafeCity better?
Neither clearly leads. Authelia starts at Free and SafeCity at $2000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authelia or SafeCity?
Authelia has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Authelia and $2000/month for SafeCity.
Does Authelia or SafeCity run on more platforms?
Authelia runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. SafeCity runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
Can I use Authelia for free?
Yes. Authelia has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SafeCity starts at $2000/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 SafeCity is typically brought in for.
What can Authelia do that SafeCity cannot?
Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Two-factor authentication, Access control rules, Lightweight backends. SafeCity covers Video Surveillance, AI Analytics, Command Center, Incident Management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Authelia: Is Authelia free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

SafeCity: Is Safecity free to use?

Safecity is operated by the Red Dot Foundation, a non-profit organization (Sec 8, Not for Profit in India). The platform itself is presented as a free service that allows users to safely report incidents of abuse anonymously.

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.

SafeCity: How is Safecity funded?

Safecity's parent organization, the Red Dot Foundation, relies on donations to support its operations. The website includes a donation option for those who wish to contribute to the organization's mission.

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.

SafeCity: Is there a paid tier or premium features?

The available content does not disclose any paid tiers, premium features, or subscription models. Safecity appears to operate as a free service with no tiered pricing.

Source
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