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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authelia vs SonarQube

Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
SonarQube logo

SonarQube

Developer Tools

Code quality and code security for clean code, at every step

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; SonarQube advanced Security add-on uses custom pricing
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authelia and SonarQube actually diverge.

Attributes where Authelia and SonarQube differ
AttributeAutheliaSonarQube
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feesubscription
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedWeb
CategoryCybersecurityDeveloper Tools

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 SonarQube

Nothing recorded that Authelia does not also cover.

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

SonarQube

  • Code quality analysisnot Authelia
  • Vulnerability detectionnot Authelia
  • Security scanningnot Authelia
  • Compliance reportingnot 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

SonarQube

  • Advanced Security add-on uses custom pricing
  • Only private project lines of code count toward limits

Pricing, plan by plan

Authelia

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

SonarQube

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Supports up to 50000 lines of code in private projects
    • Never expires
    • Covers public projects
  • Team$34/month
    • 30+ languages
    • Code quality standards
    • Bug and vulnerability detection
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Advanced security reports
    • OWASP/CWE/PCI DSS compliance
    • Unlimited users and projects

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 SonarQube if

  • You want to start without paying.
SonarQube review

Questions people ask

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

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Authelia: Is Authelia free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

SonarQube: How much does SonarQube cost?

SonarQube offers a free tier supporting up to 50000 lines of code in private projects, a Team plan starting at $34/month, and custom Enterprise pricing. Team plan includes 14-day free trial.

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.

SonarQube: Is SonarQube free?

Yes, SonarQube offers a free tier that never expires and covers both public and private projects up to 50000 lines of code in private projects.

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.

SonarQube: What languages does SonarQube support?

SonarQube Team plan supports 30+ languages including common programming languages. Enterprise plan adds support for 40+ languages including ABAP, COBOL, and Apex.

Source
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