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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authelia vs SonicWall

Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SonicWall logo

SonicWall

Cybersecurity

Proven security, performance and simplicity for modern networks

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; SonicWall product line page names no price for any firewall model, series or bundled security service
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authelia and SonicWall actually diverge.

Attributes where Authelia and SonicWall differ
AttributeAutheliaSonicWall
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedWeb

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 SonicWall

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

SonicWall

  • Network security and firewallsnot Authelia
  • Cloud securitynot 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

SonicWall

  • Product line page names no price for any firewall model, series or bundled security service
  • Product tiers are segmented strictly by business size (TZ80 for micro-SMBs up to NSsp for large enterprises), so a growing business must migrate hardware series rather than scale within one model

Pricing, plan by plan

Authelia

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

SonicWall

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the SonicWall 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 SonicWall if

Nothing in the data separates SonicWall from Authelia on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

SonicWall review

Questions people ask

Is Authelia or SonicWall better?
Neither clearly leads. Authelia starts at Free and SonicWall at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authelia or SonicWall?
Authelia has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Authelia and On request for SonicWall.
Does Authelia or SonicWall run on more platforms?
Authelia runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. SonicWall runs on Web.
Can I use Authelia for free?
Yes. Authelia has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SonicWall 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 SonicWall is typically brought in for.
What can Authelia do that SonicWall 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.

SonicWall: How much does SonicWall cost?

SonicWall does not publish pricing on its main website. The company directs customers to contact their sales team directly or access the partner portal for reseller pricing. Free trials are available through their sales channels.

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.

SonicWall: Does SonicWall offer a free trial?

Yes, SonicWall offers free trials for their products. Contact their sales team through the Contact Sales button to request trial access and pricing information.

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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