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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authelia vs Userscripts

Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Userscripts logo

Userscripts

Browser Extensions

Open-source userscript manager for Safari on Mac and iOS

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Authelia depends on a reverse proxy: it is not a standalone identity provider; Userscripts safari cannot let extensions bypass a site's Content Security Policy, so strict sites produce "Refused to execute a script" errors that the @inject-into workaround does not always fix.
  • They diverge on capability: Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Userscripts covers Built-in script editor.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 17 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authelia and Userscripts actually diverge.

Attributes where Authelia and Userscripts differ
AttributeAutheliaUserscripts
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeopen-source
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedSafari, macOS, iOS
CategoryCybersecurityBrowser Extensions

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 Userscripts

  • Built-in script editor
  • Standard metadata support
  • GM API
  • Remote script updating
  • iCloud sync
  • Per-page popup

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

Userscripts

  • Running userscripts on Safari without paying for Tampermonkeynot Authelia
  • Running userscripts on an iPhone or iPadnot Authelia
  • Writing scripts on a Mac and syncing them to iOSnot Authelia
  • Blocking or restyling site elements Safari content blockers cannot reachnot Authelia
  • Keeping a script library under an open-source licencenot 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

Userscripts

  • Safari cannot let extensions bypass a site's Content Security Policy, so strict sites produce "Refused to execute a script" errors that the @inject-into workaround does not always fix.
  • Apple only. There is no Chrome, Firefox or Edge build, so it cannot be a cross-browser answer.
  • iCloud sync is documented as having delays, which is awkward when editing the same script on two devices.
  • Requires macOS 12 and Safari 14.1, or iOS 15.1, so older Apple hardware is excluded.
  • GPL v3 means a commercial licence is required for non-open-source use, which matters if you are embedding rather than just using it.

Pricing, plan by plan

Authelia

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

Userscripts

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full functionality
    • GPL v3 licensed
    • macOS, iOS and iPadOS

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 Userscripts if

  • You need built-in script editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Safari, macOS, iOS.
  • You also want standard metadata support.
Userscripts review

Questions people ask

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

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Authelia: Is Authelia free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

Userscripts: Is Userscripts for Safari free?

Yes, free on the App Store and licensed under GPL v3. A commercial licence is required for use in something that is not itself open source.

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.

Userscripts: Does it work on iPhone?

Yes, on iOS and iPadOS 15.1 or later, which makes it one of the few ways to run userscripts on an iPhone.

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.

Userscripts: Why do I get "Refused to execute a script" errors?

Safari does not let extensions bypass a site's Content Security Policy the way other browsers do. The documented workaround is changing the script's @inject-into setting, though it does not resolve every case.

Source
Userscripts: Do my scripts sync between Mac and iPhone?

Yes, over iCloud, though the project notes the sync can be delayed rather than immediate.

Source
Userscripts: What are the system requirements?

macOS 12 or later with Safari 14.1 or later, or iOS and iPadOS 15.1 or later.

Source
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