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Cybersecurity · head to head

authentik vs Axon Records

authentik logo

authentik

Cybersecurity

Open-source identity provider with flexible authentication flows

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Axon Records logo

Axon Records

Government

Digital Evidence and Records Management

From
$1500/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only authentik has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: authentik smaller project than Keycloak, with a correspondingly smaller community and fewer integration guides; Axon Records pricing is not published and is arranged per agency
  • They diverge on capability: authentik covers Configurable flows, Axon Records covers Records Management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which authentik and Axon Records actually diverge.

Attributes where authentik and Axon Records differ
AttributeauthentikAxon Records
Starting priceFree$1500/month
Pricing modelOpen-source core with a paid enterprise tiersubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment
FoundedUnknown1993

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 authentik

  • Configurable flows
  • Protocol support
  • Application proxy
  • Modern admin interface

Only in Axon Records

  • Records Management
  • Digital Evidence
  • Body Camera Integration
  • Automated Redaction
  • Case Management
  • Evidence.com
  • CAD Systems
  • Court Systems

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

authentik

  • Self-hosted SSO across internal services without commercial identity pricingnot Axon Records
  • Putting authentication in front of applications that have none, via the proxynot Axon Records
  • Teams who tried Keycloak and wanted something less heavynot Axon Records

Axon Records

  • Police records management and incident reportingnot authentik
  • AI-assisted report drafting from body camera footagenot authentik
  • Linking evidence to case recordsnot authentik
  • Working alongside an existing CAD systemnot authentik

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

authentik

  • Smaller project than Keycloak, with a correspondingly smaller community and fewer integration guides
  • The flow model is flexible but conceptually unfamiliar, and simple setups can feel over-abstracted
  • Enterprise support and some governance features sit behind the paid tier
  • Self-hosted identity is still yours to secure, patch and keep available

Axon Records

  • Pricing is not published and is arranged per agency
  • Most valuable alongside Axon Evidence, so it draws an agency further into one vendor's ecosystem
  • Sold only to law enforcement, so it is not a general records system

Pricing, plan by plan

authentik

Free
  • Open sourceFree
    • Full identity provider
    • All protocols
    • Community support

Axon Records

$1500/month
  • Records & Evidence$1500/month
    • RMS
    • Evidence.com
    • Workflows

Which should you pick?

Choose authentik if

  • You need configurable flows.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted.
  • You also want protocol support.
authentik review

Choose Axon Records if

  • You need records management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want digital evidence.
Axon Records review

Questions people ask

Is authentik or Axon Records better?
Neither clearly leads. authentik starts at Free and Axon Records at $1500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, authentik or Axon Records?
authentik has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for authentik and $1500/month for Axon Records.
Does authentik or Axon Records run on more platforms?
authentik runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. Axon Records runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use authentik for free?
Yes. authentik has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Axon Records starts at $1500/month.
What is authentik best used for?
authentik is most often used for self-hosted sso across internal services without commercial identity pricing, putting authentication in front of applications that have none, via the proxy, teams who tried keycloak and wanted something less heavy. Of those, self-hosted sso across internal services without commercial identity pricing and putting authentication in front of applications that have none, via the proxy are not what Axon Records is typically brought in for.
What can authentik do that Axon Records cannot?
authentik covers Configurable flows, Protocol support, Application proxy, Modern admin interface. Axon Records covers Records Management, Digital Evidence, Body Camera Integration, Automated Redaction.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

authentik: Is authentik free?

The open-source edition is free and complete for most use. An enterprise tier adds support and additional features.

Axon Records: What is the cost of Axon Records?

Axon Records pricing is not published on the vendor website. Interested agencies must contact Axon directly to discuss pricing programs and plans tailored to their specific operational needs.

Source
authentik: authentik or Keycloak?

authentik is generally reported as easier to run and administer; Keycloak is more established with a larger community and Red Hat behind it.

authentik: Can authentik protect apps with no login of their own?

Yes. Its application proxy places authentication in front of services that have no built-in authentication.

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