Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

authentik vs Bang the Table

authentik logo

authentik

Cybersecurity

Open-source identity provider with flexible authentication flows

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Bang the Table logo

Bang the Table

Government

Community Engagement Platform

From
$600/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; Bang the Table the Internet Archive's capture of Bang the Table's homepage on 29 December 2020 confirmed its EngagementHQ platform is sold only via demo request, with EngagementIQ support offered as separate 'annual success plan options'; no price figure is published for either.
  • They diverge on capability: authentik covers Configurable flows, Bang the Table covers Online Surveys.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which authentik and Bang the Table actually diverge.

Attributes where authentik and Bang the Table differ
AttributeauthentikBang the Table
Starting priceFree$600/month
Pricing modelOpen-source core with a paid enterprise tiersubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment
FoundedUnknown2007

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 Bang the Table

  • Online Surveys
  • Discussion Forums
  • Interactive Mapping
  • Story Telling
  • Participation Analytics
  • ArcGIS
  • Google Maps
  • Social Media

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 Bang the Table
  • Putting authentication in front of applications that have none, via the proxynot Bang the Table
  • Teams who tried Keycloak and wanted something less heavynot Bang the Table

Bang the Table

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

Bang the Table

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Bang the Table's homepage on 29 December 2020 confirmed its EngagementHQ platform is sold only via demo request, with EngagementIQ support offered as separate 'annual success plan options'; no price figure is published for either.

Pricing, plan by plan

authentik

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

Bang the Table

$600/month
  • EngagementHQ$600/month
    • Surveys
    • Forums
    • Mapping Tools

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 Bang the Table if

  • You need online surveys.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want discussion forums.
Bang the Table review

Questions people ask

Is authentik or Bang the Table better?
Neither clearly leads. authentik starts at Free and Bang the Table at $600/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, authentik or Bang the Table?
authentik has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for authentik and $600/month for Bang the Table.
Does authentik or Bang the Table run on more platforms?
authentik runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. Bang the Table runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use authentik for free?
Yes. authentik has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Bang the Table starts at $600/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 Bang the Table is typically brought in for.
What can authentik do that Bang the Table cannot?
authentik covers Configurable flows, Protocol support, Application proxy, Modern admin interface. Bang the Table covers Online Surveys, Discussion Forums, Interactive Mapping, Story Telling.

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.

Bang the Table: What solutions does Granicus provide?

Granicus offers Service Cloud for frictionless service delivery, Engagement Cloud for growing and activating audiences, Operations Cloud for automating workflows and reducing costs, and Government Experience Agent for 24/7 self-service with digital agents.

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.

Bang the Table: Who does Granicus serve?

Granicus serves local government, state government, education, elected officials, federal government, and special districts. It helps organizations deliver better citizen experiences and improve government efficiency.

Source
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.

Bang the Table: Does Granicus offer AI solutions?

Yes, Granicus AI Hub provides secure, ethical AI solutions built exclusively for the public sector to transform services without compromising public trust.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on authentik

More on Bang the Table

Keep looking

Other head to heads