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Cybersecurity · head to head

authentik vs ClearML

authentik logo

authentik

Cybersecurity

Open-source identity provider with flexible authentication flows

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ClearML logo

ClearML

Machine Learning

Open-source MLOps platform for experiment tracking and orchestration

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: authentik smaller project than Keycloak, with a correspondingly smaller community and fewer integration guides; ClearML broad scope means more to learn and more to run than a focused tracking tool
  • They diverge on capability: authentik covers Configurable flows, ClearML covers Experiment tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which authentik and ClearML actually diverge.

Attributes where authentik and ClearML differ
AttributeauthentikClearML
Pricing modelOpen-source core with a paid enterprise tierOpen-source self-hosted, with paid hosted and enterprise tiers
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes
CategoryCybersecurityMachine Learning

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 authentik

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

Only in ClearML

  • Experiment tracking
  • Remote execution
  • Data versioning
  • Pipelines

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

ClearML

  • Tracking experiments across a team so results are reproduciblenot authentik
  • Moving training from laptops to shared GPU hardware without repackagingnot authentik
  • Versioning datasets alongside the experiments that consumed themnot 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

ClearML

  • Broad scope means more to learn and more to run than a focused tracking tool
  • Self-hosting the server is real infrastructure — database, file storage and web server
  • Documentation quality is uneven across the newer parts of the platform
  • Smaller community than the most popular tracking tools, so fewer worked examples exist

Pricing, plan by plan

authentik

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

ClearML

Free
  • Open sourceFree
    • Experiment tracking
    • Pipelines
    • Self-hosted server

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 ClearML if

  • You need experiment tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want remote execution.
ClearML review

Questions people ask

Is authentik or ClearML better?
Neither clearly leads. authentik starts at Free and ClearML at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, authentik or ClearML?
authentik starts at Free and ClearML at Free.
Does authentik or ClearML run on more platforms?
authentik runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. ClearML runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
Can I use authentik for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 ClearML is typically brought in for.
What can authentik do that ClearML cannot?
authentik covers Configurable flows, Protocol support, Application proxy, Modern admin interface. ClearML covers Experiment tracking, Remote execution, Data versioning, Pipelines.

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.

ClearML: Is ClearML free?

The open-source version is free and self-hostable. Hosted and enterprise tiers are paid.

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.

ClearML: How much code does tracking require?

Very little — adding a couple of lines to an existing training script captures parameters, metrics and environment automatically.

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.

ClearML: Does ClearML replace MLflow?

It covers MLflow’s tracking and adds orchestration, remote execution and data versioning. Whether that breadth is an advantage or extra weight depends on whether you need the rest.

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