Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

authentik vs Dahua Technology

authentik logo

authentik

Cybersecurity

Open-source identity provider with flexible authentication flows

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Dahua Technology logo

Dahua Technology

Cybersecurity

Large Chinese video platform that US federal buyers and federal contractors cannot lawfully use

From
On request
Rated
-
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; Dahua Technology dahua is named under NDAA Section 889 and listed on the FCC Covered List, so the US federal government cannot procure its video surveillance equipment and cannot contract with entities that use it, which disqualifies most organisations with any federal contracting ambition regardless of how good the software is.
  • They diverge on capability: authentik covers Configurable flows, Dahua Technology covers DSS Pro V8.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which authentik and Dahua Technology actually diverge.

Attributes where authentik and Dahua Technology differ
AttributeauthentikDahua Technology
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen-source core with a paid enterprise tierquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedWindows, Linux, Web, iOS, Android

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 authentik

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

Only in Dahua Technology

  • DSS Pro V8
  • Distributed architecture
  • DeepXplore
  • Access management
  • Parking Lot application
  • Intelligent Analysis
  • Maintenance Center
  • DMSS mobile app

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

Dahua Technology

  • A private industrial site outside the United States with no federal or defence supply chain exposurenot authentik
  • A large-channel-count deployment in a market where Section 889 and the FCC Covered List do not applynot authentik
  • An existing Dahua estate authorised before February 2023 being maintained rather than expandednot authentik
  • A buyer who has taken written legal advice confirming no federal contracting exposure now or in futurenot 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

Dahua Technology

  • Dahua is named under NDAA Section 889 and listed on the FCC Covered List, so the US federal government cannot procure its video surveillance equipment and cannot contract with entities that use it, which disqualifies most organisations with any federal contracting ambition regardless of how good the software is.
  • Rules adopted by the FCC in late 2025 gave the Commission authority to revoke equipment authorisations already granted, so equipment that is legal to sell today may not be tomorrow and a multi-year rollout carries regulatory risk the vendor cannot indemnify.
  • Sourcing has degraded sharply: new equipment, replacement parts and system expansions are increasingly difficult to obtain through compliant US distribution and major retailers have removed listings, so an installed estate faces a spares problem long before end of life.
  • Any organisation that later wins or bids for federal work, or supplies a federal contractor, must audit and replace Dahua equipment across all its facilities under Section 889(a)(1)(B), turning a cheap installation into an expensive forced rip-out.
  • Beyond procurement law, insurers, auditors and enterprise customers increasingly treat Chinese-manufactured surveillance as a supply chain finding in its own right, so the reputational cost lands even where the legal prohibition does not.

Pricing, plan by plan

authentik

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

Dahua Technology

On request
  • DSS Pro V8$undefined/year
    • Base video licence covering 16 channels, required before adding more
    • Additional video channel licences purchased per channel
    • Access control, video intercom and parking licensed separately

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 Dahua Technology if

  • You need dss pro v8.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want distributed architecture.
Dahua Technology review

Questions people ask

Is authentik or Dahua Technology better?
Neither clearly leads. authentik starts at Free and Dahua Technology at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, authentik or Dahua Technology?
authentik has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for authentik and On request for Dahua Technology.
Does authentik or Dahua Technology run on more platforms?
authentik runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. Dahua Technology runs on Windows, Linux, Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use authentik for free?
Yes. authentik has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Dahua Technology starts at On request.
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 Dahua Technology is typically brought in for.
What can authentik do that Dahua Technology cannot?
authentik covers Configurable flows, Protocol support, Application proxy, Modern admin interface. Dahua Technology covers DSS Pro V8, Distributed architecture, DeepXplore, Access management.

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.

Dahua Technology: Can a US federal agency buy Dahua?

No. Dahua is explicitly named under NDAA Section 889, so federal agencies cannot procure or obtain its video surveillance equipment, including OEM-rebadged versions.

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.

Dahua Technology: Can a private US company use Dahua cameras?

Section 889 does not directly regulate private companies without federal contracts, and existing installations are not required to be removed. But the moment the company bids for federal work or supplies a federal contractor, Section 889(a)(1)(B) makes the installed equipment a problem.

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.

Dahua Technology: Is existing Dahua equipment banned?

No. The prohibition on new authorisations does not apply retroactively to equipment authorised before February 2023, and legacy systems may remain in use. New purchases and expansions are the restricted part.

Dahua Technology: Is Dahua available outside the United States?

Yes, and it remains one of the two largest manufacturers globally, though a number of other countries have introduced their own restrictions on government use.

Share

Related pages

More on authentik

More on Dahua Technology

Keep looking

Other head to heads