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Cybersecurity · head to head

authentik vs Fenergo

authentik logo

authentik

Cybersecurity

Open-source identity provider with flexible authentication flows

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fenergo logo

Fenergo

Cybersecurity

Client lifecycle management and KYC onboarding for regulated financial institutions

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; Fenergo implementations commonly run twelve to twenty-four months and depend on a systems integrator, so the services cost frequently exceeds the software subscription in year one.
  • They diverge on capability: authentik covers Configurable flows, Fenergo covers Regulatory rules library.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which authentik and Fenergo actually diverge.

Attributes where authentik and Fenergo differ
AttributeauthentikFenergo
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen-source core with a paid enterprise tierquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedWeb

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 Fenergo

  • Regulatory rules library
  • Digital onboarding
  • Perpetual KYC
  • Entity data model
  • Screening orchestration
  • Case management

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

Fenergo

  • A bank operating in twenty jurisdictions that cannot keep local KYC requirements current across separate regional teamsnot authentik
  • A custodian moving from calendar-based periodic review to event-driven perpetual KYC to cut analyst headcountnot authentik
  • An asset manager onboarding funds and trusts where the ownership hierarchy defeats generic identity verification toolsnot authentik
  • A payments institution facing a regulatory remediation order and needing a defensible audit trail of every client reviewnot 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

Fenergo

  • Implementations commonly run twelve to twenty-four months and depend on a systems integrator, so the services cost frequently exceeds the software subscription in year one.
  • It orchestrates screening but does not supply the sanctions, PEP or adverse media data, so you still buy Dow Jones, LexisNexis or World-Check separately and those fees are per screened entity.
  • The entry price is set for institutions with large onboarding volumes, which puts it out of reach of smaller banks and fintechs that would otherwise benefit from the rules library.
  • Configuration is deep and specific, which makes upgrades between major versions a project rather than a patch, and some customers stay on old releases for years.
  • The rules library covers regulatory requirements, not your internal risk appetite, so the policy tuning that determines whether onboarding actually gets faster remains your work.

Pricing, plan by plan

authentik

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

Fenergo

On request
  • Fenergo Client Lifecycle Management$undefined/year
    • Priced by institution size, jurisdictions in scope and modules licensed
    • Regulatory rules content subscription bundled into the annual fee
    • Implementation delivered by Fenergo or a systems integrator and quoted 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 Fenergo if

  • You need regulatory rules library.
  • You also want digital onboarding.
Fenergo review

Questions people ask

Is authentik or Fenergo better?
Neither clearly leads. authentik starts at Free and Fenergo at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, authentik or Fenergo?
authentik has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for authentik and On request for Fenergo.
Does authentik or Fenergo run on more platforms?
authentik runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. Fenergo runs on Web.
Can I use authentik for free?
Yes. authentik has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fenergo 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 Fenergo is typically brought in for.
What can authentik do that Fenergo cannot?
authentik covers Configurable flows, Protocol support, Application proxy, Modern admin interface. Fenergo covers Regulatory rules library, Digital onboarding, Perpetual KYC, Entity data model.

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.

Fenergo: Does Fenergo do the sanctions screening itself?

No. It orchestrates calls to third-party data providers such as Dow Jones and World-Check, and those subscriptions are additional and usually charged per screened entity.

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.

Fenergo: Is it SaaS or on-premises?

Both. The SaaS offering runs on Microsoft Azure with regional deployment options, which matters where data residency rules prohibit client data leaving the jurisdiction.

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.

Fenergo: How long does a deployment take?

Plan for a year at minimum for a multi-jurisdiction rollout. Single-jurisdiction deployments with a narrow product set can be shorter but rarely under six months.

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