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Cybersecurity · head to head

authentik vs Google Cloud for Government

authentik logo

authentik

Cybersecurity

Open-source identity provider with flexible authentication flows

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Google Cloud for Government logo

Google Cloud for Government

Government

Innovation Cloud for Government

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: authentik smaller project than Keycloak, with a correspondingly smaller community and fewer integration guides; Google Cloud for Government the free tier gives new customers $300 in credits, and the 20+ always-free products are capped by monthly usage limits
  • They diverge on capability: authentik covers Configurable flows, Google Cloud for Government covers FedRAMP High Authorized.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which authentik and Google Cloud for Government actually diverge.

Attributes where authentik and Google Cloud for Government differ
AttributeauthentikGoogle Cloud for Government
Pricing modelOpen-source core with a paid enterprise tierusage-based
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedWeb, Cli, Sdk
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment
FoundedUnknown2008

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 Google Cloud for Government

  • FedRAMP High Authorized
  • Data Analytics
  • Machine Learning
  • Kubernetes
  • Assured Workloads
  • Workspace
  • Chronicle
  • Third-party Tools

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

Google Cloud for Government

  • Running public sector workloads on Google Cloud compute and storagenot authentik
  • Data analytics and AI for government agenciesnot authentik
  • Migrating agency applications off on-premises infrastructurenot 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

Google Cloud for Government

  • The free tier gives new customers $300 in credits, and the 20+ always-free products are capped by monthly usage limits
  • Pricing is pay as you go and varies by product and usage, so there is no single published rate for the platform
  • Committed use discounts of up to 57% require pre-paying for resources rather than being available on demand
  • Organizations are directed to request a quote rather than being given a published organizational price

Pricing, plan by plan

authentik

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

Google Cloud for Government

Free
  • Pay-as-you-goFree
    • Compute Engine
    • Cloud Storage
    • BigQuery

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 Google Cloud for Government if

  • You need fedramp high authorized.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cli, Sdk.
  • You also want data analytics.
Google Cloud for Government review

Questions people ask

Is authentik or Google Cloud for Government better?
Neither clearly leads. authentik starts at Free and Google Cloud for Government at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, authentik or Google Cloud for Government?
authentik starts at Free and Google Cloud for Government at Free.
Does authentik or Google Cloud for Government run on more platforms?
authentik runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. Google Cloud for Government runs on Web, Cli, Sdk.
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 Google Cloud for Government is typically brought in for.
What can authentik do that Google Cloud for Government cannot?
authentik covers Configurable flows, Protocol support, Application proxy, Modern admin interface. Google Cloud for Government covers FedRAMP High Authorized, Data Analytics, Machine Learning, Kubernetes.

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.

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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Related pages

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