Is authentik or Mark43 better?

Neither clearly leads. authentik starts at Free and Mark43 at $2000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.

Which is cheaper, authentik or Mark43?

authentik has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for authentik and $2000/month for Mark43.

Does authentik or Mark43 run on more platforms?

authentik runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. Mark43 runs on Web, Ios, Android.

Can I use authentik for free?

Yes. authentik has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Mark43 starts at $2000/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 Mark43 is typically brought in for.

What can authentik do that Mark43 cannot?

authentik covers Configurable flows, Protocol support, Application proxy, Modern admin interface. Mark43 covers Computer-Aided Dispatch, Records Management, Evidence Management, Analytics.

Cybersecurity · head to head

authentik vs Mark43

authentik

Cybersecurity

Open-source identity provider with flexible authentication flows

From: Free
Free plan: Yes

Full review Website

Mark43

Government

Modern Public Safety Software

From: $2000/month
Free plan: No

Full review Website

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; Mark43 no published pricing on homepage; sales contact required for all cost details
They diverge on capability: authentik covers Configurable flows, Mark43 covers Computer-Aided Dispatch.
Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which authentik and Mark43 actually diverge.

Attributes where authentik and Mark43 differ
Attribute	authentik	Mark43
Starting price	Free	$2000/month
Pricing model	Open-source core with a paid enterprise tier	subscription
Free tier	Yes	No
Platforms	Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted	Web, Ios, Android
Category	Cybersecurity	Government
Founded	Unknown	2012

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 Mark43

Computer-Aided Dispatch
Records Management
Evidence Management
Analytics
Mobile
FBI CJIS
NCIC
State Systems

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 Mark43
Putting authentication in front of applications that have none, via the proxynot Mark43
Teams who tried Keycloak and wanted something less heavynot Mark43

Mark43

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

Mark43

No published pricing on homepage; sales contact required for all cost details
Only reference to pricing is 'early bird pricing' for 2027 conference registration
No transparent pricing structure visible for public evaluation

Pricing, plan by plan

authentik

Free

Open sourceFree
- Full identity provider
- All protocols
- Community support

Mark43

$2000/month

Public Safety Suite$2000/month
- CAD
- RMS
- Analytics

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 Mark43 if

You need computer-aided dispatch.
You work on Web, Ios, Android.
You also want records management.

Mark43 review

Questions people ask

Is authentik or Mark43 better?: Neither clearly leads. authentik starts at Free and Mark43 at $2000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, authentik or Mark43?: authentik has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for authentik and $2000/month for Mark43.
Does authentik or Mark43 run on more platforms?: authentik runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. Mark43 runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use authentik for free?: Yes. authentik has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Mark43 starts at $2000/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 Mark43 is typically brought in for.
What can authentik do that Mark43 cannot?: authentik covers Configurable flows, Protocol support, Application proxy, Modern admin interface. Mark43 covers Computer-Aided Dispatch, Records Management, Evidence Management, Analytics.

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.

Mark43: Does Mark43 publish pricing online?

No, Mark43 pricing is not published on the public website. The only pricing reference is early bird conference registration. Prospective customers must contact Mark43 through 'Book A Demo' or 'Let's Connect' for pricing consultation.

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.

Mark43: What payment methods or financing options does Mark43 offer?

No information about payment methods or financing options is disclosed on the public homepage. Pricing and payment details are handled through direct sales consultations.

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.

Mark43: Are there volume discounts or specialized pricing for different agency sizes?

Mark43 website does not disclose any volume pricing, per-user costs, or specialized rates for agencies of different sizes. All pricing inquiries require direct contact with sales team.

Source

authentik vs Mark43

authentik

Mark43

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in authentik

Only in Mark43

What people use each for

authentik

Mark43

Where each one falls short

authentik

Mark43

Pricing, plan by plan

authentik

Mark43

Which should you pick?

Choose authentik if

Choose Mark43 if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on authentik

More on Mark43

Keep looking

Other head to heads