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Cybersecurity · head to head

authentik vs Mullvad VPN

authentik logo

authentik

Cybersecurity

Open-source identity provider with flexible authentication flows

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
M

Mullvad VPN

Cybersecurity

Privacy-first VPN with one flat price and no email required to sign up

From
$5/month
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; Mullvad VPN offers no free trial or free tier, unlike several consumer VPN competitors.
  • They diverge on capability: authentik covers Configurable flows, Mullvad VPN covers Flat single pricing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which authentik and Mullvad VPN actually diverge.

Attributes where authentik and Mullvad VPN differ
AttributeauthentikMullvad VPN
Starting priceFree$5/month
Pricing modelOpen-source core with a paid enterprise tiersubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedwindows, mac, linux, ios, android
FoundedUnknown2009

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 Mullvad VPN

  • Flat single pricing
  • Account-number signup
  • Cash and crypto payments
  • WireGuard support
  • Independent audits

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

Mullvad VPN

  • Paying for a VPN anonymously with cash or cryptocurrencynot authentik
  • Avoiding tiered upsells with a single flat-rate plannot authentik
  • Signing up without providing an email addressnot authentik
  • Verifying a provider's privacy claims via independent auditsnot 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

Mullvad VPN

  • Offers no free trial or free tier, unlike several consumer VPN competitors.
  • Lacks a bundled tiered structure, so there is no cheaper limited plan for occasional users.
  • Server network and streaming-unblocking performance is smaller than large mainstream VPN providers.
  • No annual discount, meaning long-term subscribers pay the same monthly rate as short-term users.

Pricing, plan by plan

authentik

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

Mullvad VPN

$5/month
  • Mullvad VPN$5/month
    • Flat rate regardless of subscription length
    • 5 simultaneous devices
    • No email required

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 Mullvad VPN if

  • You need flat single pricing.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
  • You also want account-number signup.
Mullvad VPN review

Questions people ask

Is authentik or Mullvad VPN better?
Neither clearly leads. authentik starts at Free and Mullvad VPN at $5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, authentik or Mullvad VPN?
authentik has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for authentik and $5/month for Mullvad VPN.
Does authentik or Mullvad VPN run on more platforms?
authentik runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. Mullvad VPN runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
Can I use authentik for free?
Yes. authentik has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Mullvad VPN starts at $5/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 Mullvad VPN is typically brought in for.
What can authentik do that Mullvad VPN cannot?
authentik covers Configurable flows, Protocol support, Application proxy, Modern admin interface. Mullvad VPN covers Flat single pricing, Account-number signup, Cash and crypto payments, WireGuard support.

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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