Is authentik or OnBase better?

Neither clearly leads. authentik starts at Free and OnBase at $400/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.

Which is cheaper, authentik or OnBase?

authentik has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for authentik and $400/month for OnBase.

Does authentik or OnBase run on more platforms?

authentik runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. OnBase runs on Web, Mobile.

Can I use authentik for free?

Yes. authentik has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. OnBase starts at $400/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 OnBase is typically brought in for.

What can authentik do that OnBase cannot?

authentik covers Configurable flows, Protocol support, Application proxy, Modern admin interface. OnBase covers Content Management, Workflow Automation, Case Management, Records Management.

Cybersecurity · head to head

authentik vs OnBase

authentik

Cybersecurity

Open-source identity provider with flexible authentication flows

From: Free
Free plan: Yes

Full review Website

OnBase

Government

Enterprise Information Platform

From: $400/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; OnBase pricing starts at 2,000 USD per month, making it expensive for small agencies
They diverge on capability: authentik covers Configurable flows, OnBase covers Content Management.
Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which authentik and OnBase actually diverge.

Attributes where authentik and OnBase differ
Attribute	authentik	OnBase
Starting price	Free	$400/month
Pricing model	Open-source core with a paid enterprise tier	subscription
Free tier	Yes	No
Platforms	Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted	Web, Mobile
Category	Cybersecurity	Government
Founded	Unknown	1991

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 OnBase

Content Management
Workflow Automation
Case Management
Records Management
Intelligent Capture
Microsoft 365
Salesforce
Epic

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

OnBase

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

OnBase

Pricing starts at 2,000 USD per month, making it expensive for small agencies
Complex implementation and configuration required for government-specific workflows
Requires significant IT resources for deployment and ongoing management

Pricing, plan by plan

authentik

Free

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

OnBase

$400/month

Government$400/month
- Content Management
- Process Automation
- Case Management

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 OnBase if

You need content management.
You work on Web, Mobile.
You also want workflow automation.

OnBase review

Questions people ask

Is authentik or OnBase better?: Neither clearly leads. authentik starts at Free and OnBase at $400/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, authentik or OnBase?: authentik has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for authentik and $400/month for OnBase.
Does authentik or OnBase run on more platforms?: authentik runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. OnBase runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use authentik for free?: Yes. authentik has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. OnBase starts at $400/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 OnBase is typically brought in for.
What can authentik do that OnBase cannot?: authentik covers Configurable flows, Protocol support, Application proxy, Modern admin interface. OnBase covers Content Management, Workflow Automation, Case Management, Records 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.

OnBase: What is OnBase used for in government?

OnBase is used for digital permitting, inspections, and plan review processes. Government agencies use it to streamline workflows, enable online forms, automate approvals, and provide citizen access to application status.

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.

OnBase: Does OnBase support mobile access?

Yes. Mobile access is a key feature of OnBase, allowing users to manage documents and cases on the go.

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.

OnBase: What document management capabilities does OnBase provide?

OnBase provides centralized document storage with version control, search and retrieval tools, records management across physical and electronic lifecycles, and compliance with policies and regulations.

Source

OnBase: Can OnBase workflows be customized?

Yes. OnBase is flexible and configurable with user-defined workflows for case management, streamlining processes like accounts payable, employee onboarding, and contract management.

Source

authentik vs OnBase

authentik

OnBase

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in authentik

Only in OnBase

What people use each for

authentik

OnBase

Where each one falls short

authentik

OnBase

Pricing, plan by plan

authentik

OnBase

Which should you pick?

Choose authentik if

Choose OnBase if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on authentik

More on OnBase

Keep looking

Other head to heads