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Cybersecurity · head to head

authentik vs SAP for Government

authentik logo

authentik

Cybersecurity

Open-source identity provider with flexible authentication flows

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
SAP for Government logo

SAP for Government

Government

Intelligent Enterprise for Public Sector

From
$8000/month
Free plan
No
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; SAP for Government sAP's own G-Cloud 14 SuccessFactors pricing document lists Employee Central at £59.76 per user per year for the public sector, with Recruiting and Onboarding modules charged per transaction at £142.00 and £72.00 respectively
  • They diverge on capability: authentik covers Configurable flows, SAP for Government covers Financial Management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where authentik and SAP for Government differ
AttributeauthentikSAP for Government
Starting priceFree$8000/month
Pricing modelOpen-source core with a paid enterprise tiersubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedWeb, Desktop, Mobile
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment
FoundedUnknown1972

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 SAP for Government

  • Financial Management
  • Procurement
  • Human Resources
  • Analytics
  • Grants Management
  • Microsoft
  • Oracle
  • Third-party 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 SAP for Government
  • Putting authentication in front of applications that have none, via the proxynot SAP for Government
  • Teams who tried Keycloak and wanted something less heavynot SAP for Government

SAP for Government

  • 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

SAP for Government

  • SAP's own G-Cloud 14 SuccessFactors pricing document lists Employee Central at £59.76 per user per year for the public sector, with Recruiting and Onboarding modules charged per transaction at £142.00 and £72.00 respectively
  • RISE with SAP is listed on G-Cloud 14 as a subscription requiring a minimum three year contract term, per SAP's own pricing document

Pricing, plan by plan

authentik

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

SAP for Government

$8000/month
  • Government Cloud$8000/month
    • ERP
    • Financial Management
    • 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 SAP for Government if

  • You need financial management.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want procurement.
SAP for Government review

Questions people ask

Is authentik or SAP for Government better?
Neither clearly leads. authentik starts at Free and SAP for Government at $8000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, authentik or SAP for Government?
authentik has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for authentik and $8000/month for SAP for Government.
Does authentik or SAP for Government run on more platforms?
authentik runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. SAP for Government runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
Can I use authentik for free?
Yes. authentik has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SAP for Government starts at $8000/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 SAP for Government is typically brought in for.
What can authentik do that SAP for Government cannot?
authentik covers Configurable flows, Protocol support, Application proxy, Modern admin interface. SAP for Government covers Financial Management, Procurement, Human Resources, 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.

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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