Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

authentik vs Vanta

authentik logo

authentik

Cybersecurity

Open-source identity provider with flexible authentication flows

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Vanta logo

Vanta

Cybersecurity

Compliance automation platform for SOC 2, ISO 27001 and similar frameworks.

From
On request
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; Vanta no published pricing for any tier; all plans require requesting a demo and contacting sales
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which authentik and Vanta actually diverge.

Attributes where authentik and Vanta differ
AttributeauthentikVanta
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen-source core with a paid enterprise tiersubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedWeb, API

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 Vanta

Nothing recorded that authentik does not also cover.

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

Vanta

  • SaaS and fintech companies needing rapid SOC 2 certification for enterprise salesnot authentik
  • Healthcare organisations automating HIPAA compliance managementnot authentik
  • European companies managing GDPR and privacy compliancenot authentik
  • Organisations implementing ISO 27001 and other security standardsnot authentik
  • Companies conducting vendor security assessments and managing third-party risknot 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

Vanta

  • No published pricing for any tier; all plans require requesting a demo and contacting sales
  • Essentials tier limited to one compliance framework; organisations needing multiple frameworks must upgrade to higher tiers
  • Plus and Professional tiers feature unclear differentiation; specific pricing and included questionnaires not published
  • Enterprise pricing fully custom; no transparency on costs or what features are included
  • AI questionnaire automation capped at 25 annually in Plus tier, only 144 annually in Professional tier

Pricing, plan by plan

authentik

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

Vanta

On request
  • Essentials$undefined/variable
    • One compliance framework
    • Vanta AI Agent features
    • Automated evidence collection
  • Plus$undefined/variable
    • All Essentials features
    • Enhanced AI Agent capabilities
    • AI-powered questionnaire automation (25 annually)
  • Professional$undefined/variable
    • All Plus features
    • 144 questionnaires annually (marked 'Most Popular')
    • Risk management tools
  • Enterprise$undefined/variable
    • Fully customisable package
    • Flexible, scalable, advanced compliance
    • Tailored to sophisticated GRC requirements

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 Vanta if

  • You work on Web, API.
Vanta review

Questions people ask

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

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.

Vanta: How many compliance frameworks does Vanta support?

Vanta supports 35+ compliance frameworks including SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR and custom frameworks.

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.

Vanta: Does Vanta automate questionnaires?

Yes. Vanta's AI Agent can automate questionnaire completion, with the number of annually supported questionnaires varying by plan (25 in Plus tier, 144 in Professional tier).

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.

Vanta: How many integrations does Vanta support?

Vanta integrates with 300+ pre-built system connections and supports over 90% automation of compliance tasks through these integrations.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on authentik

More on Vanta

Keep looking

Other head to heads