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Cybersecurity · head to head

authentik vs VUEWorks

authentik logo

authentik

Cybersecurity

Open-source identity provider with flexible authentication flows

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit authentikFull review
VUEWorks logo

VUEWorks

Government

GIS-centred enterprise asset management for public agencies, built around Esri ArcGIS

From
On request
Free plan
No
Visit VUEWorksFull review

The short version

  • authentik is free; VUEWorks prices on request.
  • Only authentik lists configurable flows; only VUEWorks lists native Esri integration.
  • Where authentik falls short: smaller project than Keycloak, with a correspondingly smaller community and fewer integration guides.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which authentik and VUEWorks actually diverge.

Attributes where authentik and VUEWorks differ
AttributeauthentikVUEWorks
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen-source core with a paid enterprise tierQuote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsSelf-hosted, LinuxWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment

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 VUEWorks

  • Native Esri integration
  • Work orders and requests
  • Inspections
  • Condition and risk
  • Capital planning
  • Pavement management
  • Mobile field access
  • Dashboards

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

VUEWorks

  • A county public works department that already runs Esri and wants work orders raised directly against map featuresnot authentik
  • A stormwater utility recording CCTV sewer inspection results against pipe segments for regulatory reportingnot authentik
  • A transport agency modelling pavement treatment strategies to defend a road resurfacing budgetnot authentik
  • A city consolidating sign, signal and streetlight inventories that currently live in separate spreadsheetsnot 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

VUEWorks

  • The product assumes a maintained enterprise ArcGIS geodatabase; agencies without one face a spatial data cleanup project before VUEWorks does anything useful, and that project is usually quoted by the same consultancy selling the software
  • No pricing is published and deals are typically bundled with consulting services, which makes it hard to separate the software cost from the data work when comparing bids
  • The interface is functional rather than modern, and field crews accustomed to consumer mobile apps often resist it, which undermines the data quality the capital planning depends on
  • The Esri dependency is also an Esri cost: agencies need current ArcGIS Enterprise or ArcGIS Online licensing, and that sits outside the VUEWorks quote entirely
  • It is a small vendor with a limited partner network and a mainly North American footprint, so support and implementation capacity outside that region is thin

Pricing, plan by plan

authentik

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

VUEWorks

On request
  • VUEWorks EnterpriseOn request
    • Quoted per agency by user count and modules
    • Hosted or on-premise deployment options
    • GIS integration, data migration and configuration quoted separately

Which should you pick?

Choose authentik if

  • You need configurable flows.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Self-hosted, Linux.
  • You also want protocol support.
authentik review

Choose VUEWorks if

  • You need native esri integration.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want work orders and requests.
VUEWorks review

Questions people ask

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

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.

VUEWorks: Do we need Esri ArcGIS?

Effectively yes. The asset register is the GIS, and the ArcGIS licensing sits outside the VUEWorks quote.

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.

VUEWorks: Is pricing published?

No. VUEWorks is quoted per agency by users and modules, often bundled with data collection services.

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.

VUEWorks: Can it replace Cityworks?

It occupies the same GIS-centric municipal asset management space, so yes in principle, but migration means remapping workflows and history.

VUEWorks: Is there a cloud option?

Yes, VUEWorks is offered hosted as well as on-premise.

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