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Software Development · head to head

Braintrust vs Keycloak

Braintrust logo

Braintrust

Software Development

The active observability platform for agents

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Keycloak logo

Keycloak

Developer Tools

Open-source identity and access management server.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Braintrust enterprise plan pricing not published, requires custom quote; Keycloak requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Braintrust and Keycloak actually diverge.

Attributes where Braintrust and Keycloak differ
AttributeBraintrustKeycloak
Pricing modelfreemiumopen-source
PlatformsWebSelf-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API
CategorySoftware DevelopmentDeveloper Tools

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Braintrust

  • Monitoring production AI agents for qualitynot Keycloak
  • Detecting patterns in agent failuresnot Keycloak
  • Defining quality expectations before shipping agentsnot Keycloak
  • Tracking prompts and tool calls in productionnot Keycloak

Keycloak

  • Organisations requiring self-hosted identity infrastructure for compliance or data residencynot Braintrust
  • Companies with existing LDAP/Active Directory systems needing federated authenticationnot Braintrust
  • Open-source projects and communities requiring free IAM without licensing costsnot Braintrust
  • Enterprises building custom identity workflows requiring fine-grained authorisationnot Braintrust
  • Teams with sufficient operational expertise to manage infrastructurenot Braintrust

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Braintrust

  • Enterprise plan pricing not published, requires custom quote
  • Pro plan includes 6-12 months free discount for startups only

Keycloak

  • Requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain
  • No managed cloud option provided by Red Hat; organisations must operate infrastructure themselves or use third-party distributions
  • Clustering and high-availability configurations require additional operational knowledge
  • Community support only; commercial support requires third-party vendors or distributions

Pricing, plan by plan

Braintrust

Free
  • StarterFree
    • $10 model credits monthly included
    • 1 GB processed data monthly
    • 10000 scores monthly
  • Pro$249/month
    • $249 model credits monthly included
    • 5 GB processed data monthly
    • 50000 scores monthly
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom data retention and export capabilities
    • RBAC and premium support
    • On-premises or hosted solutions available

Keycloak

Free
  • Open-sourceFree
    • Full platform functionality
    • Self-hosted deployment
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Braintrust if

  • You want to start without paying.
Braintrust review

Choose Keycloak if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API.
Keycloak review

Questions people ask

Is Braintrust or Keycloak better?
Neither clearly leads. Braintrust starts at Free and Keycloak at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Braintrust or Keycloak?
Braintrust starts at Free and Keycloak at Free.
Does Braintrust or Keycloak run on more platforms?
Braintrust runs on Web. Keycloak runs on Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API.
Can I use Braintrust for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Braintrust best used for?
Braintrust is most often used for monitoring production ai agents for quality, detecting patterns in agent failures, defining quality expectations before shipping agents, tracking prompts and tool calls in production. Of those, monitoring production ai agents for quality and detecting patterns in agent failures are not what Keycloak is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Braintrust: Does Braintrust have a free plan?

Braintrust Starter plan is free and includes $10 model credits monthly, 1 GB processed data, 10000 scores monthly, and 14-day data retention with unlimited users and projects. No credit card required.

Source
Keycloak: What protocols does Keycloak support?

Keycloak supports OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0 and SAML 2.0 protocols for authentication and authorisation.

Source
Braintrust: How much does the Braintrust Pro plan cost?

Braintrust Pro plan costs $249 per month and includes $249 model credits, 5 GB processed data, 50000 scores monthly, and 30-day data retention. Qualifying startups receive 6-12 months free.

Source
Keycloak: Can Keycloak integrate with existing user directories?

Yes. Keycloak supports user federation with LDAP and Active Directory systems, allowing organisations to leverage existing user directories.

Source
Braintrust: What are Braintrust's overage charges?

Braintrust charges overage rates after monthly allocations: model credits beyond monthly allotment are charged at token rates, data overage is $4 per GB on Starter or $3 per GB on Pro, scores overage is $2.50 per 1000 on Starter or $1.50 per 1000 on Pro. Extended data retention beyond the included period costs $0.50 per GB per month.

Source
Keycloak: Is Keycloak free?

Yes. Keycloak is fully open-source and free to deploy and use. No licensing fees are required.

Source
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