Softwr

Web Development · head to head

Carrd vs Keycloak

Carrd logo

Carrd

Web Development

Ultra-affordable one-page site builder.

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: Carrd free tier strictly limited to 3 sites; any additional sites require upgrading to Pro; Keycloak requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Carrd and Keycloak actually diverge.

Attributes where Carrd and Keycloak differ
AttributeCarrdKeycloak
Pricing modelfreemiumopen-source
PlatformsWeb, MobileSelf-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API
CategoryWeb 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.

Carrd

  • Indie makers and solopreneurs building personal portfolios or landing pagesnot Keycloak
  • Small business owners requiring minimal online presence at low costnot Keycloak
  • Link-in-bio alternatives for social media profiles and contact pagesnot Keycloak
  • Email capture pages for newsletters or lead magnetsnot Keycloak
  • Cost-conscious teams requiring a cheap website alternative to Webflow or Squarespacenot Keycloak

Keycloak

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

Where each one falls short

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

Carrd

  • Free tier strictly limited to 3 sites; any additional sites require upgrading to Pro
  • Pro plan includes Carrd branding removal but still lacks advanced features (e-commerce, multi-step funnels, complex forms)
  • Single-page design only; does not support multi-page websites or complex site structures
  • Limited template library compared to competitors like Leadpages or Unbounce
  • Annual payment required for Pro tier; no monthly payment option
  • No native A/B testing, analytics dashboard or conversion optimisation tools built-in

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

Carrd

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 sites
    • Responsive design
    • Templates and blank pages
  • Pro$19/year
    • Unlimited sites
    • Custom domain with SSL
    • Contact forms

Keycloak

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Carrd if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
Carrd 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 Carrd or Keycloak better?
Neither clearly leads. Carrd 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, Carrd or Keycloak?
Carrd starts at Free and Keycloak at Free.
Does Carrd or Keycloak run on more platforms?
Carrd runs on Web, Mobile. Keycloak runs on Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API.
Can I use Carrd for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Carrd best used for?
Carrd is most often used for indie makers and solopreneurs building personal portfolios or landing pages, small business owners requiring minimal online presence at low cost, link-in-bio alternatives for social media profiles and contact pages, email capture pages for newsletters or lead magnets. Of those, indie makers and solopreneurs building personal portfolios or landing pages and small business owners requiring minimal online presence at low cost are not what Keycloak is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Carrd: How much does Carrd cost?

Carrd is free for up to 3 sites. The Pro plan costs $19/year and enables unlimited sites with custom domains, forms and integrations.

Source
Keycloak: What protocols does Keycloak support?

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

Source
Carrd: Can I use Carrd for e-commerce?

Carrd's Pro plan supports payment forms with Stripe integration, but it is not a full e-commerce platform. Single-product sales or payment collection is possible, but inventory management and complex product catalogs are not supported.

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
Carrd: Can I create multi-page websites with Carrd?

No. Carrd is designed for single-page sites only. For multi-page websites, you would need to use a full website builder like Webflow or Squarespace.

Source
Keycloak: Is Keycloak free?

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

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Carrd

More on Keycloak

Keep looking

Other head to heads