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Cloud · head to head

Crossplane vs Ory Kratos

Crossplane logo

Crossplane

Cloud

The Cloud-Native Framework for Platform Engineering

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ory Kratos logo

Ory Kratos

Cybersecurity

Headless identity and user management API

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Crossplane requires Kubernetes expertise and infrastructure; Ory Kratos headless means you build every screen, which is significant work compared with a hosted login page
  • They diverge on capability: Crossplane covers Kubernetes extension, Ory Kratos covers Headless API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Crossplane and Ory Kratos actually diverge.

Attributes where Crossplane and Ory Kratos differ
AttributeCrossplaneOry Kratos
Pricing modelUnknownOpen-source self-hosted, with a paid managed network
PlatformsKubernetes, AWS, Azure, GCPLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted
CategoryCloudCybersecurity

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Crossplane

  • Kubernetes extension
  • Custom API building
  • Resource management anywhere
  • Declarative interfaces
  • Component library
  • Provider ecosystem

Only in Ory Kratos

  • Headless API
  • Self-service flows
  • Multi-factor authentication
  • Pluggable identity schemas

What people use each for

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

Crossplane

  • Building platform-as-a-service offerings for internal teamsnot Ory Kratos
  • Creating unified control layers for multi-cloud infrastructurenot Ory Kratos
  • Designing declarative APIs for infrastructure provisioningnot Ory Kratos

Ory Kratos

  • Products needing complete control over the look and flow of authenticationnot Crossplane
  • Applications that must not hand user identity data to a third partynot Crossplane
  • Teams building identity as infrastructure across several servicesnot Crossplane

Where each one falls short

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

Crossplane

  • Requires Kubernetes expertise and infrastructure
  • Steep learning curve for teams new to Kubernetes patterns
  • Provider ecosystem smaller than Terraform

Ory Kratos

  • Headless means you build every screen, which is significant work compared with a hosted login page
  • More moving parts than a monolithic IAM: Kratos handles identity, and OAuth2 needs Ory Hydra alongside
  • Documentation assumes real familiarity with identity concepts and is not a gentle introduction
  • Self-hosting identity carries the security and availability burden that hosted providers absorb

Pricing, plan by plan

Crossplane

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Crossplane review.

Ory Kratos

Free
  • Self-hostedFree
    • Full identity server
    • All flows
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Crossplane if

  • You need kubernetes extension.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Kubernetes, AWS, Azure, GCP.
  • You also want custom api building.
Crossplane review

Choose Ory Kratos if

  • You need headless api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
  • You also want self-service flows.
Ory Kratos review

Questions people ask

Is Crossplane or Ory Kratos better?
Neither clearly leads. Crossplane starts at Free and Ory Kratos at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Crossplane or Ory Kratos?
Crossplane starts at Free and Ory Kratos at Free.
Does Crossplane or Ory Kratos run on more platforms?
Crossplane runs on Kubernetes, AWS, Azure, GCP. Ory Kratos runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
Can I use Crossplane for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Crossplane best used for?
Crossplane is most often used for building platform-as-a-service offerings for internal teams, creating unified control layers for multi-cloud infrastructure, designing declarative apis for infrastructure provisioning. Of those, building platform-as-a-service offerings for internal teams and creating unified control layers for multi-cloud infrastructure are not what Ory Kratos is typically brought in for.
What can Crossplane do that Ory Kratos cannot?
Crossplane covers Kubernetes extension, Custom API building, Resource management anywhere, Declarative interfaces. Ory Kratos covers Headless API, Self-service flows, Multi-factor authentication, Pluggable identity schemas.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Crossplane: Is Crossplane free?

Yes, Crossplane is open source and free to use. It requires a Kubernetes cluster but has no licensing costs.

Source
Ory Kratos: Is Ory Kratos free?

Yes, open source and free to self-host. Ory Network is a paid managed service.

Crossplane: What is Crossplane used for?

Crossplane is used to build control planes and platforms for infrastructure management, enabling platform teams to expose safe APIs to other teams.

Source
Ory Kratos: What does headless mean here?

Kratos provides identity flows as APIs and no user interface. You build the login, registration and recovery screens yourself.

Ory Kratos: Does Kratos do OAuth2?

No. Kratos handles user identity; OAuth2 and OpenID Connect provider functionality is Ory Hydra, a separate component.

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