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Government · head to head

GovPilot vs Ory Kratos

GovPilot logo

GovPilot

Government

Digital forms and workflow modules for small municipalities priced out of enterprise govtech

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Ory Kratos logo

Ory Kratos

Cybersecurity

Headless identity and user management API

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Ory Kratos has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: GovPilot modules are prebuilt and configured rather than developed, so a municipality with an unusual ordinance or fee structure must adapt its process to the software rather than the reverse.; Ory Kratos headless means you build every screen, which is significant work compared with a hosted login page
  • They diverge on capability: GovPilot covers Prebuilt process modules, Ory Kratos covers Headless API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where GovPilot and Ory Kratos differ
AttributeGovPilotOry Kratos
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteOpen-source self-hosted, with a paid managed network
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity

Identical on both: 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 GovPilot

  • Prebuilt process modules
  • GIS property map
  • Digital form intake
  • Report a concern app
  • Public records request handling
  • Workflow routing

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.

GovPilot

  • A small town replacing paper permit applications without funding a large implementationnot Ory Kratos
  • A clerk's office that needs a defensible record of public records requests and response timesnot Ory Kratos
  • A municipality wanting residents to report issues from a phone with location attachednot Ory Kratos
  • A borough adding modules gradually as budget allows rather than buying a full system at oncenot Ory Kratos

Ory Kratos

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

Where each one falls short

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

GovPilot

  • Modules are prebuilt and configured rather than developed, so a municipality with an unusual ordinance or fee structure must adapt its process to the software rather than the reverse.
  • The install base is concentrated in New Jersey and the north east, so agencies elsewhere find fewer reference sites and modules tuned to another state's terminology.
  • Module based pricing means the total climbs in steps as departments are added, and the initial quote often covers fewer processes than the town eventually needs.
  • It is not built for the complexity larger cities carry, so an agency that grows into multi department plan review will outgrow it and face a second migration.
  • Integration options are limited compared with enterprise platforms, so connecting to an existing finance or utility billing system may mean manual reconciliation.

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

GovPilot

On request
  • GovPilot$undefined/year
    • Quoted by module count and municipality population
    • Implementation is short because modules are configured rather than built
    • Payment processing on citizen transactions charged separately

Ory Kratos

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

Which should you pick?

Choose GovPilot if

  • You need prebuilt process modules.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want gis property map.
GovPilot 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 GovPilot or Ory Kratos better?
Neither clearly leads. GovPilot starts at On request and Ory Kratos at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GovPilot or Ory Kratos?
Ory Kratos has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for GovPilot and Free for Ory Kratos.
Does GovPilot or Ory Kratos run on more platforms?
GovPilot runs on Web, iOS, Android. Ory Kratos runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
Can I use Ory Kratos for free?
Yes. Ory Kratos has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. GovPilot starts at On request.
What is GovPilot best used for?
GovPilot is most often used for a small town replacing paper permit applications without funding a large implementation, a clerk's office that needs a defensible record of public records requests and response times, a municipality wanting residents to report issues from a phone with location attached, a borough adding modules gradually as budget allows rather than buying a full system at once. Of those, a small town replacing paper permit applications without funding a large implementation and a clerk's office that needs a defensible record of public records requests and response times are not what Ory Kratos is typically brought in for.
What can GovPilot do that Ory Kratos cannot?
GovPilot covers Prebuilt process modules, GIS property map, Digital form intake, Report a concern app. Ory Kratos covers Headless API, Self-service flows, Multi-factor authentication, Pluggable identity schemas.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GovPilot: Who is GovPilot actually for?

Small and mid sized municipalities that are currently on paper and cannot fund an Accela or Tyler implementation.

Ory Kratos: Is Ory Kratos free?

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

GovPilot: How long does implementation take?

Short by govtech standards, because modules are prebuilt and configured rather than custom developed.

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.

GovPilot: Can we find comparable pricing?

Yes. Municipal contracts are public, and in this segment neighbouring towns' council minutes give a genuinely comparable number.

Ory Kratos: Does Kratos do OAuth2?

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

GovPilot: Will we outgrow it?

A city that develops complex multi department plan review will, and should plan for that rather than discover it.

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