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Developer Tools · head to head

Keycloak vs Microsoft Edge

Keycloak logo

Keycloak

Developer Tools

Open-source identity and access management server.

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Edge logo

Microsoft Edge

Technology

Microsoft's Chromium-based browser, distinguished by IE mode for legacy applications and by its integration with Microsoft 365 management.

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Keycloak requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain; Microsoft Edge outside the European Economic Area, Edge cannot be uninstalled from Windows, and Windows components such as Widgets, help links and taskbar search results open in it whatever the default browser is set to, so an organisation standardising on Chrome still has to manage and patch Edge.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Keycloak and Microsoft Edge actually diverge.

Attributes where Keycloak and Microsoft Edge differ
AttributeKeycloakMicrosoft Edge
Pricing modelopen-sourcefree
PlatformsSelf-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, APIWeb
CategoryDeveloper ToolsTechnology

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 Keycloak

Nothing recorded that Microsoft Edge does not also cover.

Only in Microsoft Edge

  • Internet Explorer mode
  • Enterprise Mode Site List
  • Entra ID integration
  • Purview DLP for browsing
  • Intune and Group Policy
  • Vertical tabs and Workspaces
  • Sleeping tabs
  • Chrome extension compatibility

What people use each for

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

Keycloak

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

Microsoft Edge

  • A Windows estate with intranet applications that still require Internet Explorer, where IE mode buys years before a rewritenot Keycloak
  • Microsoft 365 organisations that want browser sessions covered by Purview DLP and conditional access without a separate secure browser productnot Keycloak
  • Fleets managed through Intune that need one browser configured by the same console as the rest of the desktopnot Keycloak
  • Users who work with many tabs at once and want vertical tabs and automatic tab suspension without installing extensionsnot Keycloak

Where each one falls short

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

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

Microsoft Edge

  • Outside the European Economic Area, Edge cannot be uninstalled from Windows, and Windows components such as Widgets, help links and taskbar search results open in it whatever the default browser is set to, so an organisation standardising on Chrome still has to manage and patch Edge.
  • It is Chromium downstream, so Manifest V3 applies exactly as it does in Chrome; full-strength blocking extensions cannot run, and Microsoft's add-ons store adds a second review process rather than a workaround.
  • Almost all of its advantage is conditional on Microsoft 365 and Entra ID; a Google Workspace or AWS-centred organisation gets Chromium plus Microsoft's promotional surfaces and none of the Purview, Intune or conditional access value.
  • Consumer-facing features including Copilot, the Discover pane, shopping notifications and sidebar apps default to on and reappear after feature updates, so suppressing them requires a maintained policy set rather than a one-off configuration.
  • IE mode is a bridge with a maintenance owner attached: the Enterprise Mode Site List must be curated by somebody, and MSHTML receives security fixes but no new capability, so an application parked there gains nothing and its eventual rewrite is only deferred.
  • By default browsing data feeds Microsoft services for Copilot, Discover and shopping features, which in a regulated environment turns the deployment into a policy exercise before it can be approved.

Pricing, plan by plan

Keycloak

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

Microsoft Edge

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft Edge review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Keycloak if

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

Choose Microsoft Edge if

  • You need internet explorer mode.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want enterprise mode site list.
Microsoft Edge review

Questions people ask

Is Keycloak or Microsoft Edge better?
Neither clearly leads. Keycloak starts at Free and Microsoft Edge at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Keycloak or Microsoft Edge?
Keycloak starts at Free and Microsoft Edge at Free.
Does Keycloak or Microsoft Edge run on more platforms?
Keycloak runs on Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API. Microsoft Edge runs on Web.
Can I use Keycloak for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Keycloak best used for?
Keycloak is most often used for organisations requiring self-hosted identity infrastructure for compliance or data residency, companies with existing ldap/active directory systems needing federated authentication, open-source projects and communities requiring free iam without licensing costs, enterprises building custom identity workflows requiring fine-grained authorisation. Of those, organisations requiring self-hosted identity infrastructure for compliance or data residency and companies with existing ldap/active directory systems needing federated authentication are not what Microsoft Edge is typically brought in for.
What can Keycloak do that Microsoft Edge cannot?
Microsoft Edge covers Internet Explorer mode, Enterprise Mode Site List, Entra ID integration, Purview DLP for browsing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Keycloak: What protocols does Keycloak support?

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

Source
Microsoft Edge: Can I uninstall Edge from Windows?

In the European Economic Area, yes, because the Digital Markets Act requires it. Elsewhere you cannot, and several Windows components will continue to open it regardless of your default browser.

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
Microsoft Edge: How long will Internet Explorer mode be supported?

Microsoft has committed to supporting IE mode in Edge through at least 2029. It is a migration window rather than a permanent home, since the underlying MSHTML engine gets security fixes but no new capability.

Keycloak: Is Keycloak free?

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

Source
Microsoft Edge: Do Chrome extensions work?

Yes. Edge installs extensions from the Chrome Web Store as well as its own store. Manifest V3 restrictions apply identically, so extensions that Chrome no longer supports do not work here either.

Microsoft Edge: Is it worth deploying if we are not a Microsoft 365 organisation?

Usually not for the management features, which depend on Entra ID, Intune and Purview. Without that stack it is Chromium with a different interface and additional Microsoft promotion.

Microsoft Edge: Does it run on Linux?

Yes, there are official Linux builds. Some Windows-specific features, including IE mode, are not available there.

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