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Developer Tools · head to head

Keycloak vs Nagios XI

Keycloak logo

Keycloak

Developer Tools

Open-source identity and access management server.

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Nagios XI logo

Nagios XI

Technology

Enterprise-grade monitoring solution with advanced visualization and reporting

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; Nagios XI free Edition caps at 7 nodes or 100 services, whichever limit is hit first
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Keycloak and Nagios XI actually diverge.

Attributes where Keycloak and Nagios XI differ
AttributeKeycloakNagios XI
Pricing modelopen-sourceone-time
PlatformsSelf-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, APIWeb
CategoryDeveloper ToolsTechnology

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.

Keycloak

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

Nagios XI

  • Monitoring servers, networks, and IoT devices for status changesnot Keycloak
  • Detecting infrastructure problems before they cause outagesnot Keycloak
  • Creating customizable dashboards for real-time IT visibilitynot Keycloak
  • Tracking SLA compliance and generating capacity planning reportsnot 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

Nagios XI

  • Free Edition caps at 7 nodes or 100 services, whichever limit is hit first
  • Standard Edition is licensed per node count, starting at $2,595 for 100 nodes and rising to $14,995 for 1,000 nodes
  • Enterprise Edition, which adds capacity planning and SLA reporting, is sold as an add-on starting at $4,690 for 100 nodes on top of the base license
  • Sitewide Edition for large distributed environments has no published price and requires contacting sales

Pricing, plan by plan

Keycloak

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

Nagios XI

Free
  • Free EditionFree
    • 7 nodes OR 100 services limit
    • Self-supported only
  • Standard 100-Node$2595/perpetual
    • 100 nodes
    • First year includes support and upgrades
  • Standard 500-Node$8295/perpetual
    • 500 nodes
    • First year includes support and upgrades
  • Standard 1000-Node$14995/perpetual
    • 1,000 nodes
    • First year includes support and upgrades

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 Nagios XI if

  • You want to start without paying.
Nagios XI review

Questions people ask

Is Keycloak or Nagios XI better?
Neither clearly leads. Keycloak starts at Free and Nagios XI at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Keycloak or Nagios XI?
Keycloak starts at Free and Nagios XI at Free.
Does Keycloak or Nagios XI run on more platforms?
Keycloak runs on Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API. Nagios XI 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 Nagios XI is typically brought in for.

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
Nagios XI: What is Nagios XI's pricing model?

Nagios XI uses perpetual licensing with one-time purchase costs based on node count, ranging from $2,595 for 100 nodes to $14,995 for 1,000 nodes.

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
Nagios XI: Is there a free version of Nagios XI?

Yes, Nagios XI Free Edition is available at no cost with a limit of 7 nodes or 100 services, whichever is reached first.

Source
Keycloak: Is Keycloak free?

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

Source
Nagios XI: What is included with Nagios XI licensing?

Initial licenses include one year of free version upgrades, up to 10 support cases, and support portal access. Each license permits three installations: production, backup/failover, and testing/development.

Source
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