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Software · head to head

Keycloak vs Notion

Keycloak logo

Keycloak

Software

Open-source identity and access management server.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Notion logo

Notion

Software

All-in-one workspace for notes, tasks, wikis, and databases

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Keycloak requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain; Notion free plan limited to 1,000 blocks for 2+ member workspaces, restricting team usage

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Keycloak and Notion actually diverge.

Attributes where Keycloak and Notion differ
AttributeKeycloakNotion
Pricing modelopen-sourceUnknown
PlatformsSelf-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, APIWeb, iOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2016

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Notion does not also cover.

Only in Notion

  • Rich text editing with blocks
  • Customizable databases
  • Kanban boards and calendars
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Template library
  • File attachments
  • Web clipper
  • API access

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 Notion
  • Companies with existing LDAP/Active Directory systems needing federated authenticationnot Notion
  • Open-source projects and communities requiring free IAM without licensing costsnot Notion
  • Enterprises building custom identity workflows requiring fine-grained authorisationnot Notion
  • Teams with sufficient operational expertise to manage infrastructurenot Notion

Notion

  • Project managementnot Keycloak
  • Knowledge base creationnot Keycloak
  • Note-taking and documentationnot Keycloak
  • Team collaborationnot Keycloak
  • Content planningnot 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

Notion

  • Free plan limited to 1,000 blocks for 2+ member workspaces, restricting team usage
  • Free tier only includes trial AI capabilities; full Notion AI requires paid plan
  • Page history limited to 7 days on free plan
  • Per-member pricing increases costs for teams compared to flat-rate competitors
  • Limited automation capabilities compared to dedicated workflow platforms

Pricing, plan by plan

Keycloak

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

Notion

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1000 block limit (2+ members)
    • 7-day page history
    • 5MB file upload cap
  • Plus$10/month
    • Unlimited blocks
    • 30-day page history
    • Unlimited file uploads
  • Business$20/month
    • All Plus features
    • Notion Agent
    • AI Meeting Notes
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • All Business features
    • Advanced controls
    • Audit logs

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 Notion if

  • You need rich text editing with blocks.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want customizable databases.
Notion review

Questions people ask

Is Keycloak or Notion better?
Neither clearly leads. Keycloak starts at Free and Notion at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Keycloak or Notion?
Keycloak starts at Free and Notion at Free.
Does Keycloak or Notion run on more platforms?
Keycloak runs on Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API. Notion runs on Web, iOS, Android.
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 Notion is typically brought in for.
What can Keycloak do that Notion cannot?
Notion covers Rich text editing with blocks, Customizable databases, Kanban boards and calendars, Real-time collaboration.

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
Notion: What are Notion's pricing tiers?

Notion offers four plans: Free ($0/member/month), Plus ($10/member/month), Business ($20/member/month recommended), and Enterprise (custom pricing). All paid plans include Notion AI and identical features with no per-feature charges.

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
Notion: What is included in Notion's free plan?

The free plan includes databases with limited collaborative blocks, trial AI capabilities, basic forms, basic sites, Notion Calendar, and file uploads. For workspaces with 2+ members, there is a 1,000-block limit.

Source
Keycloak: Is Keycloak free?

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

Source
Notion: How much does Notion AI cost?

Notion AI is included with Plus ($10/mo), Business ($20/mo), and Enterprise plans. Free and Plus plans include limited AI trial capabilities. Custom Agents cost $10 per 1,000 monthly credits after free trial.

Source
Notion: Can guests access Notion workspaces without payment?

Yes. Guests are free of charge on all plans including the free tier. Free tier allows 10 guests; paid plans include unlimited guests. Guests can only access individual pages they are invited to.

Source
Notion: Does Notion integrate with other apps?

Yes. Notion integrates with 100+ third-party apps including Slack, Google Drive, GitHub, Google Calendar, Trello, Jira, Zapier, and many others. Native integrations are available plus additional connections via Zapier.

Source
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Related pages

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