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Developer Tools · head to head

Keycloak vs Podio

Keycloak logo

Keycloak

Developer Tools

Open-source identity and access management server.

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit KeycloakFull review
Podio logo

Podio

Project Management

The flexible team collaboration platform

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit PodioFull review

The short version

  • Keycloak is an open-source IAM platform supporting OpenID Connect, OAuth 2; Podio is a flexible, highly customizable work management platform.
  • Keycloak is free; Podio starts at $11.2/user/mo.
  • Where Keycloak falls short: requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain.
  • Where Podio falls short: the free plan stops at 5 users and 100 items across the whole organisation.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Keycloak and Podio actually diverge.

Attributes where Keycloak and Podio differ
AttributeKeycloakPodio
Pricing modelOpen-sourceSubscription
PlatformsSelf-hosted, Linux, Windows, APIWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryDeveloper ToolsProject Management

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

Not yet recorded: founded for Keycloak.

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 Podio does not also cover.

Only in Podio

  • Workspaces
  • Apps
  • Workflows
  • Tasks
  • Calendar
  • Slack
  • Google Drive
  • Dropbox

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

Podio

  • Building custom workspaces and apps without codenot Keycloak
  • Project and task management for a small teamnot Keycloak
  • Client collaboration with external users on the paid plansnot Keycloak
  • Simple workflow automation between appsnot 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

Podio

  • The free plan stops at 5 users and 100 items across the whole organisation
  • Workflow automation is capped at 25,000 actions a month even on Premium at $19.20 per user
  • API access is a paid add-on from $23 a month, and higher call rates run to $159
  • Extra automation is billed separately, from $39 up to $559 a month
  • Visual reports, email integrations and PDF generation all require Premium

Pricing, plan by plan

Keycloak

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

Podio

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 5 users
    • 100 items maximum per organization
    • Basic task management
  • Plus$11.2/user/mo
    • $14/user/month monthly
    • Unlimited items
    • Task automation
  • Premium$19.2/user/mo
    • $24/user/month monthly
    • Advanced automation with 25,000 actions/month
    • Enhanced API

Which should you pick?

Choose Keycloak if

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

Choose Podio if

  • You need workspaces.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want apps.
Podio review

Questions people ask

Is Keycloak or Podio better?
Neither clearly leads. Keycloak starts at Free and Podio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Keycloak or Podio?
Keycloak starts at Free and Podio at Free.
Does Keycloak or Podio run on more platforms?
Keycloak runs on Self-hosted, Linux, Windows, API. Podio 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 Podio is typically brought in for.
What can Keycloak do that Podio cannot?
Podio covers Workspaces, Apps, Workflows, Tasks.

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
Podio: How much does Podio cost?

Podio offers a free plan with up to 5 users and 100 items limit. Paid tiers start at $11.20/user/month (annual) or $14/user/month (monthly) for Plus, and $19.20/user/month (annual) or $24/user/month (monthly) for Premium.

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
Podio: Is Podio free?

Podio offers a free plan for up to 5 users with basic task management features and a maximum of 100 items per organization. Paid plans are required for more users or items.

Source
Keycloak: Is Keycloak free?

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

Source
Podio: What limits are on Podio's free plan?

The free plan supports up to 5 users and stores a maximum of 100 items per organization. API calls are limited to 1,000 per hour on the base tier.

Source
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