Developer Tools · head to head
Keycloak vs Splunk Enterprise Security
Keycloak
Developer Tools
Open-source identity and access management server.
- From
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
Splunk Enterprise Security
Cybersecurity
The platform for operational intelligence
- From
- On request
- Free plan
- No
The short version
- Only Keycloak has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Keycloak requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain; Splunk Enterprise Security splunk Enterprise Security is licensed separately from the Splunk platform, so a SIEM deployment needs both
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Keycloak and Splunk Enterprise Security actually diverge.
| Attribute | Keycloak | Splunk Enterprise Security |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | open-source | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API | Web, Api |
| Category | Developer Tools | Cybersecurity |
| Founded | Unknown | 2003 |
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 Keycloak
Nothing recorded that Splunk Enterprise Security does not also cover.
Only in Splunk Enterprise Security
- Security monitoring
- Incident review
- Risk-based alerting
- Threat intelligence
- Investigation workbench
- MITRE ATT&CK mapping
- Automated response
- Compliance reporting
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 Splunk Enterprise Security
- Companies with existing LDAP/Active Directory systems needing federated authenticationnot Splunk Enterprise Security
- Open-source projects and communities requiring free IAM without licensing costsnot Splunk Enterprise Security
- Enterprises building custom identity workflows requiring fine-grained authorisationnot Splunk Enterprise Security
- Teams with sufficient operational expertise to manage infrastructurenot Splunk Enterprise Security
Splunk Enterprise Security
- Running a security operations centre on Splunk indexed log datanot Keycloak
- Correlation searches, risk based alerting and incident investigationnot Keycloak
- Compliance reporting from pooled security telemetrynot 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
Splunk Enterprise Security
- Splunk Enterprise Security is licensed separately from the Splunk platform, so a SIEM deployment needs both
- Splunk publishes no rate for Enterprise Security and directs buyers to contact a pricing expert
- UEBA, SOAR and automated threat analysis require the Premier edition rather than Essentials
- The platform underneath can be billed by ingest volume, workload or activity, so the total cost depends on a pricing model chosen at contract time rather than a list price
Pricing, plan by plan
Keycloak
Free- Open-sourceFree
- Full platform functionality
- Self-hosted deployment
- Community support
Splunk Enterprise Security
On request- Workload PricingFree
- Pay per compute
- Flexible scaling
- All features
- Ingest PricingFree
- Pay per GB ingested
- Predictable costs
- All features
- Entity PricingFree
- Pay per monitored entity
- Security focused
- All features
Which should you pick?
Choose Keycloak if
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API.
Choose Splunk Enterprise Security if
- You need security monitoring.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want incident review.
Questions people ask
- Is Keycloak or Splunk Enterprise Security better?
- Neither clearly leads. Keycloak starts at Free and Splunk Enterprise Security at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Keycloak or Splunk Enterprise Security?
- Keycloak has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Keycloak and On request for Splunk Enterprise Security.
- Does Keycloak or Splunk Enterprise Security run on more platforms?
- Keycloak runs on Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API. Splunk Enterprise Security runs on Web, Api.
- Can I use Keycloak for free?
- Yes. Keycloak has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Splunk Enterprise Security starts at On request.
- 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 Splunk Enterprise Security is typically brought in for.
- What can Keycloak do that Splunk Enterprise Security cannot?
- Splunk Enterprise Security covers Security monitoring, Incident review, Risk-based alerting, Threat intelligence.
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.
SourceSplunk Enterprise Security: How much does Splunk Enterprise Security cost?
Splunk Enterprise Security pricing is not published. The product is available in Essentials Edition with threat detection, investigation, and response capabilities, and Premier Edition with UEBA, SOAR, and Automated Threat Analysis. Customers must contact Splunk sales for pricing quotes on either edition.
SourceKeycloak: 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.
SourceSplunk Enterprise Security: What editions of Splunk Enterprise Security are available?
Splunk Enterprise Security offers Essentials Edition with threat detection, investigation, and response capabilities, and Premier Edition which adds UEBA (User and Entity Behavior Analytics), SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation and Response), and Automated Threat Analysis.
SourceKeycloak: Is Keycloak free?
Yes. Keycloak is fully open-source and free to deploy and use. No licensing fees are required.
SourceRelated pages
More on Splunk Enterprise Security
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