Softwr

Government · head to head

OpenGov vs Ory Kratos

OpenGov logo

OpenGov

Government

Modern Cloud ERP for Government

From
$1000/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Ory Kratos logo

Ory Kratos

Cybersecurity

Headless identity and user management API

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Ory Kratos has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: OpenGov custom pricing only, no transparent public pricing; Ory Kratos headless means you build every screen, which is significant work compared with a hosted login page
  • They diverge on capability: OpenGov covers Budgeting & Planning, Ory Kratos covers Headless API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OpenGov and Ory Kratos actually diverge.

Attributes where OpenGov and Ory Kratos differ
AttributeOpenGovOry Kratos
Starting price$1000/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen-source self-hosted, with a paid managed network
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity
Founded2012Unknown

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 OpenGov

  • Budgeting & Planning
  • Financial Reporting
  • Permitting & Licensing
  • Asset Management
  • Transparency Portal
  • Tyler Technologies
  • Munis
  • Microsoft Excel

Only in Ory Kratos

  • Headless API
  • Self-service flows
  • Multi-factor authentication
  • Pluggable identity schemas

What people use each for

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

OpenGov

  • Citizen Servicesnot Ory Kratos
  • Records Managementnot Ory Kratos
  • Public Safetynot Ory Kratos
  • Civic Engagementnot Ory Kratos

Ory Kratos

  • Products needing complete control over the look and flow of authenticationnot OpenGov
  • Applications that must not hand user identity data to a third partynot OpenGov
  • Teams building identity as infrastructure across several servicesnot OpenGov

Where each one falls short

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

OpenGov

  • Custom pricing only, no transparent public pricing
  • No free tier available
  • Requires vendor contact for quotes

Ory Kratos

  • Headless means you build every screen, which is significant work compared with a hosted login page
  • More moving parts than a monolithic IAM: Kratos handles identity, and OAuth2 needs Ory Hydra alongside
  • Documentation assumes real familiarity with identity concepts and is not a gentle introduction
  • Self-hosting identity carries the security and availability burden that hosted providers absorb

Pricing, plan by plan

OpenGov

$1000/month
  • Government Cloud$1000/month
    • Budgeting & Planning
    • Reporting & Transparency
    • Citizen Services

Ory Kratos

Free
  • Self-hostedFree
    • Full identity server
    • All flows
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose OpenGov if

  • You need budgeting & planning.
  • You also want financial reporting.
OpenGov review

Choose Ory Kratos if

  • You need headless api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
  • You also want self-service flows.
Ory Kratos review

Questions people ask

Is OpenGov or Ory Kratos better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenGov starts at $1000/month and Ory Kratos at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenGov or Ory Kratos?
Ory Kratos has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1000/month for OpenGov and Free for Ory Kratos.
Does OpenGov or Ory Kratos run on more platforms?
OpenGov runs on Web. Ory Kratos runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
Can I use Ory Kratos for free?
Yes. Ory Kratos has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. OpenGov starts at $1000/month.
What is OpenGov best used for?
OpenGov is most often used for citizen services, records management, public safety, civic engagement. Of those, citizen services and records management are not what Ory Kratos is typically brought in for.
What can OpenGov do that Ory Kratos cannot?
OpenGov covers Budgeting & Planning, Financial Reporting, Permitting & Licensing, Asset Management. Ory Kratos covers Headless API, Self-service flows, Multi-factor authentication, Pluggable identity schemas.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

OpenGov: What does OpenGov provide?

OpenGov is government budgeting and planning software for municipalities and public sector organizations. It helps with budget planning, financial management, and government transparency.

Source
Ory Kratos: Is Ory Kratos free?

Yes, open source and free to self-host. Ory Network is a paid managed service.

OpenGov: How much does OpenGov cost?

OpenGov pricing is custom and quote-based. There is no public pricing listed. Organizations need to contact OpenGov directly for a proposal based on their specific needs.

Source
Ory Kratos: What does headless mean here?

Kratos provides identity flows as APIs and no user interface. You build the login, registration and recovery screens yourself.

OpenGov: Is there a free tier?

No. OpenGov does not offer a free plan. Pricing requires direct vendor contact and is procurement-led.

Source
Ory Kratos: Does Kratos do OAuth2?

No. Kratos handles user identity; OAuth2 and OpenID Connect provider functionality is Ory Hydra, a separate component.

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