Cybersecurity · head to head
Ory Kratos vs Splunk Enterprise Security
Splunk Enterprise Security
Cybersecurity
The platform for operational intelligence
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Ory Kratos has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Ory Kratos headless means you build every screen, which is significant work compared with a hosted login page; Splunk Enterprise Security splunk Enterprise Security is licensed separately from the Splunk platform, so a SIEM deployment needs both
- They diverge on capability: Ory Kratos covers Headless API, Splunk Enterprise Security covers Security monitoring.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Ory Kratos and Splunk Enterprise Security actually diverge.
| Attribute | Ory Kratos | Splunk Enterprise Security |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | Open-source self-hosted, with a paid managed network | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted | Web, Api |
| Founded | Unknown | 2003 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).
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 Ory Kratos
- Headless API
- Self-service flows
- Multi-factor authentication
- Pluggable identity schemas
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.
Ory Kratos
- Products needing complete control over the look and flow of authenticationnot Splunk Enterprise Security
- Applications that must not hand user identity data to a third partynot Splunk Enterprise Security
- Teams building identity as infrastructure across several servicesnot Splunk Enterprise Security
Splunk Enterprise Security
- Running a security operations centre on Splunk indexed log datanot Ory Kratos
- Correlation searches, risk based alerting and incident investigationnot Ory Kratos
- Compliance reporting from pooled security telemetrynot Ory Kratos
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
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
Ory Kratos
Free- Self-hostedFree
- Full identity server
- All flows
- 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 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.
Choose Splunk Enterprise Security if
- You need security monitoring.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want incident review.
Questions people ask
- Is Ory Kratos or Splunk Enterprise Security better?
- Neither clearly leads. Ory Kratos 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, Ory Kratos or Splunk Enterprise Security?
- Ory Kratos has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Ory Kratos and On request for Splunk Enterprise Security.
- Does Ory Kratos or Splunk Enterprise Security run on more platforms?
- Ory Kratos runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted. Splunk Enterprise Security runs on Web, Api.
- Can I use Ory Kratos for free?
- Yes. Ory Kratos has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Splunk Enterprise Security starts at On request.
- What is Ory Kratos best used for?
- Ory Kratos is most often used for products needing complete control over the look and flow of authentication, applications that must not hand user identity data to a third party, teams building identity as infrastructure across several services. Of those, products needing complete control over the look and flow of authentication and applications that must not hand user identity data to a third party are not what Splunk Enterprise Security is typically brought in for.
- What can Ory Kratos do that Splunk Enterprise Security cannot?
- Ory Kratos covers Headless API, Self-service flows, Multi-factor authentication, Pluggable identity schemas. Splunk Enterprise Security covers Security monitoring, Incident review, Risk-based alerting, Threat intelligence.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Ory Kratos: Is Ory Kratos free?
Yes, open source and free to self-host. Ory Network is a paid managed service.
Splunk 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.
SourceOry 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.
Splunk 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.
SourceOry Kratos: Does Kratos do OAuth2?
No. Kratos handles user identity; OAuth2 and OpenID Connect provider functionality is Ory Hydra, a separate component.
Related pages
More on Splunk Enterprise Security
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