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Cybersecurity · head to head

Ory Kratos vs Tyler Technologies

Ory Kratos logo

Ory Kratos

Cybersecurity

Headless identity and user management API

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Tyler Technologies logo

Tyler Technologies

Government

Empowering the Public Sector

From
$2000/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Ory Kratos has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • They diverge on capability: Ory Kratos covers Headless API, Tyler Technologies covers Financial Management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ory Kratos and Tyler Technologies actually diverge.

Attributes where Ory Kratos and Tyler Technologies differ
AttributeOry KratosTyler Technologies
Starting priceFree$2000/month
Pricing modelOpen-source self-hosted, with a paid managed networksubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hostedWeb, Desktop, Ios, Android
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment
FoundedUnknown1966

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 Ory Kratos

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

Only in Tyler Technologies

  • Financial Management
  • Courts & Justice
  • Public Safety
  • Appraisal & Tax
  • School Solutions
  • AWS GovCloud
  • Microsoft Azure
  • Oracle

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 Tyler Technologies
  • Applications that must not hand user identity data to a third partynot Tyler Technologies
  • Teams building identity as infrastructure across several servicesnot Tyler Technologies

Tyler Technologies

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

Tyler Technologies

Nothing recorded yet. See the Tyler Technologies review.

Pricing, plan by plan

Ory Kratos

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

Tyler Technologies

$2000/month
  • Enterprise$2000/month
    • ERP Suite
    • Courts & Justice
    • Public Safety

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.
Ory Kratos review

Choose Tyler Technologies if

  • You need financial management.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Ios, Android.
  • You also want courts & justice.
Tyler Technologies review

Questions people ask

Is Ory Kratos or Tyler Technologies better?
Neither clearly leads. Ory Kratos starts at Free and Tyler Technologies at $2000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ory Kratos or Tyler Technologies?
Ory Kratos has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Ory Kratos and $2000/month for Tyler Technologies.
Does Ory Kratos or Tyler Technologies run on more platforms?
Ory Kratos runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted. Tyler Technologies runs on Web, Desktop, Ios, Android.
Can I use Ory Kratos for free?
Yes. Ory Kratos has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Tyler Technologies starts at $2000/month.
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 Tyler Technologies is typically brought in for.
What can Ory Kratos do that Tyler Technologies cannot?
Ory Kratos covers Headless API, Self-service flows, Multi-factor authentication, Pluggable identity schemas. Tyler Technologies covers Financial Management, Courts & Justice, Public Safety, Appraisal & Tax.

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.

Tyler Technologies: What are Tyler Technologies pricing options?

Tyler Technologies does not publish pricing on publicly accessible web pages. Pricing information must be requested directly from Tyler Technologies sales.

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.

Tyler Technologies: Does Tyler Technologies offer a free trial?

Trial or demo availability information is not published on the main website. Contact Tyler Technologies sales to inquire about evaluation programs.

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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