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Cybersecurity · head to head

Ory Kratos vs Vanta

Ory Kratos logo

Ory Kratos

Cybersecurity

Headless identity and user management API

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Vanta logo

Vanta

Cybersecurity

Compliance automation platform for SOC 2, ISO 27001 and similar frameworks.

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Vanta no published pricing for any tier; all plans require requesting a demo and contacting sales
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Ory Kratos and Vanta differ
AttributeOry KratosVanta
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen-source self-hosted, with a paid managed networksubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hostedWeb, API

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 Vanta

Nothing recorded that Ory Kratos does not also cover.

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

Vanta

  • SaaS and fintech companies needing rapid SOC 2 certification for enterprise salesnot Ory Kratos
  • Healthcare organisations automating HIPAA compliance managementnot Ory Kratos
  • European companies managing GDPR and privacy compliancenot Ory Kratos
  • Organisations implementing ISO 27001 and other security standardsnot Ory Kratos
  • Companies conducting vendor security assessments and managing third-party risknot 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

Vanta

  • No published pricing for any tier; all plans require requesting a demo and contacting sales
  • Essentials tier limited to one compliance framework; organisations needing multiple frameworks must upgrade to higher tiers
  • Plus and Professional tiers feature unclear differentiation; specific pricing and included questionnaires not published
  • Enterprise pricing fully custom; no transparency on costs or what features are included
  • AI questionnaire automation capped at 25 annually in Plus tier, only 144 annually in Professional tier

Pricing, plan by plan

Ory Kratos

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

Vanta

On request
  • Essentials$undefined/variable
    • One compliance framework
    • Vanta AI Agent features
    • Automated evidence collection
  • Plus$undefined/variable
    • All Essentials features
    • Enhanced AI Agent capabilities
    • AI-powered questionnaire automation (25 annually)
  • Professional$undefined/variable
    • All Plus features
    • 144 questionnaires annually (marked 'Most Popular')
    • Risk management tools
  • Enterprise$undefined/variable
    • Fully customisable package
    • Flexible, scalable, advanced compliance
    • Tailored to sophisticated GRC requirements

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 Vanta if

  • You work on Web, API.
Vanta review

Questions people ask

Is Ory Kratos or Vanta better?
Neither clearly leads. Ory Kratos starts at Free and Vanta at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ory Kratos or Vanta?
Ory Kratos has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Ory Kratos and On request for Vanta.
Does Ory Kratos or Vanta run on more platforms?
Ory Kratos runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted. Vanta 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. Vanta 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 Vanta is typically brought in for.
What can Ory Kratos do that Vanta cannot?
Ory Kratos covers Headless API, Self-service flows, Multi-factor authentication, Pluggable identity schemas.

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.

Vanta: How many compliance frameworks does Vanta support?

Vanta supports 35+ compliance frameworks including SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR and custom frameworks.

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.

Vanta: Does Vanta automate questionnaires?

Yes. Vanta's AI Agent can automate questionnaire completion, with the number of annually supported questionnaires varying by plan (25 in Plus tier, 144 in Professional tier).

Source
Ory Kratos: Does Kratos do OAuth2?

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

Vanta: How many integrations does Vanta support?

Vanta integrates with 300+ pre-built system connections and supports over 90% automation of compliance tasks through these integrations.

Source
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