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Cybersecurity · head to head

Ory Kratos vs Xlinesoft

Ory Kratos logo

Ory Kratos

Cybersecurity

Headless identity and user management API

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Xlinesoft logo

Xlinesoft

Developer Tools

PHPRunner and ASPRunner.NET: low-code builders that turn databases into web apps

From
$599/one-time
Free plan
No
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; Xlinesoft the purchase includes one year of support and upgrades only; after that, newer versions require a paid upgrade.
  • They diverge on capability: Ory Kratos covers Headless API, Xlinesoft covers Database to web application.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 12 November 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Ory Kratos and Xlinesoft differ
AttributeOry KratosXlinesoft
Starting priceFree$599/one-time
Pricing modelOpen-source self-hosted, with a paid managed networkone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hostedWindows, macOS, Linux, Web
CategoryCybersecurityDeveloper Tools

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 Xlinesoft

  • Database to web application
  • Page Designer and themes
  • Events, custom code and AI assistance
  • Security and dynamic permissions
  • Reports, charts and dashboards
  • Wide database support
  • Enterprise authentication
  • Application templates and plugins

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

Xlinesoft

  • Building an internal web application on top of an existing SQL databasenot Ory Kratos
  • Replacing a Microsoft Access application with a browser-based onenot Ory Kratos
  • Creating admin interfaces and customer or partner portals with role-based accessnot Ory Kratos
  • Agencies and freelancers delivering self-hosted database applications to clientsnot Ory Kratos
  • Teams that need low-code tooling but must keep applications on their own serversnot 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

Xlinesoft

  • The purchase includes one year of support and upgrades only; after that, newer versions require a paid upgrade.
  • Multiple database connections, REST API connections and single sign-on through Active Directory, Okta or SAML are Enterprise-only, which raises the price from $599 to $999 per developer.
  • Self-hosted only. Hosting, database administration, backups, runtime updates and access-control configuration remain the customer's job, as Xlinesoft's own product facts page states.
  • Applications built on Microsoft Access require a Windows web server.
  • PHPRunner and ASPRunner.NET are separate products with separate licences, so moving a project between PHP and .NET is not covered by one purchase.

Pricing, plan by plan

Ory Kratos

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

Xlinesoft

$599/one-time
  • PHPRunner Professional$599/one-time
    • Single developer licence
    • Core application-building product
    • One year of email support and upgrades
  • PHPRunner Enterprise Edition$999/one-time
    • Single developer licence
    • Multiple database and REST API connections
    • Data encryption
  • PHPRunner MultiDev Edition$3599/one-time
    • Three Enterprise Edition licences
    • Multiple developers working on the same project at the same time
    • One year of email support and upgrades
  • ASPRunner.NET Professional$599/one-time
    • Generates ASP.NET web applications
    • Same database coverage and security model as PHPRunner
    • Enterprise Edition available

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 Xlinesoft if

  • You need database to web application.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
  • You also want page designer and themes.
Xlinesoft review

Questions people ask

Is Ory Kratos or Xlinesoft better?
Neither clearly leads. Ory Kratos starts at Free and Xlinesoft at $599/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ory Kratos or Xlinesoft?
Ory Kratos has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Ory Kratos and $599/one-time for Xlinesoft.
Does Ory Kratos or Xlinesoft run on more platforms?
Ory Kratos runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted. Xlinesoft runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
Can I use Ory Kratos for free?
Yes. Ory Kratos has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Xlinesoft starts at $599/one-time.
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 Xlinesoft is typically brought in for.
What can Ory Kratos do that Xlinesoft cannot?
Ory Kratos covers Headless API, Self-service flows, Multi-factor authentication, Pluggable identity schemas. Xlinesoft covers Database to web application, Page Designer and themes, Events, custom code and AI assistance, Security and dynamic permissions.

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.

Xlinesoft: How much does PHPRunner cost?

PHPRunner Professional is $599, Enterprise Edition is $999 and MultiDev Edition, which includes three Enterprise licences, is $3,599. Professional and Enterprise prices are per developer, and each purchase includes one year of email support and free upgrades.

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.

Xlinesoft: Which databases does PHPRunner support?

MySQL, MariaDB, Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, Oracle, Microsoft Access, IBM DB2, Informix, SQLite and ODBC-compatible databases. Using multiple database connections in one project is an Enterprise Edition feature.

Source
Ory Kratos: Does Kratos do OAuth2?

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

Xlinesoft: Is there a free trial?

Yes. PHPRunner can be downloaded and evaluated for 21 days, and public live demos show the generated applications, with add, edit and delete disabled.

Source
Xlinesoft: Where do PHPRunner applications run?

On your own web server. The documented options are Apache and Microsoft IIS with a compatible PHP runtime and database extensions, and a built-in web server is available for local testing. The development application itself runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.

Source
Xlinesoft: What does the Enterprise Edition add?

Multiple database and REST API connections, data encryption, and enterprise authentication including Active Directory, Okta, Azure AD, OpenID and SAML, on top of all Professional features.

Source
Xlinesoft: What is ASPRunner.NET?

Xlinesoft's equivalent builder for ASP.NET. It generates database-driven ASP.NET web applications with the same kind of forms, reports, charts, permissions and Page Designer, and is sold separately from $599.

Source
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