Proprietary vs Open source
Auth0 vs Keycloak: Which One Should You Choose in 1970?
Okta Auth0 is a proprietary Authentication & User Management tool priced as per Monthly Active User (MAU), starting at $35/mo (B2C) / Custom (B2B). Keycloak is open source, priced as 100% Free Open-Source (Red Hat Community), starting at $0 (Free Self-Hosted).
Quick verdict
- Choose Auth0 for
- Auth0most comprehensive enterprise identity and SAML/SSO federation
- Choose Keycloak for
- Keycloakcomplete enterprise SSO, LDAP/Active Directory sync, Kerberos, OpenID Connect
Auth0 vs Keycloak: feature comparison
| Feature | Okta Auth0Proprietary | KeycloakOpen SourceSelf-Hostable |
|---|---|---|
| Open-Source Available | No | Yes |
| Self-Hostable | No | Yes |
| Self-Hosting Difficulty | N/A | High (Java/Quarkus container, DB setup) |
| Pricing Model | Per Monthly Active User (MAU) | 100% Free Open-Source (Red Hat Community) |
| Starting Price | $35/mo (B2C) / Custom (B2B) | $0 (Free Self-Hosted) |
| Free Tier | Free for up to 7,500 active users | Unlimited users, unlimited realms, 100% free |
| GitHub Stars | N/A | 24k |
Pricing takeaway
Okta Auth0 starts at $35/mo (B2C) / Custom (B2B) (free for up to 7,500 active users). Keycloak starts at $0 (Free Self-Hosted) (unlimited users, unlimited realms, 100% free).
- Okta Auth0
- Per Monthly Active User (MAU). Starts at $35/mo (B2C) / Custom (B2B). Free for up to 7,500 active users.Full Auth0 pricing breakdown
- Keycloak
- 100% Free Open-Source (Red Hat Community). Starts at $0 (Free Self-Hosted). Unlimited users, unlimited realms, 100% free.Full Keycloak pricing breakdown
Pros and cons
Okta Auth0
Visit Auth0Pros
- Most comprehensive enterprise identity and SAML/SSO federation
- Battle-tested compliance: SOC2, HIPAA, ISO27001
- Extensive rule and action scripting engine
Cons
- Enterprise B2B add-ons (Enterprise SSO, custom domain) are extremely costly
- Complex legacy UI and slow dashboard navigation
- Pricing scales aggressively as user base expands
Keycloak
Visit KeycloakPros
- Complete enterprise SSO, LDAP/Active Directory sync, Kerberos, OpenID Connect
- Multi-tenancy realms out of the box with zero user license fees
- No vendor lock-in; ideal for on-premise and sensitive regulated data
Cons
- High DevOps maintenance burden and Java memory footprint
- Default login UI is dated and requires custom theme development
- Major-version upgrades regularly need migration work on custom themes and providers
Auth0 vs Keycloak: FAQ
Is Keycloak a good alternative to Auth0?
Okta Auth0 is a proprietary Authentication & User Management tool priced as per Monthly Active User (MAU), starting at $35/mo (B2C) / Custom (B2B). Keycloak is open source, priced as 100% Free Open-Source (Red Hat Community), starting at $0 (Free Self-Hosted).
Which is cheaper, Auth0 or Keycloak?
Okta Auth0 starts at $35/mo (B2C) / Custom (B2B) (free for up to 7,500 active users). Keycloak starts at $0 (Free Self-Hosted) (unlimited users, unlimited realms, 100% free).
Is Auth0 or Keycloak open source?
Okta Auth0 is proprietary. Keycloak is open source (github.com/keycloak/keycloak).
Can I self-host Auth0 or Keycloak?
Okta Auth0 cannot be self-hosted. Keycloak can be self-hosted. Difficulty: High (Java/Quarkus container, DB setup).
Do Auth0 and Keycloak have a free tier?
Okta Auth0: Free for up to 7,500 active users. Keycloak: Unlimited users, unlimited realms, 100% free.