Authentik
The authentication glue you need
Keycloak
Open Source Identity and Access Management
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | Authentik | Keycloak |
|---|---|---|
| Category | SSO & Identity | SSO & Identity |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Primary language | Python | Java |
| GitHub stars | 26,088 | ▲37,504 |
| GitHub forks | 2,093 | ▲9,104 |
| Open issues | 1,151 | 3,347 |
| Docker pulls | Not documented | 19,001,885 |
| Latest version | version/2026.8.5 | 26.8.1 |
| Platforms with an official client | 1 — Web | 1 — Web |
| Third-party clients | 0 | 0 |
| Deployment methods | 2 | ▲3 |
| Data last verified | Oct 25, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 |
▲ = leads on countable metrics only (stars, forks, Docker pulls, official-client platforms, third-party clients, deployment methods). License, language, latest version, open issues and verification dates are shown side by side without a verdict — they are facts, not scores. Verification state per platform is on each app profile page.
Where each side leads
Where Authentik leads0
No countable metric where Authentik is ahead of Keycloak in the database.
Where Keycloak leads3
- GitHub stars — 37,504
- GitHub forks — 9,104
- Deployment methods — 3
Pricing
Authentik
Not documented
The schema has no pricing or paid-tier field, so no price is claimed for this app.
Keycloak
Not documented
The schema has no pricing or paid-tier field, so no price is claimed for this app.
Licence (MIT vs Apache-2.0) is the only cost-related field the database records, and it is a fact rather than a price.
Frequently asked questions
Is Authentik open source?
Authentik is licensed under MIT, verified Oct 25, 2026.
Is Keycloak open source?
Keycloak is licensed under Apache-2.0, verified Oct 25, 2026.
Which one has more GitHub stars?
Authentik has 26,088 stars and Keycloak has 37,504, both captured Oct 25, 2026.
Can I run Authentik with Docker?
Yes. 1 Docker image recorded: ghcr.io/goauthentik/server.
Can I run Keycloak with Docker?
Yes. 1 Docker image recorded: keycloak/keycloak.
How much RAM do they need?
Not documented. The database schema has no memory-usage field yet, so this site does not claim a RAM figure for either app.