Best Self-Hosted SSO Platforms Compared: Authgear vs Keycloak vs Authentik

Organizations increasingly need self-hosted single sign-on (SSO) platforms to maintain control over identity data, reduce costs, and meet compliance requirements. Choosing the right self-hosted identity provider impacts security, user experience, and long-term operational costs.

This guide compares three leading self-hosted SSO platforms - Authgear, Keycloak, and Authentik to help you select the best solution for your organization.

Why Choose a Self-Hosted SSO Platform?

Self-hosted SSO platforms offer distinct advantages over cloud-only identity services:

Data sovereignty: User credentials, session data, and authentication logs remain on your infrastructure. No third-party provider accesses your identity data.

Cost predictability: No per-user pricing surprises. Your costs don't scale with your user base.

Full control: You decide when to update, how to configure, and where to deploy.

Compliance flexibility: For regulated industries, self-hosting simplifies compliance since you control the entire authentication stack.

Feature Comparison

Authgear is a modern, open-source identity platform supporting OIDC, OAuth 2.0, and SAML protocols. MFA options include SMS OTP, WhatsApp OTP, email-based login, TOTP with recovery codes, passkeys (FIDO2), and biometrics. It offers both self-hosted and managed deployment options with a pre-built UI that saves teams from maintaining custom authentication forms. Built-in security includes account lockout, bot detection, and rate limiting.

Keycloak supports OIDC, OAuth 2.0, and SAML 2.0 protocols with multi-factor authentication and role-based access control. Phone-based authentication requires additional configuration. It offers native LDAP and Active Directory integration, identity brokering, and multi-tenant support through realms. The admin UI is functional but not modern. Developed by Red Hat, it is widely used in enterprise environments.

Authentik supports OIDC, OAuth 2.0, and SAML 2.0 protocols with multi-factor authentication. Its flow-based approach makes authentication customization accessible without deep technical expertise. The admin UI is modern with a visual flow builder. Kubernetes-friendly deployment with commercial support available.

Authgear

Authgear is a fully open-source identity platform designed for organizations that need comprehensive authentication without complex setup.

Key Capabilities

• Modern authentication: Native support for passkeys (FIDO2/WebAuthn), biometric login, and passwordless flows
• Pre-built UI: Ready-to-use authentication forms that save development time
• Comprehensive MFA: SMS OTP, WhatsApp OTP, email-based login, TOTP with recovery codes, passkeys, and biometric login
• Built-in security: Account lockout, bot detection, and rate limiting included by default
• Flexible deployment: Both self-hosted and managed cloud options available

Best For

Frontline staff, partners, contractors, and customer-facing apps. SaaS platforms requiring secure, fast login at scale. Organizations avoiding corporate IAM sprawl and unpredictable MAU costs.

Keycloak

Keycloak is one of the most mature open-source identity and access management platforms. Developed by Red Hat, it is widely used in enterprise environments.

Key Capabilities

• Comprehensive feature set covering SSO, identity brokering, and user federation
• Native LDAP support and AD user federation
• Strong community with extensive documentation
• Red Hat backing provides enterprise credibility

Considerations

• Requires infrastructure management
• Customization often requires Java knowledge
• User interface is functional but not modern

Best For

Large enterprises with dedicated infrastructure teams, complex federation requirements, and existing directory infrastructure.

Authentik

Authentik is a modern, policy-driven open-source identity provider that emphasizes usability and flexibility.

Key Capabilities

• Visual flow builder for authentication customization
• Modern, intuitive admin interface
• Kubernetes-friendly deployment
• Active development with regular releases

Considerations

• Smaller ecosystem compared to Keycloak
• Fewer enterprise case studies

Best For

SaaS teams that require modern authentication flows and self-hosting support for enterprise clients. Strong choice for Kubernetes-centric deployments.

Which Platform Should You Choose?

Choose Authgear if:

• You need modern authentication (passkeys, biometrics) with minimal setup
• Both cloud and self-hosted deployment options matter
• Frontline workforce authentication is your use case
• You prefer pre-built UI over maintaining custom login forms

Choose Keycloak if:

• You need comprehensive identity federation across many systems
• Your organization has existing AD/LDAP infrastructure
• You have dedicated identity management staff
• Enterprise support through Red Hat is valuable

Choose Authentik if:

• Visual flow configuration appeals to your team
• Kubernetes-friendly deployment is needed
• You want a modern admin experience

Recommendations by Use Case

• Modern auth (passkeys, biometrics): Authgear
• Frontline workforce without corporate email: Authgear
• Mid-sized company seeking simplicity: Authgear
• Enterprise with existing AD/LDAP: Keycloak
• Kubernetes-native organization: Authentik

Migration Considerations

All three platforms support standard protocols (OIDC, SAML), which helps with compatibility when switching identity providers. However, the migration effort depends on how deeply platform-specific features are embedded in your application. Each application must be reconfigured with new client IDs, redirect URIs, and token validation logic. User data migration involves exporting records, mapping attributes to the new provider's schema, and reviewing differences in password hashing algorithms  - and in some cases, users may need to reset their passwords during the transition.

Bottom Line

Selecting a self-hosted SSO platform depends on your specific requirements, team capabilities, and infrastructure.

Authgear offers modern authentication features, pre-built UI, and both cloud and self-hosted options -ideal for organizations wanting comprehensive SSO without complexity.

Keycloak provides the most battle-tested solution with maximum enterprise features for organizations with dedicated identity teams.

Authentik delivers modern UX with visual configuration for Kubernetes-centric organizations.

Ready to evaluate Authgear for your SSO needs? Schedule a demo to discuss your specific requirements.

FAQs

What makes Authgear different from other self-hosted options?

Authgear offers both managed cloud and self-hosted deployment options. It focuses on modern authentication methods like passkeys and biometrics, with a pre-built UI that reduces development and maintenance burden.

Can I migrate from one platform to another?

Yes. All three support standard protocols (OIDC, SAML), which helps with compatibility. Applications will need to be reconfigured with new client IDs, redirect URIs, and token validation logic. User data migration involves exporting records and mapping attributes to the new provider's schema, and differences in password hashing may require some users to reset their passwords.

Is self-hosted SSO worth the operational overhead?

For organizations prioritizing data sovereignty, cost predictability, or compliance requirements -yes. For teams without infrastructure experience, managed cloud solutions may be simpler. Authgear offers both options.