Authentik vs Authelia vs Keycloak in 2026: Ultimate Self-Hosted IAM Comparison

In 2026, self-hosted infrastructure is no longer a niche; it is a strategic necessity for businesses concerned with data sovereignty and privacy-conscious individuals. At the heart of this infrastructure lies Identity and Access Management (IAM). The need for a centralized Identity Provider (IdP) is critical: it must manage users, orchestrate authentication flows (OIDC, SAML, LDAP), and enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).

However, the Open Source landscape has evolved considerably. Three players now dominate the self-hosted IAM market: Keycloak, the historical industrial reference; Authentik, the modern challenger focused on UX and flexibility; and Authelia, the lightweight solution for pure system administrators.

Choosing the wrong IdP can lead to security vulnerabilities, unmanageable maintenance complexity, or bottlenecks during scaling. This article offers a factual analysis, based on technical architectures, performance benchmarks, and real-world use cases, to help you select the right tool for your homelab or production environment.

The Self-Hosted IAM Ecosystem in 2026: State of the Art

To understand the choice between Authentik, Authelia, and Keycloak, one must first contextualize modern authentication requirements. In 2026, the simple password is considered obsolete and vulnerable to brute-force and phishing attacks. The standard has become WebAuthn/FIDO2, coupled with robust OIDC (OpenID Connect) flows for integration with cloud and on-premise applications.

The Convergence of Standards: OIDC and SAML

Although OIDC has become the de facto protocol for modern applications (Web, Mobile, API), SAML 2.0 remains indispensable in hybrid enterprise environments, particularly for integration with Microsoft 365, legacy intranets, and ERP systems. An IAM solution must not only support OIDC but do so with fine-grained management of claims (JWT) and dynamic metadata.

The Rise of “Zero Trust” in Self-Hosted

The concept of “Zero Trust” is no longer reserved for large enterprises. In a homelab or small infrastructure, the “never trust, always verify” principle applies via strong authentication and fine-grained authorization (RBAC/ABAC). IAM solutions must therefore provide detailed logs, support hardware MFA (YubiKey, Titan), and allow for granularity in access policies.

Keycloak: The Industrial Reference and Its Evolution to Quay.io

Keycloak, originally developed by Red Hat, has become one of the most active projects in the Red Hat foundation. In 2026, Keycloak underwent a major structural change by moving under the Quay.io banner (resulting from the Red Hat/CentOS/Quay merger), ensuring its independence from any specific commercial policy of a single company. It is the industry standard for complex Kubernetes deployments.

Technical Architecture and Performance

Keycloak relies on a Java architecture (Quarkus in recent versions), which gives it high initial memory consumption but proven stability.

• RAM Consumption: A minimal deployment requires approximately 512 MB to 1 GB of RAM. For an average load (50-100 concurrent users), expect 2-4 GB.
• Database: It natively supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, and Oracle. PostgreSQL is recommended for ACID reliability.
• Extensibility: The SPI (Service Provider Interface) system allows for creating custom adapters for almost any protocol or identity provider.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Keycloak

Criterion	Rating	Technical Details
Ease of Installation	Medium/Complex	Requires an external DB and complex YAML/CLI configuration.
Performance	Excellent	Optimized for high-throughput thanks to Quarkus mode.
Features	Complete	Native support for SAML, OIDC, LDAP, Kerberos, Social Login.
Admin UX	Dense	Very rich user interface, sometimes intimidating for beginners.
Maintenance	Low	Stable major updates, huge community.

Keycloak excels when you have a dedicated DevOps team and a Kubernetes infrastructure. However, for a homelab or small team, the initial configuration complexity (realm, clients, roles, client scopes) can represent a prohibitive entry cost.

Authentik: Modernity and Flexibility at the Service of the Developer

Authentik was born from a specific need: to provide a smooth user experience and simplified administration while remaining open source. Developed by GoToAlbert, Authentik established itself as the favorite of self-hosters in 2024-2025 and maintains this position in 2026 thanks to its modern Python/Django architecture and its highly modular “Providers” and “Applications” system.

Technical Architecture and Stack

Authentik is written in Python (Django) for the backend and React/TypeScript for the frontend. It uses PostgreSQL as its single database.

• RAM Consumption: Lighter than Keycloak. A standard deployment runs around 256-512 MB at idle.
• Deployment: Natively containerized, with automated installation scripts (Ansible, Docker Compose, Helm).
• Extensibility: The “Flow” system allows building visual authentication workflows (like drag-and-drop), drastically reducing configuration time.

The Competitive Advantage: UX and Visual Configuration

Authentik’s great strength lies in its clear distinction between Providers (how the app connects to Authentik) and Applications (the specific configuration of each service).

1. OIDC/SAML Providers: You create a provider once.
2. Applications: You link the application to the provider and configure redirect URLs.
3. Flows: You can modify the authentication process (e.g., add an MFA token capture step or a captcha challenge) without touching the code.

This modularity allows Authentik to support complex use cases such as Just-in-Time (JIT) User Provisioning, where an account is automatically created upon first login via an external provider (Google, GitHub, Azure AD).

Authentik Limitations

Despite its advantages, Authentik has drawbacks:

• Relative Maturity: Although very stable, it is younger than Keycloak. Major updates can sometimes introduce breaking changes in advanced configurations.
• Performance under Extreme Load: For thousands of simultaneous connections, Keycloak remains technically superior thanks to Java/Quarkus optimization.
• LDAP Proxy: Authentik’s LDAP support is excellent but sometimes requires manual schema configuration for complex legacy integrations.

Authelia: Radical Minimalism for Purists

Authelia positions itself differently. It is not a full IdP like Keycloak or Authentik. It is a lightweight authentication server that acts primarily as an authentication gateway for reverse proxies (Traefik, Nginx, Caddy). It manages end-user authentication but often relies on other services for user management (LDAP, SQL, or an external IdP).

Technical Architecture: Extreme Lightweight

Authelia is written in Go, making it a single binary, extremely fast, with a minimal memory footprint.

• RAM Consumption: < 100 MB at idle.
• Deployment: Docker Compose or Kubernetes. Simple YAML configuration.
• Database: SQLite (for small deployments), PostgreSQL, or MySQL.

The Security Model: Reverse Proxy Integration

Authelia works in tandem with a reverse proxy. The typical scheme is: User -> Reverse Proxy (Traefik/Nginx) -> Authelia (Check Auth) -> Backend Service

Authelia does not manage OIDC “Clients” in the same way as Authentik or Keycloak. It uses its own authentication protocol (based on encrypted cookies and sessions) or integrates with an external IdP via OIDC. This is a crucial distinction: Authelia is often an authentication engine rather than a complete central identity provider.

Why Choose Authelia in 2026?

1. Absolute Simplicity: Configuring Authelia takes less than 10 minutes for a standard reverse proxy.
2. Native Integration: It has native middlewares for Traefik, Nginx, Caddy, Traefik, and even tools like Filebrowser or Portainer.
3. Robust MFA: Supports OTP (TOTP/HOTP), WebAuthn, and email/SMS authentication.
4. Smaller Attack Surface: Fewer features mean less potentially vulnerable code.

Authelia Limitations

• No Native Complete OIDC: Authelia cannot serve as an OIDC provider for your third-party applications in the same way Authentik does. It is designed to protect your own web services.
• Limited User Management: Although it has an integrated database, it is often coupled with LDAP/AD for user management. Synchronization is not as seamless as Authentik’s JIT provisioning.
• No SAML: Authelia does not natively support SAML 2.0 for inter-domain authentication (IdP/SP).

Direct Technical Comparison: OIDC, SAML, LDAP, and MFA

To make an informed decision, it is essential to compare the technical capabilities of the three solutions on key protocols.

Authentication Protocol Support

Feature	Keycloak	Authentik	Authelia
OIDC (OpenID Connect)	Native, Advanced, Standard	Native, Flexible, UX optimized	Limited (uses its own format or proxy)
SAML 2.0	Native, Robust, Enterprise-ready	Native, Easy to configure via UI	Not natively supported
LDAP/Active Directory	Proxy & Bind supported	Proxy & Bind supported	Bind supported (often used as source)
WebAuthn/FIDO2	Supported (via browser)	Supported (modern UX)	Supported (via WebAuthn API)
Social Login	Google, GitHub, GitLab, etc.	Google, GitHub, GitLab, Azure, etc.	Not native (requires external IdP)

MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) Management

MFA is non-negotiable in 2026. Here is how each solution handles it:

• Keycloak: Offers a wide variety of methods (TOTP, WebAuthn, Email, SMS, Push notifications via Keycloak Identity Broker). MFA policy configuration is granular but complex.
• Authentik: Provides an exceptional user experience. Users can register their FIDO2 keys via an intuitive web interface. The “Flow” system allows making MFA mandatory or conditional (e.g., only if the IP is external). Supports TOTP, WebAuthn, and push notifications via the Authentik mobile app.
• Authelia: Supports TOTP (Google Authenticator, etc.) and WebAuthn. The experience is functional but less “polished” than Authentik. Exception management and location-based IP policies are very fine-grained.

Deployment and Maintenance Ease

• Authentik: Winner in terms of developer experience. Installation scripts are well-documented. Updates are frequent but generally non-breaking for standard configurations. The web interface allows you to see the system health at a glance.
• Keycloak: Robust but heavy deployment. Major version updates (e.g., 20 to 22) often require database and configuration migrations. Documentation is excellent but voluminous.
• Authelia: The easiest to deploy. A configuration.yml file and a Docker container. Updates are simple because the architecture changes little. Ideal for environments where maintenance must be minimal.

Use Cases: Which Tool for Which Situation?

Scenario 1: The Modern and Versatile Homelab

You host Plex, Nextcloud, Home Assistant, and several blogs. You want a centralized SSO, a nice interface for guests or family, and easy integration with cloud services.

Recommendation: Authentik

Authentik offers the best balance between features and ease of use. Its native “Providers” support allows easy connection of Nextcloud (OIDC/SAML) and Plex (via workarounds or SAML). User management is simple, and the web interface is user-friendly. You can also use Authentik as an IdP for Authelia if you want to add a secured reverse proxy layer.

Scenario 2: Enterprise Infrastructure with Legacy and Active Directory

You manage a fleet of Windows computers, use Microsoft 365, and have critical internal applications requiring SAML and high availability.

Recommendation: Keycloak

Keycloak is the industrial choice. Its SAML support is mature, it integrates perfectly with Active Directory via LDAP, and it can be deployed in a Kubernetes cluster for high availability. Complexity is the price to pay for this robustness. If you have a DevOps team, it is the most sustainable solution.

Scenario 3: The Minimalist with Traefik/Nginx Reverse Proxy

You have a lightweight VPS, you use Traefik as a reverse proxy, and you want to secure your web services (Grafana, Portainer, Webmin) without managing a complex IdP. You don’t need your services to authenticate against a third party; you just want to protect access.

Recommendation: Authelia

Authelia is designed for this. It integrates directly into Traefik via middlewares. Configuration is simple, resource consumption is negligible, and MFA support is sufficient for most personal or small team use cases. You don’t need to manage complex OIDC “clients”.

Critical Aspects: Security, Performance, and Cost

Security and Compliance

All three solutions are open source and audited by the community. However, the attack surface varies.

• Keycloak: Being a massive Java application, it has a larger attack surface. It is crucial to keep security updates up to date. Keycloak supports encryption of sensitive data in the database (password hashing via PBKDF2/SCrypt/Argon2).
• Authentik: Written in Python, it is easier for developers to audit. Authentik emphasizes security by default (cookie encryption, strict password policies).
• Authelia: Written in Go, it is compiled into a static binary, reducing vulnerable dependencies. The YAML configuration is easy to validate.

Security Tip: Regardless of the solution, use a valid TLS certificate (Let’s Encrypt) and enable MFA for all administrator accounts. If you host your IdP on a public VPS, consider using a DDoS and bot attack protection service like Hostinger VPS to ensure the availability of your critical infrastructure.

Performance and Scalability

• Keycloak: Can handle thousands of connections per second with appropriate configuration (cluster, optimized external DB). It is the choice for high-load.
• Authentik: Performs well for hundreds to a few thousand users. Can be scaled horizontally with additional workers.
• Authelia: Extremely fast for session verification. Limited by the number of simultaneous connections your reverse proxy can handle, as Authelia acts as a lightweight checkpoint.

Infrastructure Costs

To host these solutions, you need resources. If you don’t have a physical homelab, a powerful VPS is necessary.

• Authelia: Can run on a 1 vCPU / 512 MB RAM VPS.
• Authentik: Requires 1 vCPU / 1-2 GB RAM for smooth operation.
• Keycloak: Requires 2 vCPU / 2-4 GB RAM minimum for a decent production experience.

For a reliable and secure deployment, especially if you expose your IdP to the internet, VPS quality is crucial. A poorly configured VPS can be an entry point for attacks. Ensure your infrastructure is protected by good server antivirus, such as Bitdefender, to secure your self-host against emerging threats.

Integration with Reverse Proxies and Common Services

The effectiveness of an IdP is measured by its ability to integrate with the services you host. Here is an overview of common integrations in 2026.

Authentik

• Nextcloud: Native OIDC/SAML integration. Configuration in 5 clicks.
• Plex: SAML support via plugins or complex manual configurations.
• Home Assistant: OIDC support via custom components.
• Grafana: Native OIDC support.
• Jenkins: OIDC/SAML support.

Keycloak

• All Standards: Keycloak has official adapters for almost all frameworks (Spring Security, Laravel, Django, etc.).
• Microsoft 365: Very advanced SAML/Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) integration.
• Jenkins, GitLab, SonarQube: Native adapters or very well documented.

Authelia

• Traefik: Native authelia middleware.
• Nginx: auth_request module with Authelia.
• Caddy: authelia plugin.
• Filebrowser, Portainer, Gitea: Simple integrations via Basic Auth or OIDC (if configured in proxy mode).

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about Self-Hosted IAM

1. Can I use Authelia as an OIDC provider for my applications?

No, not natively. Authelia is designed as an authentication server for reverse proxies. It does not generate OIDC tokens for your applications to connect to directly. For this, you must use Authentik or Keycloak. You can, however, use Authelia upstream to protect access to the administration interface of these IdPs.

2. Is Keycloak too heavy for a homelab?

It depends on your resources. Keycloak can run on a machine with 2 GB of RAM, but the user experience will be slow if you go below that. For a lightweight homelab (< 2 GB RAM), Authentik or Authelia are better choices. If you have a dedicated server or a VPS with 4+ GB of RAM, Keycloak is perfectly viable.

3. Which solution offers the best integration with Active Directory?

Both Keycloak and Authentik offer excellent integration with Active Directory via LDAP. Keycloak allows LDAP proxy (Authentik acts as an intermediary) and direct bind. Authentik also allows LDAP proxy and user synchronization. Authelia can connect to AD for authentication but does not manage user synchronization as flexibly. For complete AD integration (group synchronization, attributes), Keycloak and Authentik are superior.

4. How to migrate from Authelia to Authentik?

Migration is not direct because the data models are different. You will need to re-register users and applications. Authentik offers import tools, but you will need to reconfigure OIDC/SAML workflows. It is recommended to plan this migration during a maintenance window.

5. Is it possible to combine several of these solutions?

Yes, this is an advanced but valid architecture. For example, you can use Keycloak as the main IdP for your business applications, and Authentik to manage developer identities and custom OIDC flows. Authelia can be used as a gateway to protect the administration interfaces of these IdPs. This “best-of-breed” approach increases complexity but allows for fine optimization of each component.

Conclusion: The Choice Depends on Your Stack

In 2026, there is no universal self-hosted IAM solution. The choice between Authentik, Authelia, and Keycloak rests on a compromise between simplicity, features, and control.

• Choose Authentik if you want a perfect balance between modernity, UX, and complete features (OIDC, SAML, MFA). It is the most popular choice for homelabs and SMEs.
• Choose Keycloak if you have enterprise needs, a Kubernetes infrastructure, and a team capable of managing complexity. It is the industrial standard.
• Choose Authelia if you use a reverse proxy (Traefik/Nginx) and want a lightweight, fast, and easy-to-maintain solution to protect your web services.

Implementing an IAM is a long-term investment. Take the time to test all three solutions in a development environment before deploying them in production. Good security configuration, including TLS encryption and MFA, is essential, regardless of the solution chosen.

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