Keycloak vs WorkOS

WorkOS focuses on enterprise SSO and directory sync as APIs, Keycloak offers full server and UI.

KeycloakOpen-source identity and access management

WorkOSEnterprise SSO, directory sync and auth APIs

Which to pick

Pick Keycloak if you want…

Open-source SSO and auth management
A free, open-source tool
Integrations with OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0 or SAML 2.0 (on Keycloak's list, not WorkOS's)

Pick WorkOS if you want…

Enterprise-ready auth and user provisioning
Enterprise SSO APIs
Integrations with Node.js, Ruby or Python (on WorkOS's list, not Keycloak's)

Side by side

What it is: Keycloak:Keycloak is an open-source identity and access management solution providing SSO, social login, and fine-grained authorization.; WorkOS:WorkOS provides APIs and SDKs for enterprise authentication, SSO, directory sync, audit logs and related features.
Best for: Keycloak:Open-source SSO and auth management; WorkOS:Enterprise-ready auth and user provisioning
Who it’s for: Keycloak:Developers and ops teams needing centralized authentication for apps and services; WorkOS:Developers building SaaS apps that need enterprise-grade auth and user management.
Pricing: Keycloak:Open source; WorkOS:Freemium
Plans: Keycloak:—; WorkOS:Free $0
Open source: Keycloak:Yes, 37,083 GitHub stars; WorkOS:—
Works with: Keycloak:OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0, SAML 2.0, LDAP, Active Directory; WorkOS:Node.js, Ruby, Python, Go, PHP, Java, .NET, cURL

Keycloak features

Single-Sign-On. Users log in once to access multiple applications without re-authenticating.
Identity Brokering & Social Login. Add social network or external OpenID Connect/SAML providers via the admin console without code changes.
User Federation. Connect to existing LDAP or Active Directory directories, or custom user stores.
Admin & Account Consoles. Central UI for managing apps, users, policies and for users to manage profiles and MFA.
Authorization Services. Define fine-grained permission policies beyond role-based access.
Standard Protocol Support. Built-in OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0 and SAML 2.0 support.

WorkOS features

Single Sign-On. Add SAML or OIDC SSO with a single integration for any identity provider.
Directory Sync. Sync user lifecycle via SCIM provisioning and HRIS integrations.
AuthKit UI. Customizable authentication UI with social login, MFA, RBAC and more.
Magic Auth. Passwordless login using a six-digit email code.
Audit Logs. Capture, query and export compliance events from your app.
Admin Portal. Hosted interface for IT admins to configure SSO and directory sync themselves.

Keycloak vs WorkOS FAQ

Is Keycloak or WorkOS free?+

Keycloak is free and open source. WorkOS has a free plan and paid plans.

Is Keycloak or WorkOS open source?+

Keycloak is open source (keycloak/keycloak on GitHub, Apache-2.0 license). DevHunt has no public source repository on record for WorkOS.

Do Keycloak and WorkOS integrate with the same tools?+

Their integration lists don't overlap: Keycloak lists OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0, SAML 2.0, LDAP and 1 more; WorkOS lists Node.js, Ruby, Python, Go and 4 more.

On DevHunt

Keycloak

Listed by DevHunt

Keycloak on DevHunt →Keycloak alternatives

WorkOS