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Compare

Keycloak vs Zitadel

Keycloak is open-source IAM but focuses on on-prem deployments; ZITADEL adds API-first design and built-in multi-tenant SaaS plans.
KeycloakOpen-source identity and access managementZitadelOpen-source identity infrastructure with SSO and multi-tenancy

Which to pick

Pick Keycloak if you want…

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

Pick Zitadel if you want…

  • API-first multi-tenant identity infrastructure
  • Integrations with Google, Microsoft or GitHub (on Zitadel'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.
Zitadel:ZITADEL is an open-source, multi-tenant identity platform offering SSO, passwordless login and role-based access via APIs.
Best for
Keycloak:Open-source SSO and auth management
Zitadel:API-first multi-tenant identity infrastructure
Who it’s for
Keycloak:Developers and ops teams needing centralized authentication for apps and services
Zitadel:Developers building consumer, B2B or employee applications needing authentication and authorization.
Pricing
Keycloak:Open source
Zitadel:Freemium
Plans
Keycloak:—
Zitadel:FREE US$0/Month · PRO US$100/Month per month
Open source
Keycloak:Yes, 37,083 GitHub stars
Zitadel:Yes, 15,146 GitHub stars
Works with
Keycloak:OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0, SAML 2.0, LDAP, Active Directory
Zitadel:Google, Microsoft, GitHub, REST API, gRPC

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.

Zitadel features

  • Hosted login UI. Customizable hosted login page with social and passwordless options.
  • API-first authentication. REST and gRPC APIs to embed login flows directly in applications.
  • Role-Based Access Control. Define permissions per role for fine-grained authorization.
  • Multi-tenant core. Create unlimited organizations and projects to isolate customers.
  • Extensible actions. Run workflow scripts on predefined events without deploying code.
  • Multi-factor & Passkeys. Enforce MFA or passwordless passkey authentication for stronger security.

Keycloak vs Zitadel FAQ

Is Keycloak or Zitadel free?+

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

Is Keycloak or Zitadel open source?+

Yes, both are open source: Keycloak (keycloak/keycloak on GitHub, Apache-2.0 license) and Zitadel (zitadel/zitadel on GitHub, AGPL-3.0 license).

Do Keycloak and Zitadel 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; Zitadel lists Google, Microsoft, GitHub, REST API and 1 more.

On DevHunt

Keycloak

Listed by DevHunt

Keycloak on DevHunt →Keycloak alternatives

Zitadel

Listed by DevHunt

Zitadel on DevHunt →Zitadel alternatives

Based on each tool's website and DevHunt data. Details may change; check the official sites.