Okta alternatives: 6 open-source picks
Okta costs $17/mo — $204 a year. These 6 alternatives replace it for $0, led by Keycloak, Authelia and Authentik. All 6 are open source. License, stars and last commit checked by hand on 2026-08-29. No trials, no crippled tiers.
Battle-tested identity and access management server with SSO, OIDC/SAML, federation, and admin console
licenseApache-2.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Single sign-on and 2FA portal that bolts onto your reverse proxy to protect every internal app.
licenseApache-2.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Flexible self-hosted identity provider supporting OIDC, SAML, LDAP, and SCIM with a modern flow-based UI
licenseMIT (+EE)
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Cloud-native IAM in Go with multi-tenancy, audit trail, and every SSO acronym your enterprise customers will ask for.
licenseApache-2.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Lightweight Bitwarden-compatible password server — the official apps work with your own backend.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Team password manager built for collaboration with granular sharing and audit logs.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
What each one is, in full: Keycloak · Authelia · Authentik · ZITADEL · Vaultwarden · Passbolt
last updated 2026-08-29 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
how to choose a Okta alternative
Easiest to get running
Vaultwarden — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
Most proven
Vaultwarden, with 45,000 GitHub stars — the largest community of the 6, which usually means more answers when something breaks.
Needs real ops to self-host
Keycloak is capable but expects someone to run a server, updates and backups. Budget for that before choosing it.
what you give up by leaving Okta
- thousands of pre-built app integrations
- automated deprovisioning when someone leaves
- audit evidence auditors already accept
- device trust and adaptive policy
- a vendor to point at in a security review
None of the picks above covers all of it. The full verdict says which gaps matter.
Okta alternatives at a glance
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keycloak | Apache-2.0 | self-host, real ops | self-hosted, web | 28,000 | 2026-08 |
| Authelia | Apache-2.0 | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 24,000 | 2026-08 |
| Authentik | MIT (+EE) | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 17,000 | 2026-08 |
| ZITADEL | Apache-2.0 | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 10,000 | 2026-08 |
| Vaultwarden | AGPL-3.0 | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 45,000 | 2026-08 |
| Passbolt | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 5,000 | 2026-08 |
why people still pay for Okta
Because deprovisioning has to work on the day somebody is fired, and an auditor has to believe it did. If none of that applies to you, any pick above saves $204 a year.
questions about switching from Okta
Is there an open-source alternative to Okta?
Yes: Keycloak, Authelia, Authentik and 3 more. Every tool on this page is open source: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Can open source really replace Okta?
Our verdict is YES. Vaultwarden (45k stars), Keycloak (28k stars), Authelia (24k stars) are mature open-source replacements for Okta — self-host in one command and stop paying $17/mo. The full verdict, and what you give up by switching, is at caniopensourceit.online/okta.
What is the easiest open-source Okta alternative to set up?
Vaultwarden — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
What is the most popular open-source Okta alternative?
By GitHub stars, Vaultwarden (45,000). Keycloak is next with 28,000.
