Auth0 vs Keycloak

The identity-as-a-service darling that makes auth easy until you hit the enterprise pricing wall meets the swiss army knife of iam—if you don't mind sharpening it yourself. Here's our take.

Auth0

Nice Pick

The identity-as-a-service darling that makes auth easy until you hit the enterprise pricing wall.

Pros

• Enterprise features
• Many integrations
• Mature
• Customizable
• Quick setup with pre-built login UIs and social logins
• Handles complex protocols like OAuth 2.0 and SAML out-of-the-box
• Scalable for startups to large applications with minimal dev effort

Cons

• Complex
• Expensive
• Overkill for small apps
• Pricing can skyrocket with user counts and advanced features
• Customization beyond basics often requires wrestling with their rules engine

Keycloak

The Swiss Army knife of IAM—if you don't mind sharpening it yourself.

Pros

• Open-source with robust SSO and OAuth 2.0/OpenID Connect support
• Built-in user federation and social login integrations
• Fine-grained authorization policies for complex access control

Cons

• Steep learning curve for advanced configurations
• Can be resource-heavy and tricky to scale in production

The Verdict

Use Auth0 if: You want enterprise features and can live with complex.

Use Keycloak if: You prioritize open-source with robust sso and oauth 2.0/openid connect support over what Auth0 offers.

The Bottom Line

Auth0 wins

The identity-as-a-service darling that makes auth easy until you hit the enterprise pricing wall.