Auth0 vs Keycloak
The ultimate side-by-side head-to-head analysis for 2026.
Short answer
- Price: not directly comparable — Auth0 is free tier available, Keycloak is free.
- How to start: Auth0 is free tier available, Keycloak is free.
These lines are generated from the pricing we track, not from a paid placement. We do not publish a quality score, because we do not have one we can stand behind. They cannot tell you which tool fits your workflow — the sections below are there for that. How we score tools.
Auth0
Keycloak
Category
Developer Tools
Developer Tools
Base Price
Free tier
Free
Public API
Yes
Yes
Mobile app
No
No
Open source / self-hostable
No
Yes
SSO (SAML)
Yes
Yes
Choose Auth0 if:
Companies that need enterprise identity features and compliance, not just a login form.
Choose Keycloak if:
Organisations that need enterprise identity without a per-user bill.
Auth0: pros & cons
- Handles enterprise SSO requirements that block deals
- Extensive protocol and standards support
- Well documented and widely known
- Expensive as active users grow
- Configuration surface is large
- Migration away is difficult once embedded
Keycloak: pros & cons
- Full identity server at no licence cost
- Standards support including SAML and OIDC
- Complete control over user data
- Operating it is a real responsibility
- Administration console is dense
- Upgrades need care
Our verdict on Auth0
The safe answer for enterprise identity. For a consumer app with simple needs it is more platform than you need.
Our verdict on Keycloak
The serious open-source answer to Auth0. Budget for the operations, because the licence saving is not free.