Keycloak vs Ory: which one to choose in 2026?
Both are open source alternatives to Auth0. We compare license, tech stack and features to help you decide which fits your team best.
| Keycloak | Ory | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Auth & Identity | Auth & Identity |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| GitHub stars | ~36.5k | ~13.9k |
| Tech stack | Java, Quarkus | Go, PostgreSQL |
| Replaces | Auth0, Okta | Auth0, Cognito |
Keycloak has more GitHub stars, which usually indicates a larger community (not necessarily that it's the best option for your use case).
Keycloak
Open source SSO and identity management, an alternative to Auth0/Okta.
Pros
- Permissive Apache-2.0 license, with 36k+ GitHub stars and a verified deployment
Things to consider
- Higher memory usage than lighter alternatives
Ory
API-first identity suite, an alternative to Auth0/Cognito.
Pros
- Maximum flexibility to build your own login frontend
Things to consider
- Steeper learning curve since it ships with no ready-made UI
Key features
Keycloak
- SSO and LDAP/Active Directory federation
- Social login (Google, GitHub...)
- Granular role and permission management
Ory
- 100% API-first, no imposed UI
- Kratos (users) + Hydra (OAuth2/OIDC) separately
- Scales horizontally with a stateless app
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