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Identity and access management software · head to head

Keycloak vs Okta

Sebastiaan Smits Editor Sebastiaan Smits · Published November 12, 2026 · Updated November 12, 2026

Keycloak is an Apache-2.0 open-source identity provider that a team downloads and runs itself, with no license fee. Okta is a vendor-hosted workforce identity platform sold per user, from $6 a month billed annually, with a $1,500 annual contract minimum. The choice is between engineering time and a subscription.

Side by side

KeycloakOkta
What it isOpen-source identity provider you run yourselfThe most widely integrated workforce identity platform
Best forEngineering-led teams wanting no per-seat billCompanies that have outgrown a lighter directory tool
HeadquartersUnited StatesUnited States
Pricing modelOpen source + paid tiersPer user / month
PricingFree to self-host under the Apache 2.0 license; Red Hat sells a supported commercial variant (Red Hat build of Keycloak) for enterprises wanting a support contract, priced separately by Red Hat.Per-user monthly tiers billed annually: Starter $6/user/month, Core Essentials $14, Essentials $17, with Professional and Enterprise quote-only; a $1,500 annual contract minimum applies.
Free optionOpen sourceFree trial
List price
as listed on November 12, 2026		No license fee (Apache-2.0 open source); you run the server$6 per user per month billed annually (Starter), $1,500 annual contract minimum
Place in our identity and access management software ranking#3 of 14#5 of 14
Websitekeycloak.orgokta.com

Both are reviewed in full in Best Identity & Access Management (IAM) / SSO Software in 2026. Vendors can pay for more visibility, and commercial relationships can affect which products we feature and how prominently. Placement disclosure.

Which one to choose

Choose Keycloak if

you have engineers who can run and maintain an identity server, want no per-user license bill, and need LDAP or Active Directory federation, social login and custom flows you can extend in code.

Keycloak, #3 in the ranking · Visit Keycloak →

Choose Okta if

you want a hosted service rather than a server to maintain, and expect to need lifecycle management, access governance, adaptive MFA or privileged access on a per-user subscription.

Okta, #5 in the ranking · Visit Okta →

Where they differ

Apache-2.0 against a $1,500 annual floor

Keycloak carries no license fee: the code is Apache-2.0 on its GitHub repository and the downloads page offers it as a ZIP, TAR.GZ or container image. Okta's pricing page starts Starter at $6 per user per month billed annually and states a $1,500 annual minimum for Workforce Identity. On license cost alone Keycloak wins, though running it costs staff time that Okta's price already includes.

Edge: Keycloak

Running a server or renting a service

Keycloak is software the customer operates. The pages we read describe no hosted offering, so installation, upgrades and availability fall to your team, and the project site names no support plan or SLA. Okta is a cloud service operated by Okta, Inc., so there is no server to patch. For a team without spare infrastructure capacity, the hosted model is the easier one to adopt.

Edge: Okta

Connecting to existing directories

Both reach existing user stores. Keycloak federates with LDAP and Active Directory servers, brokers social login and external OpenID Connect or SAML 2.0 providers, and accepts custom providers for other user stores. Okta's Universal Directory sits in its Starter suite and centralizes profiles from AD, LDAP and HR apps. Neither page shows a gap that would separate them here, so we call this round level.

Edge: even

Governance and advanced security modules

Okta lists Lifecycle Management, Access Governance and Adaptive MFA from Essentials at $17 per user per month, with Privileged Access and Identity Threat Protection on Professional. Keycloak's pages describe an admin console, themes and extensible password policies and flows, but no lifecycle or governance module. Teams that need provisioning workflows and access reviews out of the box get them from Okta.

Edge: Okta

Starting without a purchase

Keycloak can be downloaded and run immediately, with no trial period or card. Okta's Starter has a free trial, and its pricing page also lists an Integrator Free Plan for developers, limited to 10 monthly active users. That plan is a developer allowance, not a workforce tier. For testing against real requirements before any commitment, Keycloak has the lower barrier.

Edge: Keycloak

Tally: Keycloak 2, Okta 2, even 1.

When neither fits

Neither suits a small IT team that wants one console for directory, SSO, MFA and device management at a published module price. JumpCloud lists Device Management at $9 per user per month billed annually, and Microsoft Entra ID lists P1 at $7.00 per user per month for companies already inside Microsoft's stack.

See JumpCloud and Microsoft Entra ID among the 14 products in Best Identity & Access Management (IAM) / SSO Software in 2026.

Questions and answers

Is Keycloak really free compared with Okta?

Yes, Keycloak has no license fee because it is Apache-2.0 open-source software. Okta charges per user, from $6 per user per month billed annually on Starter, with a $1,500 annual minimum. Keycloak's real cost is the engineering time to run and update the server yourself.

Does Okta have a free plan?

Okta offers a free trial of Starter and a separate Integrator Free Plan for up to 10 monthly active users aimed at developers. Neither is a permanent free workforce tier. Keycloak needs no trial because the software is free to download.

Can Keycloak connect to Active Directory?

Yes, Keycloak federates with existing LDAP and Active Directory servers and supports custom providers for other user stores. It can also authenticate against external OpenID Connect or SAML 2.0 identity providers and offer social login.

What does Okta cost per user?

Okta's pricing page lists Starter at $6, Core Essentials at $14 and Essentials at $17 per user per month. Professional and Enterprise are by inquiry. All suites are billed annually, and a $1,500 annual contract minimum applies to Workforce Identity.

Sources

Prices, plan limits and product facts on this page were checked against the vendors' own pages on November 12, 2026. Vendors change both without notice, so treat the figures as of that date.