What is the main difference between Authentik and Zitadel?

Authentik and Zitadel are both authentication & sso providers but differ in their approach, features, and target audience. Compare their GitHub stats, technology stack, and community adoption to make the best choice.

Which is better: Authentik or Zitadel?

The choice between Authentik and Zitadel depends on your specific needs, technical requirements, and team preferences. Both are quality open source solutions with active communities.

Can I migrate from Authentik to Zitadel?

Migration between Authentik and Zitadel is possible but requires careful planning. Consider data export/import capabilities, feature parity, and potential workflow changes.

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Authentik vs Zitadel

Learn how Authentik and Zitadel differ in their key features, development activity, technology stack and community adoption, so you can decide which of these authentication & sso providers is best for you.

Authentik

authentik is an open-source identity provider that offers self-hosted authentication, authorization, and user management for businesses of all sizes.

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25,904stars+483(+1.9%)

Last 30 days

Last commit
7 hours ago
Repository age
7 years
Version
2026.8.3
License
MIT
Self-hosted
Yes
Repository
goauthentik/authentik

Sponsor Authentik ongithub.com

Zitadel

ZITADEL provides a comprehensive identity management solution with easy APIs, customizable workflows, and serverless deployment options.

Visit Zitadel Read more

15,270stars+283(+1.9%)

Last 30 days

Last commit
1 day ago
Repository age
7 years
Version
v4.19.4
License
AGPL-3.0
Self-hosted
Yes
Repository
zitadel/zitadel

Detailed Comparison

Authentik appears to have several advantages over Zitadel, particularly in popularity and licensing. Consider your specific needs regarding popularity, growth, activity, technology, maturity, licensing and features when making your decision.

Authentik wins

Community & Popularity

Authentik leads in popularity with 25,904 stars vs 15,270 stars for Zitadel. The 70% higher star count indicates stronger community adoption. In terms of developer contributions, Authentik has 2,063 forks, indicating strong developer engagement.

Comparable

Growth Momentum

Authentik and Zitadel are moving at much the same rate, adding 483 stars and adding 283 stars respectively over the last 30 days (+1.9% vs +1.9%). Neither is pulling away from the other on momentum alone.

Comparable

Development Activity

Both projects show recent activity, with Authentik last updated 7 hours ago and Zitadel 1 day ago.

Comparable

Technology Stack

Both tools share common technology foundations, being built with JavaScript, CSS, Bash, Typescript, JSX, Golang. However, they differ in their additional technology choices: Authentik uses Python, Rust, Django while Zitadel leverages Next.js, SCSS, Lua.

Comparable

Project Maturity

Both projects started around the same time, with Authentik beginning 7 years ago and Zitadel 7 years ago.

Authentik wins

Licensing

Authentik uses the MIT license, which is more permissive than Zitadel's AGPL-3.0 license, potentially offering greater flexibility for commercial use and integration.

Comparable