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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26,183stars+377(+1.5%)

Last 30 days

Last commit
11 hours ago
Repository age
7 years
Version
2026.8.5
License
MIT
Self-hosted
Yes
Repository
authentik

Zitadel

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

Visit Zitadel Read more

15,484stars+335(+2.2%)

Last 30 days

Last commit
1 day ago
Repository age
7 years
Version
v4.20.0
License
AGPL-3.0
Self-hosted
Yes
Repository
zitadel/zitadel

Detailed Comparison

Both Authentik and Zitadel have their unique strengths and serve similar purposes effectively. 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 26,183 stars vs 15,484 stars for Zitadel. The 69% higher star count indicates stronger community adoption. In terms of developer contributions, Authentik has 2,096 forks, indicating strong developer engagement.

Zitadel wins

Growth Momentum

Zitadel is growing faster, adding 335 stars in the last 30 days (+2.2%) against adding 377 stars for Authentik (+1.5%). Zitadel is the smaller project of the two, so it is closing the gap rather than extending a lead.

Comparable

Development Activity

Both projects show recent activity, with Authentik last updated 11 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