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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Stars
21,151
Forks
1,560
Last commit
2 hours ago
Repository age
6 years
Self-hosted
Yes

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Zitadel

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

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Stars
13,621
Forks
1,040
Last commit
4 hours ago
Repository age
6 years
License
AGPL-3.0
Self-hosted
Yes

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Auto-fetched 2 hours ago.

Detailed Comparison

Both Authentik and Zitadel have their unique strengths and serve similar purposes effectively. Consider your specific needs regarding popularity, activity, technology, maturity, licensing and features when making your decision.

Authentik wins

Community & Popularity

Authentik leads in popularity with 21,151 stars vs 13,621 stars for Zitadel. The 55% higher star count indicates stronger community adoption. In terms of developer contributions, Authentik has 1,560 forks, indicating strong developer engagement.

Comparable

Development Activity

Both projects show recent activity, with Authentik last updated 2 hours ago and Zitadel 4 hours 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