Authelia vs Authentik: Which Self-Hosted SSO Should You Choose?

Quick Verdict

Authelia is the better choice for most homelab setups — it’s lightweight (under 30MB RAM), simple to deploy, and integrates tightly with reverse proxies. Choose it if you want quick setup with minimal overhead.

Authentik is better for enterprise-grade deployments — it’s a full identity provider with more features (SAML, LDAP provider, workflows, conditional access), better user management, and scales to larger organizations. Choose it if you need a complete identity platform or plan to grow.

Overview

Both Authelia and Authentik are open-source authentication platforms designed for self-hosting. They’re the two dominant solutions in the self-hosted SSO space, but they’re architecturally different.

Authelia (26.9k GitHub stars) is a lightweight authentication server written in Go. It acts as a control plane for reverse proxies, handling authentication and authorization decisions. Think of it as a smart gatekeeper that sits alongside Nginx, Traefik, or Caddy.

Authentik (20.3k GitHub stars) is a full identity provider (IdP) written in Python/Django with a TypeScript frontend. It’s closer to commercial solutions like Okta or Auth0 — it manages users, applications, workflows, and exposes multiple authentication protocols.

Aspect	Authelia	Authentik
Architecture	Lightweight reverse proxy companion	Full identity provider platform
Language	Go (single binary)	Python (multi-component)
Docker image size	<20MB	~500MB+
Memory idle	~30MB	~150-200MB+
Database required	Yes (PostgreSQL/MySQL)	Yes (PostgreSQL)
Redis required	No (optional for clustering)	Yes (required)
Complexity	Simple	Medium-to-complex
GitHub stars	26.9k	20.3k
Latest release	4.39.15 (Nov 2025)	2026.2.1 (Mar 2026)
Release frequency	Every 2-3 weeks (patch releases)	Every 2-4 weeks (patch), quarterly (major)

Supported Features

Authentication Protocols

Protocol	Authelia	Authentik
OAuth 2.0 / OIDC	✓ OpenID Certified	✓ Full support
SAML 2.0	✗ Not supported	✓ Full support (as provider)
LDAP	✗ No LDAP provider	✓ Full LDAP server support
RADIUS	✗ Not supported	✓ Supported
SCIM	✗ Not supported	✓ User provisioning
Trusted Headers	✓ Supported	✓ Supported

Authelia is OIDC-focused. It can use LDAP as a user backend (for authentication), but it cannot provide LDAP or SAML services to downstream applications.

Authentik is a full multi-protocol provider. It can provide LDAP, SAML, OAuth2/OIDC, and SCIM, making it compatible with legacy enterprise apps.

Multi-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Method	Authelia	Authentik
Time-based OTP (TOTP)	✓	✓
Security Keys (WebAuthn/FIDO2)	✓	✓
Passwordless (Passkeys)	✓	✓
Mobile Push (Duo)	✓	✗ Not natively
SMS	✗	✓ (via integration)
Backup codes	✓	✓
Conditional MFA policies	Limited	✓ Rich (GeoIP, impossible travel, device risk)

Both support modern 2FA. Authelia has Duo push integration (if you use Duo’s service). Authentik has richer conditional policies (e.g., “require MFA if login from new country”).

User Management

Feature	Authelia	Authentik
User management UI	Simple portal	Full admin console
User groups	✓	✓
User impersonation	✗	✓
Password policies	✓ Basic	✓ Advanced
Workflows/automation	✗	✓ Visual workflow builder
User provisioning (SCIM)	✗	✓
Audit logs	✓	✓ Comprehensive

Authelia is minimal — it has basic user management. Authentik has enterprise-grade user management with workflows, provisioning, and fine-grained policies.

Installation Complexity

Authelia Docker Deployment

Authelia requires:

Docker + Docker Compose
PostgreSQL database
Configuration file (YAML)
Secrets (JWT, session, storage keys — can be generated)

Minimal setup: 5-10 minutes. A basic docker-compose.yml looks clean and straightforward.

services:
  authelia:
    image: authelia/authelia:4.39.16
    container_name: authelia
    volumes:
      - ./config:/config
      - ./secrets:/secrets
    environment:
      - AUTHELIA_STORAGE_POSTGRES_PASSWORD_FILE=/secrets/storage_password
    ports:
      - "9091:9091"
    restart: unless-stopped
    depends_on:
      - postgres

  postgres:
    image: postgres:16-alpine
    environment:
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: example
    volumes:
      - authelia_db:/var/lib/postgresql/data
    restart: unless-stopped

volumes:
  authelia_db:

Setup time: ~5 minutes after generating secrets. Very approachable for homelab users.

Authentik Docker Deployment

Authentik requires:

Docker + Docker Compose
PostgreSQL database
Redis cache (required, not optional)
Environmental setup (database migrations, initial user creation)
Configuration via web UI

Components needed: Database, Redis, server, worker(s), proxy outpost (optional but common).

Minimal setup: 15-20 minutes. The docker-compose.yml is longer due to multiple services.

services:
  postgres:
    image: postgres:16-alpine
    environment:
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: example
    volumes:
      - postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
    restart: unless-stopped

  redis:
    image: redis:7-alpine
    restart: unless-stopped

  authentik-server:
    image: ghcr.io/goauthentik/server:2026.2.1
    command: server
    environment:
      AUTHENTIK_POSTGRESQL__HOST: postgres
      AUTHENTIK_POSTGRESQL__PASSWORD: example
      AUTHENTIK_REDIS__HOST: redis
      AUTHENTIK_SECRET_KEY: example  # Change this!
    ports:
      - "9443:9443"
      - "9080:9080"
    depends_on:
      - postgres
      - redis
    restart: unless-stopped

  authentik-worker:
    image: ghcr.io/goauthentik/server:2026.2.1
    command: worker
    environment:
      AUTHENTIK_POSTGRESQL__HOST: postgres
      AUTHENTIK_POSTGRESQL__PASSWORD: example
      AUTHENTIK_REDIS__HOST: redis
      AUTHENTIK_SECRET_KEY: example  # Change this!
    depends_on:
      - postgres
      - redis
    restart: unless-stopped

volumes:
  postgres_data:

Setup time: ~15 minutes. More complex, but well-documented. Initial setup requires navigating the web UI.

Resource Usage Comparison

Memory Consumption

Component	Authelia	Authentik
Application idle	~30 MB	~150-200 MB
With light load	~40-50 MB	~200-300 MB
Database (PostgreSQL)	~100-150 MB	~100-150 MB
Cache (Redis)	Not needed	~50-100 MB
Total stack idle	~130-180 MB	~300-450 MB

Authelia is 2-3x more resource-efficient. This matters on mini PCs, NAS devices, or when you’re already running many services.

CPU Usage

Authelia: Very light CPU usage (<1% idle, <5% under load). Fast request processing.

Authentik: Moderate CPU usage due to Python/Django. More noticeable during policy evaluation or user provisioning workflows.

Disk Space

Authelia: Minimal. Docker image <20MB, minimal database footprint.

Authentik: Larger. Docker image ~500MB+, larger database schema.

Reverse Proxy Integration

Authelia

Authelia is designed to work with reverse proxies. It acts as the authentication control plane.

Supported reverse proxies:

Nginx (via auth_request)
Traefik (via forwardAuth middleware)
Caddy (via forward_auth plugin)
HAProxy, Envoy, Skipper

Integration is tight and native. Once deployed, you configure your reverse proxy to forward auth requests to Authelia. Very clean separation of concerns.

Authentik

Authentik can work with reverse proxies but also comes with:

Built-in proxy outpost — can act as a reverse proxy itself (similar to Traefik or Nginx)
OAuth/OIDC redirect — applications redirect to Authentik, users log in there, and Authentik redirects back with a token

Integration patterns:

Via reverse proxy (like Authelia)
Via built-in outpost (acts as a reverse proxy)
Direct application support (apps that natively support OIDC)

Authentik is more flexible but also more complex. You have multiple ways to integrate it.

Use Cases: Which to Choose?

Choose Authelia If…

You have a small homelab with limited resources (mini PC, NAS, old laptop)
You use Nginx, Traefik, or Caddy as your reverse proxy and want tight integration
You want minimal complexity and overhead
You only need OIDC authentication (not SAML, LDAP provider, or advanced workflows)
You prefer a single-purpose tool (authentication only, not user management)
You’re comfortable with basic user management (no impersonation, workflows, or provisioning)
You want quick setup in 5-10 minutes

Typical setup: Small self-hosting environment, personal apps, family sharing, lightweight infrastructure.

Choose Authentik If…

You need a full identity provider with enterprise features
You need SAML 2.0 support for legacy apps or enterprise integrations
You need LDAP server capabilities (to use Authentik as your LDAP backend for other tools)
You want user provisioning and workflow automation (SCIM, conditional MFA, user deprovisioning)
You plan to scale to many users (100+) and need advanced user management
You’re building a multi-tenant environment (customer identity management)
You need rich conditional policies (GeoIP, impossible travel detection, risk-based MFA)
You want application proxy capabilities built-in

Typical setup: Larger organization, legacy system integration, need for SAML/LDAP, growing company.

Docker Setup Comparison

Authelia

Pros:

Single container (plus PostgreSQL)
<20MB image, ~30MB RAM idle
Simple docker-compose.yml
Ready in 5 minutes
Minimal configuration

Cons:

Requires separate reverse proxy
No UI for user management (CLI/config files)
OIDC only (no SAML/LDAP provider)

Authentik

Pros:

Full web UI for everything
Multiple deployment options (standalone, cluster, HA)
Built-in reverse proxy (outpost)
Can provide SAML, LDAP, OIDC
Rich user management and workflows

Cons:

Multiple containers (server, worker, Redis)
~500MB+ image per component
~300-450MB RAM idle (full stack)
15-20 minute setup
More complex configuration
Documentation assumes some familiarity with identity concepts

Community & Support

Metric	Authelia	Authentik
GitHub stars	26.9k	20.3k
GitHub forks	1.3k	1.5k
Contributors	Active	509+ (larger community)
Release frequency	Every 2-3 weeks	Every 2-4 weeks
Documentation	Good	Excellent
Commercial support	No	Yes (Enterprise edition)
Community	Discord, Matrix, GitHub	Discord, community channels

Authentik has a larger corporate presence (Authentik, Inc. backs it) and offers enterprise support. Authelia is pure community-driven (Apache 2.0 licensed, very reliable for what it does).

Both projects are actively maintained. Authentik releases more frequently overall, but Authelia releases regularly too.

Real-World Scenarios

Scenario 1: Homelab with 3-4 Apps

Setup: Pi 4 or N100 mini PC, limited RAM, 3-4 self-hosted apps

Recommendation: Authelia

Why: Lightweight, simple integration with your reverse proxy, minimal overhead. You’ll save ~200MB RAM compared to Authentik. Setup takes 5 minutes. You don’t need SAML or LDAP provider features.

Scenario 2: Growing Tech Team (5-10 People)

Setup: Small company or team, need to integrate legacy VPN, old internal apps, Atlassian stack

Recommendation: Authentik

Why: You need SAML for legacy apps. You want user provisioning and audit logs. You’ll eventually outgrow Authelia’s minimal user management. The extra resources are worth it for enterprise integrations.

Scenario 3: Self-Hosted Cloud (Enterprise-like)

Setup: 50+ users, multiple teams, APIs, legacy + modern apps, need compliance/audit

Recommendation: Authentik

Why: Authentik scales to this. You get workflows, conditional access, SCIM provisioning, comprehensive audit logs, and support for every protocol. Authelia is not designed for this scale.

Scenario 4: Kubernetes Cluster

Setup: K8s homelab, multiple namespaces, many apps

Recommendation: Either works, but Authentik is more common

Why: Authentik has native Helm charts and is better documented for K8s. Authelia works fine but is less common in K8s deployments.

Version and Maintenance Status

Authelia:

Latest: 4.39.15 (November 29, 2025)
Release pattern: Patch releases every 2-3 weeks
Stable and mature (been around for years)
No major version bumps expected soon

Authentik:

Latest: 2026.2.1 (March 2026)
Release pattern: Quarterly major releases, patch releases every 2-4 weeks
Rapid development, frequent feature additions
Actively evolved (RC versions indicate upcoming releases)

Final Verdict

Factor	Winner
Simplicity	Authelia (5-minute setup)
Resource efficiency	Authelia (2-3x lighter)
Feature completeness	Authentik (SAML, LDAP provider, workflows)
Enterprise readiness	Authentik (support, user management, audit)
Small homelab fit	Authelia
Growing organization	Authentik
Community size	Authelia (GitHub stars)
Commercial backing	Authentik (Inc., enterprise support)

For most homelab setups: Authelia wins. Simpler, lighter, sufficient features.

For organizations needing enterprise features or SAML/LDAP: Authentik wins. Worth the extra resources.

If you’re undecided, start with Authelia. If you hit its limitations (need SAML, LDAP, complex workflows), migrate to Authentik — it’s built to handle that.

Quick Verdict

Overview

Supported Features

Authentication Protocols

Multi-Factor Authentication (2FA)

User Management

Installation Complexity

Authelia Docker Deployment

Authentik Docker Deployment

Resource Usage Comparison

Memory Consumption

CPU Usage

Disk Space

Reverse Proxy Integration

Authelia

Authentik

Use Cases: Which to Choose?

Choose Authelia If…

Choose Authentik If…

Docker Setup Comparison

Authelia

Authentik

Community & Support

Real-World Scenarios

Scenario 1: Homelab with 3-4 Apps

Scenario 2: Growing Tech Team (5-10 People)

Scenario 3: Self-Hosted Cloud (Enterprise-like)

Scenario 4: Kubernetes Cluster

Version and Maintenance Status

Final Verdict

Related

Related Articles

Authentik vs Authelia: Self-Hosted SSO Compared

Authelia vs Zitadel: SSO Proxy vs Identity Platform

Zitadel vs Authentik: Which Identity Provider to Self-Host?

Best Self-Hosted Authentication & SSO in 2026

Best Self-Hosted SSO & Authentication Tools

SSO for Self-Hosted Services

Get self-hosting tips in your inbox

Comments