Keycloak vs OneLogin -- Open Source IAM Compared

Keycloak vs OneLogin

Keycloak and OneLogin are both open source iam solutions. Keycloak open-source IAM platform with SSO, identity brokering, and fine-grained authorization, while OneLogin cloud IAM platform with SmartFactor Authentication and cost-effective pricing. The best choice depends on your organization's size, technical requirements, and budget.

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The Verdict

Choose Keycloak if completely free — no licensing costs regardless of user count is your priority and organizations with engineering expertise that want full control over their identity platform, avoid vendor lock-in, and eliminate IAM licensing costs. Choose OneLogin if more affordable than Okta with comparable core SSO and MFA capabilities matters most and mid-market organizations looking for a full-featured cloud IAM platform at a lower price point than Okta with straightforward deployment.

Used Keycloak or OneLogin? Share your experience.

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

FeatureOneLoginKeycloak
PricingFrom $4/user/month (Starter) / Advanced from $8/user/monthFree (open source) / Red Hat SSO for enterprise support
Pricing ModelPer-user monthly subscriptionFree open source with optional commercial support
Open SourceNoYes
DeploymentCloudSelf-Hosted
Best ForMid-market organizations looking for a full-featured cloud IAM platform at a lower price point than Okta with straightforward deploymentOrganizations with engineering expertise that want full control over their identity platform, avoid vendor lock-in, and eliminate IAM licensing costs
Identity brokering and social login i...Not availableSupported
Fine-grained authorization services (...Not availableSupported
Admin console and account management ...Not availableSupported

When to Choose Each Tool

Choose OneLogin when:

  • +You value more affordable than Okta with comparable core SSO and MFA capabilities
  • +You value smartFactor Authentication provides ML-driven risk scoring
  • +You value clean, intuitive admin console with fast setup
  • +You want to avoid requires significant engineering effort to deploy, scale, and maintain
  • +You want to avoid no managed cloud service — you own all infrastructure operations

Choose Keycloak when:

  • +You value completely free — no licensing costs regardless of user count
  • +You value full source code access enables deep customization
  • +You value self-hosted deployment gives complete data sovereignty
  • +You want to avoid smaller integration catalog than Okta for niche SaaS applications
  • +You want to avoid one Identity acquisition has slowed product innovation velocity

Pros & Cons Comparison

OneLogin

Pros

  • +More affordable than Okta with comparable core SSO and MFA capabilities
  • +SmartFactor Authentication provides ML-driven risk scoring
  • +Clean, intuitive admin console with fast setup
  • +Strong desktop SSO for Windows and macOS endpoints
  • +Sandbox environment for safe configuration testing

Cons

  • Smaller integration catalog than Okta for niche SaaS applications
  • One Identity acquisition has slowed product innovation velocity
  • Fewer advanced governance and compliance features than top-tier competitors
  • Customer support responsiveness has declined since acquisition
  • Limited CIAM capabilities — primarily a workforce identity platform

Keycloak

Pros

  • +Completely free — no licensing costs regardless of user count
  • +Full source code access enables deep customization
  • +Self-hosted deployment gives complete data sovereignty
  • +Red Hat backing provides commercial support option (Red Hat SSO)
  • +Active community with extensive documentation and extensions

Cons

  • Requires significant engineering effort to deploy, scale, and maintain
  • No managed cloud service — you own all infrastructure operations
  • Pre-built SaaS application integrations far fewer than commercial platforms
  • User experience and admin UI less polished than Okta or Entra ID
  • High-availability and disaster recovery require complex infrastructure engineering

Sources & References

  1. Keycloak — Official Website & Documentation[Vendor]
  2. OneLogin — Official Website & Documentation[Vendor]
  3. Keycloak Reviews on G2[User Reviews]
  4. OneLogin Reviews on G2[User Reviews]
  5. Keycloak Reviews on TrustRadius[User Reviews]
  6. OneLogin Reviews on TrustRadius[User Reviews]
  7. Keycloak Reviews on PeerSpot[User Reviews]
  8. OneLogin Reviews on PeerSpot[User Reviews]
  9. Gartner Magic Quadrant for Access Management 2024[Analyst Report]
  10. Forrester Wave: Identity-As-A-Service (IDaaS), Q4 2024[Analyst Report]
  11. KuppingerCole Leadership Compass: Access Management 2024[Analyst Report]
  12. Gartner Peer Insights: Access Management[Peer Reviews]

Keycloak vs OneLogin FAQ

Common questions about choosing between Keycloak and OneLogin.

What is the main difference between Keycloak and OneLogin?

Keycloak and OneLogin are both open source iam solutions. Keycloak open-source IAM platform with SSO, identity brokering, and fine-grained authorization, while OneLogin cloud IAM platform with SmartFactor Authentication and cost-effective pricing. The best choice depends on your organization's size, technical requirements, and budget.

Is OneLogin better than Keycloak?

Choose Keycloak if completely free — no licensing costs regardless of user count is your priority and organizations with engineering expertise that want full control over their identity platform, avoid vendor lock-in, and eliminate IAM licensing costs. Choose OneLogin if more affordable than Okta with comparable core SSO and MFA capabilities matters most and mid-market organizations looking for a full-featured cloud IAM platform at a lower price point than Okta with straightforward deployment.

How much does OneLogin cost compared to Keycloak?

OneLogin pricing: From $4/user/month (Starter) / Advanced from $8/user/month. Keycloak pricing: Free (open source) / Red Hat SSO for enterprise support. OneLogin's pricing model is per-user monthly subscription, while Keycloak uses free open source with optional commercial support pricing.

Can I migrate from Keycloak to OneLogin?

Yes, you can migrate from Keycloak to OneLogin. The migration process depends on your specific setup and the features you use. Both platforms offer APIs that can facilitate automated migration. Consider running both tools in parallel during the transition to ensure zero downtime.