Zitadel vs Authentik: Which Identity Provider Should You Use in 2025?
- Philip Moses
- Nov 5
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 18
In 2025, choosing the right identity provider (IdP) is a big deal for developers, startups, and IT teams. Identity providers handle things like login, single sign-on (SSO), and user access — all the parts of your app that need to be secure and seamless.
Two of the top open source identity management tools today are Zitadel and Authentik. Both help you build secure login platforms and manage users across apps — but they work in different ways.
In this blog, we’ll compare Zitadel vs Authentik based on features, setup, security, and best use cases — so you can pick the right one for your project.
What Are Zitadel and Authentik?
Zitadel is a modern identity and access management (IAM) system built for the cloud. It supports secure logins, multi-factor authentication (MFA), passwordless access, and more. It’s designed for developers who want powerful APIs and full control over user management.
Authentik is an open source, self-hosted identity provider that helps manage logins, SSO, and user roles across your apps. It supports common standards like OAuth2, SAML, and LDAP, and it’s known for being flexible and easy to use with existing systems
Key Features Compared
🔐 Login Methods and Standards
Both tools support secure login protocols like:
OAuth2 and OpenID Connect (for modern web apps)
SAML (for enterprise systems)
LDAP (especially in Authentik, useful for older apps)
They also support single sign-on (SSO), so users only need to log in once to access multiple apps.
🔑 Multi-Factor and Passwordless Authentication
Zitadel offers strong MFA options: one-time codes, U2F keys, passkeys, and email/SMS.
Authentik also supports MFA, passkeys (WebAuthn), and lets you customize login flows.
Both tools help protect users with added layers of security.
🧩 Customization and Control
Zitadel is API-first, which means developers can automate almost everything. It’s great if you like using tools like Terraform and want deep control.
Authentik offers a visual UI for setting up custom login flows without writing code — great for teams that want a simple, flexible setup.
🏢 Multi-Tenant Support
Zitadel is built for SaaS companies or platforms that serve many clients. It lets you create separate organizations with their own users and settings.
Authentik is more focused on single-tenant use, like internal company tools or projects.
Setup and Ease of Use
🧪 Getting Started
Zitadel can be installed with Docker or Kubernetes. It’s fast for developers familiar with cloud tools, but may feel complex for beginners.
Authentik also runs in Docker and is easy to manage through a browser. It’s a good choice for teams that want a quick start and a clean web interface.
🧰 Admin Interface
Both have web-based dashboards:
Zitadel’s dashboard is clean and great for developers and larger teams.
Authentik’s dashboard is user-friendly and works well for IT admins and smaller setups.
Security and Compliance
If you’re looking for a secure login platform, both options offer:
Modern MFA and passwordless login
Strong password policies
Detailed logging and audit trails
Open source code (so you can review or customize it)
Zitadel is certified with standards like ISO 27001 and GDPR-ready. Authentik is fully open source and supports U.S. security standards like FIPS in its enterprise version.
Who Should Use Zitadel?
Choose Zitadel if you:
Build SaaS apps for many customers (multi-tenant)
Want deep automation and developer-first APIs
Need enterprise features like audit logs and organization management
Prefer cloud-native deployment
Example: A B2B platform that needs each client to have their own login portal and user roles.
Who Should Use Authentik?
Choose Authentik if you:
Need a self-hosted identity provider for one company or team
Prefer a visual setup over writing code
Want to replace older systems like LDAP or Active Directory
Run a homelab or internal tools
Example: A startup connecting apps with SSO, or a business replacing its outdated login system.
In 2025, both Zitadel and Authentik are powerful and reliable open source identity providers.
Zitadel is best for SaaS platforms and developer-heavy teams.
Authentik is perfect for small businesses, IT admins, and internal tools.
The best choice depends on your project’s size, technical needs, and how much control you want. Whether you’re securing a public app or managing internal users, both platforms help you do it with open standards and no vendor lock-in.
Looking for the best IAM for developers or the top secure login platforms in 2025? Start with Zitadel or Authentik — they’re both solid, modern tools to build with.
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