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Auth0 vs Keycloak

Auth0 is a paid sign-in service with a free plan [S1]. Keycloak's code is on GitHub under the Apache License 2.0 [S2]. We checked every figure on this page against the vendors' own pages on 16 Oct 2026. Prices on this page are list prices as of that date.

Auth0 vs Keycloak at a glance

Auth0 and Keycloak compared, from the vendors' own pages and the GitHub API
Auth0Keycloak
LicenseNot documented on the pages we read"Apache License Version 2.0", SPDX Apache-2.0 [S2]
Free optionFree, US$0 a month, no credit card needed to sign up [S1]Code under Apache-2.0 [S2]
Paid plansEssentials from US$35 a month, Professional US$240 a month, at the default MAU setting [S1]Not documented on the pages we read
GitHub starsNot applicable in our reading37,746 on 8 Nov 2026 [S3]
Last code pushNot applicable in our reading7 Nov 2026 [S3]

What is Keycloak?

Keycloak's code is on GitHub at keycloak/keycloak. Its LICENSE.txt is the "Apache License Version 2.0, January 2004" [S2]. The repo had 37,746 stars on 8 Nov 2026 [S3]. It is not archived, and the last push was on 7 Nov 2026 [S3].

Auth0 vs Keycloak pricing

Auth0's Free plan costs US$0 a month, and the pricing page says "No credit card needed to sign up." [S1] Essentials costs from US$35 a month at the page's default MAU setting [S1]. Professional costs US$240 a month at the same setting [S1]. Both prices change with the monthly active user slider on the page [S1].

Keycloak's code is free to use under Apache-2.0 [S2]. Keycloak paid plans are not documented on the pages we read.

Auth0 is the better fit when

  • You want to start on a free hosted plan with no credit card [S1].
  • You want a listed monthly price that follows your user count [S1].

Keycloak is the better fit when

  • You want the code under the Apache License 2.0 [S2].
  • You want a project with recent activity. The repo had a push on 7 Nov 2026 [S3].

Run Keycloak on Railway

Railway lists a community template by Heimdall for Keycloak (railway.com/deploy/keycloak) [S4]. Railway shows it as unverified [S4]. Railway verifies a template only when the maker of the technology "becomes a partner and reviews the template" [S6]. The template had 68 projects on 16 Oct 2026 [S4]. Read the template page and its source before you deploy.

The template runs the image quay.io/keycloak/keycloak:latest [S4]. It adds Postgres "with volume persistence" [S4]. Check that your plan has room for the Postgres volume.

Affiliate disclosure: Forkshelf earns a commission if you sign up for Railway through the links marked "Paid link" on this page. This does not change the order or content of any comparison here.

To get started, create a Railway account (Paid link). The Free plan allows up to 1 vCPU and 0.5 GB RAM per service, with 0.5 GB of volume storage per volume [S5]. The Hobby plan has a US$5 minimum usage per month, with US$5 of monthly usage credits included [S5][S7]. It allows up to 5 GB of volume storage per volume [S5].

Railway is one option. Pricing on Railway is as of 16 Oct 2026.

Other Auth0 alternatives

Forkshelf lists 45 tools with open-source alternatives. See the Auth0 alternatives page for the open-source options we list for Auth0.

FAQ

Auth0 or Keycloak: which costs less?
Keycloak's code is Apache-2.0 [S2], so your cost is the server and your time, in our reading. Auth0 has a free plan, then Essentials from US$35 a month at the default MAU setting [S1].

Does Auth0 need a credit card?
Not for the Free plan. The page says "No credit card needed to sign up." [S1]

Is Keycloak open source?
Its LICENSE.txt is the Apache License 2.0, SPDX id Apache-2.0 [S2].

Self-host guides

Sources (all fetched 16 Oct 2026)