Keycloak
The leading open-source IAM platform, backed by Red Hat
Identity & Access ManagementFree (open source) / Red Hat Build of Keycloak via subscriptionOpen Source
Updated February 2026.
What is Keycloak?
Keycloak is the open-source identity and access management platform backed by Red Hat. It provides SSO, federation, identity brokering, and social login for modern applications and services. Keycloak is the upstream project for Red Hat Build of Keycloak (the commercially supported version) and is widely deployed in both enterprise and community settings where full control over the identity stack is required.
Best for: Teams that need full control, auditability, and zero license cost
Pros
- ✓ Free, fully open source, self-hosted forever
- ✓ Rich feature set comparable to commercial platforms
- ✓ Strong federation with LDAP and Active Directory
- ✓ Large community and extensive extension ecosystem
Cons
- ✗ Operational overhead of running it yourself
- ✗ Admin UI is functional but dated
- ✗ Requires expertise to deploy for high availability
- ✗ Upgrades between major versions can be painful
Key Features
→OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0, and SAML 2.0 support
→Identity brokering with social login providers
→User federation with LDAP and Active Directory
→Multi-factor authentication (TOTP, WebAuthn)
→Adaptive authentication via custom authenticators
→Fine-grained authorization services
→Admin and Account REST APIs
→Realms for multi-tenant deployments
→Customizable login and account themes
→Kubernetes operator for declarative deployment
What People Are Saying
Real discussions and resources from the community.
Quick Info
| Pricing | Free (open source) / Red Hat Build of Keycloak via subscription |
| Model | Open Source + Enterprise Subscription |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Cloud | No |
| Self-Hosted | Yes |
| Open Source | Yes |
Last updated: Feb 20, 2026