Keycloak-recension: För- och nackdelar, funktioner och priser

Keycloak utmärker sig genom sömlös integrering med öppen källkod och erbjuder ditt team flexibel och säker identitetshantering, till skillnad från alla andra IAM-lösningar.

We review tools independently, and commissions help fund our testing. See our transparency policy, our methodology, or suggest a tool.

Keycloak is an open-source identity and access management solution built for teams that need to handle single sign-on (SSO), user federation, and fine-grained authorization across multiple applications and services. I'd consider it if you want full control over your authentication infrastructure without the per-user licensing costs that come with tools like Okta—especially if your team has the technical capacity to self-host and configure it to fit your environment.

Keycloak Evaluation Summary

Open-source IAM for SSO, MFA, and user access management via OIDC/SAML.
Customer rating

0/5

Pricing
  • Open source project and Available for free

Varför du kan lita på våra programvarurekommendationer

6,700+

Reviews

20

Industry experts

16+

Evaluation factors

14

Years

Vårt team har testat och recenserat programvara sedan 2012. Som teknikledare själva vet vi hur svårt — och viktigt — det är att välja rätt programvara.

För den här guiden utvärderade vi verktyg genom praktisk testning och oberoende research, och betygsatte verktygen enligt våra urvalskriterier.

Våra recensioner speglar vårt mänskliga redaktionella omdöme, inte ett säljbudskap.

Expertgranskare:

Keycloak Overview

In my opinion, Keycloak stands out as an identity provider (IdP) and access management tool due to its open-source flexibility and integration capabilities. It excels in customizable features and secure authentication, although its interface can be a bit daunting for new users during the onboarding process. Compared to competitors, Keycloak offers great value for tech-driven teams that need robust security automation but don't want to pay hefty costs. It's best suited for organizations that prioritize flexibility and have the technical resources to handle its complexity. If your team values customizable security solutions, Keycloak is worth considering.

Pros

  • It offers open-source flexibility for custom solutions.
  • Keycloak provides a centralized way to manage users, roles, and access controls securely.
  • It supports a wide range of protocols for varied authentication needs.

Cons

  • The interface can be intimidating for new users.
  • Onboarding may require more technical expertise than other tools.
  • Customer support isn't as responsive as some competitors.

Is Keycloak Right For Your Needs?

Who Would be a Good Fit for Keycloak?

Keycloak is a smart choice for tech-savvy teams and companies that need flexible, open-source solutions for security management. It's ideal for industries such as finance and healthcare, where security and customization are key. Keycloak supports various auth protocols, using JWTs with OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect (OIDC) to tailor security to your specific needs. If your IT department can handle complexity, Keycloak offers powerful tools for managing user identities and permissions effectively.

  • Tech Startups
    Startups can benefit from Keycloak's customizable, open-source security features to protect user data without breaking the bank.
  • Healthcare Providers
    Keycloak's robust security protocols make it a great choice for managing sensitive patient information.
  • Financial Institutions
    Kycloak enables the implementation of secure authentication methods to safeguard financial transactions and customer data.
  • Large Enterprises
    Your enterprise can use Keycloak to manage complex identity structures across multiple departments and applications efficiently.
  • Educational Institutions
    Keycloak's flexibility allows you to create tailored access solutions for students, faculty, and guests.
  • Government Agencies
    Keycloak provides the robust security and standards-compliant solutions needed to protect sensitive government data and manage user access effectively.

Who Would be a Bad Fit for Keycloak?

Keycloak may not suit small businesses or non-technical teams that lack the resources to handle its complex setup and management. If your team needs a straightforward, out-of-the-box solution without extensive customization, Keycloak's open-source nature might not be the right fit. Industries with limited IT support or those seeking simple user interfaces may find Keycloak's complexity and onboarding process too demanding.

  • Small Businesses
    Your small business might struggle with Keycloak's setup unless you have dedicated IT resources to manage it.
  • Non-Technical Teams
    If your team lacks technical expertise, Keycloak's solution can be a challenge to configure, navigate, and maintain.
  • Retail Operations
    Simple retail setups that need quick, straightforward access solutions may find Keycloak's detailed configurations unnecessary and cumbersome.
  • Freelancers
    As a freelancer, you might find Keycloak's robust features excessive for managing a small number of users or projects.
  • Local Government Offices
    Smaller government offices with limited IT infrastructure may find Keycloak's deployment, security, and maintenance demands too high for their needs.
  • Event Planning Firms
    Your event planning team may not benefit from Keycloak's advanced capabilities if simple access control is sufficient.

Our Review Methodology

How We Test & Score Tools

We’ve spent years building, refining, and improving our software testing and scoring system. The rubric is designed to capture the nuances of software selection and what makes a tool effective, focusing on critical aspects of the decision-making process.

Below, you can see exactly how our testing and scoring works across seven criteria. It allows us to provide an unbiased evaluation of the software based on core functionality, standout features, ease of use, onboarding, customer support, integrations, customer reviews, and value for money.

Core Functionality (25% of final scoring)

The starting point of our evaluation is always the core functionality of the tool. Does it have the basic features and functions that a user would expect to see? Are any of those core features locked to higher-tiered pricing plans? At its core, we expect a tool to stand up against the baseline capabilities of its competitors.

Standout Features (25% of final scoring)

Next, we evaluate uncommon standout features that go above and beyond the core functionality typically found in tools of its kind. A high score reflects specialized or unique features that make the product faster, more efficient, or offer additional value to the user.

We also evaluate how easy it is to integrate with other tools typically found in the tech stack to expand the functionality and utility of the software. Tools offering plentiful native integrations, 3rd party connections, and API access to build custom integrations score best.

Ease of Use (10% of final scoring)

We consider how quick and easy it is to execute the tasks defined in the core functionality using the tool. High scoring software is well designed, intuitive to use, offers mobile apps, provides templates, and makes relatively complex tasks seem simple.

Onboarding (10% of final scoring)

We know how important rapid team adoption is for a new platform, so we evaluate how easy it is to learn and use a tool with minimal training. We evaluate how quickly a team member can get set up and start using the tool with no experience. High scoring solutions indicate little or no support is required.

Customer Support (10% of final scoring)

We review how quick and easy it is to get unstuck and find help by phone, live chat, or knowledge base. Tools and companies that provide real-time support score best, while chatbots score worst.

Customer Reviews (10% of final scoring)

Beyond our own testing and evaluation, we consider the net promoter score from current and past customers. We review their likelihood, given the option, to choose the tool again for the core functionality. A high scoring software reflects a high net promoter score from current or past customers.

Value for Money (10% of final scoring)

Lastly, in consideration of all the other criteria, we review the average price of entry level plans against the core features and consider the value of the other evaluation criteria. Software that delivers more, for less, will score higher.

Core Features

Single Sign-On (SSO): Keycloak lets users access multiple web applications, including Java and those that integrate with GitHub APIs, with one set of credentials, simplifying the login process. This reduces password fatigue and improves the user experience across platforms.

User Federation: Organizations can easily connect their existing user databases to Keycloak to manage identities without data migration. It supports LDAP and Active Directory for straightforward integration.

Identity Brokering: Your team can authenticate users from third-party identity providers, including Google and Facebook, through Keycloak. This enables flexible authentication workflows.

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Keycloak offers role-based and fine-grained access control, allowing administrators to assign roles and control permissions securely across applications and services.

Social Login: Keycloak supports login through social media accounts, simplifying registration and login processes.

Account Management Console: Users can manage their own accounts, update profiles, and change passwords through an intuitive interface, reducing administrative overhead.

Keycloak screenshot
One login unlocks multiple apps via centralized authentication.

Ease of Use

Keycloak's user interface can be a bit complex, especially if your team isn't familiar with identity management systems. The setup process is detailed and may require some technical expertise, which might slow down onboarding for non-technical users. However, once configured, Keycloak features such as SSO and user federation work smoothly, offering great value. If your team can handle the initial complexity, Keycloak delivers a powerful tool for effectively managing identities.

Keycloak screenshot
Complex setup/UI; smooth SSO and federation once configured.

Integrations

Keycloak integrates with Adaptive Authentication, Ansible Collection for Keycloak, Apple Identity Provider, AWS, Block Disposable Email, CAS Login Protocol, Cassandra Datastore, Event Listener Utilities, Keycloak Multi-Tenancy, Magic Link Login, and Terraform Provider for Keycloak.

Keycloak also includes an API for custom integrations and can connect with third-party integration tools.

Keycloak screenshot
Broad integrations plus APIs/providers (AWS, Terraform, Ansible) for extensibility.

Keycloak Specs

  • API: Yes
  • Bug Tracking: No
  • CI/CD Integration: No
  • Cloud Deployment: No
  • Code Review: No
  • Code Transformation: No
  • Collaboration Support: No
  • Data Export: Yes
  • Data Import: No
  • Developer Tools: Yes
  • External Integrations: No
  • Git Integration: Yes
  • History/Version Control: No
  • IDE Plugins: Yes
  • Local Deployment: Yes
  • Multi-User: No
  • Notifications: Yes
  • Project Management: Yes
  • Release Management: No
  • Static Analysis: Yes
  • Task Scheduling/Tracking: Yes
  • Testing: Yes

Alternatives to Keycloak

Keycloak FAQs