Auth0 vs Keycloak (self-hosted)
Default scenario: At 50K monthly active users, no enterprise SSO connections: Auth0 (over self-serve plan limits · contact sales), Keycloak (self-hosted) (operating cost not estimated · servers, licenses and engineering time are yours).
The services may differ in features, performance, support and the work you need to do yourself. Read the notes and test what matters to your setup.
Your selected usage
50K monthly active users, no enterprise SSO connections
- Auth0: Over self-serve plan limits · contact sales
- Keycloak (self-hosted): Operating cost not estimated · servers, licenses and engineering time are yours
Estimated costs at different usage levels
| Usage | Auth0 | Keycloak (self-hosted) |
|---|---|---|
| Default scenario50K monthly active users, no enterprise SSO connections | —Over self-serve plan limits · contact sales | —Operating cost not estimated · servers, licenses and engineering time are yours |
| Consumer app500K monthly active users, no enterprise SSO connections | —Over self-serve plan limits · contact sales | —Operating cost not estimated · servers, licenses and engineering time are yours |
| B2B SaaS20K monthly active users, 25 enterprise SSO connections | $72,000/yrB2B Essentials 20k MAU · $0 MAU + $2,200 SSO | —Operating cost not estimated · servers, licenses and engineering time are yours |
| Startup5K monthly active users, no enterprise SSO connections | $0/yrFree · $0 MAU + $0 SSO | —Operating cost not estimated · servers, licenses and engineering time are yours |
MFA, custom domains, audit logs and SCIM are paid add-ons on several vendors. Check the notes. Try your own numbers against all authentication providers.
Side by side
| Auth0 | Keycloak (self-hosted) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Okta-owned customer identity platform with separate B2C and B2B plans, priced in fixed MAU brackets that end at 10k-30k MAU on self-serve. | Open-source identity and access management (Apache-2.0), a CNCF project originally from Red Hat. SAML, OIDC, LDAP and MFA built in. |
| Headquarters | 🇺🇸 United States | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Parent jurisdiction | 🇺🇸 United States (Okta) | 🇺🇸 United States (Cloud Native Computing Foundation (Linux Foundation)) |
| EU self-serve plan | Available; check eligible plans and regions | Available; check eligible plans and regions |
| GDPR DPA | Yes | No / not documented |
| Billing | subscription | self-hosted |
| Free tier | Free plan up to 25,000 MAU with 1 enterprise connection and 1 custom domain. | Free and open source with no user or connection limits. |
| Open source | No | Yes · self-hostable |
| Source last checked | 2026-10-06 | 2026-10-06 |
| Pricing evidence | Published rates | Operating cost not estimated |
Which should you choose?
Choose Auth0 if…
- you need a signed GDPR data processing agreement
Choose Keycloak (self-hosted) if…
- you want open-source software you can run yourself
Based on estimated list-price bills and the facts above. Features, performance and support aren’t scored.
Auth0 pricing
Calculated from the listed vendor rates; exclusions still apply.
| Plan | Base fee / month | Enterprise connection / month |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 |
| B2C Essentials 500 MAU | $35 | $0 |
| B2C Essentials 1k MAU | $70 | $0 |
| B2C Essentials 2.5k MAU | $175 | $0 |
| B2C Essentials 5k MAU | $350 | $0 |
| B2C Essentials 7.5k MAU | $525 | $0 |
| B2C Essentials 10k MAU | $700 | $0 |
| B2C Essentials 20k MAU | $1,400 | $0 |
| B2C Essentials 30k MAU | $2,100 | $0 |
| B2B Essentials 500 MAU | $150 | $100 |
| B2B Essentials 1k MAU | $300 | $100 |
| B2B Essentials 2.5k MAU | $700 | $100 |
| B2B Essentials 5k MAU | $1,300 | $100 |
| B2B Essentials 7.5k MAU | $1,725 | $100 |
| B2B Essentials 10k MAU | $2,100 | $100 |
| B2B Essentials 20k MAU | $3,800 | $100 |
| B2B Professional 1k MAU | $800 | $100 |
| B2B Professional 2.5k MAU | $1,200 | $100 |
| B2B Professional 5k MAU | $1,500 | $100 |
| B2B Professional 7.5k MAU | $1,800 | $100 |
| B2B Professional 10k MAU | $2,400 | $100 |
Monthly list prices; annual billing costs 11x the monthly price. Self-serve plans are sold in fixed MAU brackets with no per-MAU overage, and stop at 30k MAU (B2C Essentials), 20k (B2C Professional, B2B Essentials) and 10k (B2B Professional); above that it is an Enterprise contract. B2C plans include no enterprise (SAML/OIDC) connections. B2B Essentials includes 3 and B2B Professional 5, with extra connections at $100/month each up to 30 in total. B2C Professional (from $240 for 1k MAU to $3,200 for 20k) is always pricier than B2C Essentials and is left out of the calculator. Enterprise MFA is a $100/month add-on on Essentials and included on Professional. M2M token packs are extra. Tenants can be created in the EU region on every plan. Okta, Inc. (US) signs a DPA.
Auth0 plan limits, full rates and cheaper alternatives · official pricing page
Keycloak (self-hosted) pricing
Operating cost not estimated · servers, licenses and engineering time are yours. See notes for software editions and license terms.
Self-hosted: budget for infrastructure and maintenance. Enterprise SSO (SAML/OIDC identity brokering), MFA, LDAP/AD federation and custom themes are all included, with no per-connection fees. Rough sizing: a startup runs fine on one 2 vCPU / 2-4 GB node plus a small managed Postgres. A B2B SaaS with 20k MAU and dozens of IdPs wants two nodes for HA. A 500k-MAU consumer app needs about 3 nodes of 2-4 vCPU / 4-8 GB and a sized Postgres, plus ops time for upgrades. Data stays wherever you run it. Commercial support comes as Red Hat build of Keycloak (IBM) or from third-party hosting providers.
Keycloak (self-hosted) plan limits, full rates and cheaper alternatives · official pricing page
Frequently asked questions
Do Auth0 and Keycloak (self-hosted) offer EU data residency?
Both offer EU data residency on a self-serve plan. Check which plans and regions qualify.
Do Auth0 and Keycloak (self-hosted) have a free tier or trial?
Auth0: Free plan up to 25,000 MAU with 1 enterprise connection and 1 custom domain. Keycloak (self-hosted): Free and open source with no user or connection limits.
Where are Auth0 and Keycloak (self-hosted) based?
Auth0 is headquartered in the United States and owned by Okta (the United States). Keycloak (self-hosted) is headquartered in the United States and owned by Cloud Native Computing Foundation (Linux Foundation) (the United States).