Authelia vs Authentik: Which Auth Server?
Quick Verdict
Authelia is the better choice for most homelabs. It’s lighter, simpler to configure, and covers the most common use case — adding SSO and 2FA to your reverse-proxied services. Choose Authentik if you need a full identity provider with a user management UI, SAML support, SCIM provisioning, or social login (OAuth sources).
Overview
Authelia is a lightweight authentication server that adds forward-auth-based SSO and 2FA to applications behind a reverse proxy. It’s configured via YAML files and focuses on being a clean, minimal auth layer.
Authentik is a comprehensive identity provider — it includes user management, application portals, OIDC/SAML/LDAP, SCIM provisioning, enrollment flows, and a visual flow designer. It’s a full-featured alternative to Okta or Auth0.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Authelia | Authentik |
|---|---|---|
| Forward auth (reverse proxy) | Yes (primary mode) | Yes |
| OIDC provider | Yes (basic) | Yes (comprehensive) |
| SAML provider | No | Yes |
| LDAP provider | No (LDAP client only) | Yes (acts as LDAP server) |
| SCIM provisioning | No | Yes |
| Social login (OAuth sources) | No | Yes (Google, GitHub, etc.) |
| User management UI | No (file or LDAP) | Yes (full admin panel) |
| Visual flow designer | No | Yes |
| Application portal | No | Yes |
| Self-service user registration | No | Yes |
| TOTP 2FA | Yes | Yes |
| WebAuthn 2FA | Yes | Yes |
| Push notification 2FA | Yes (Duo) | Yes |
| Access control rules | YAML-based, powerful | Flow-based, visual |
| Configuration | YAML files | Web UI + YAML |
| Themes | 5 built-in | Customizable |
Installation Complexity
Authelia needs 3 containers (Authelia + Redis + PostgreSQL/SQLite), YAML configuration files, and reverse proxy integration. Configuration is declarative — you edit YAML and restart. The reverse proxy integration step is the trickiest part.
Authentik needs 4+ containers (server, worker, PostgreSQL, Redis) and uses ~1 GB of RAM. Initial setup is through a web UI wizard. Configuration is primarily through the web admin panel, with some YAML/env vars for initial setup.
Winner: Authelia for simplicity. Authentik’s web UI is friendlier for ongoing management, but the initial deployment is heavier.
Performance and Resource Usage
| Metric | Authelia | Authentik |
|---|---|---|
| Idle RAM | ~300 MB (with Redis + PG) | ~1 GB (with Redis + PG) |
| Containers | 3 (auth + Redis + PG) | 4+ (server + worker + Redis + PG) |
| Docker images total | ~200 MB | ~1.2 GB |
| CPU at idle | Negligible | Low-moderate (Python/Django) |
| Startup time | 5-10 seconds | 30-60 seconds |
| Runtime | Go | Python (Django) |
Authelia is roughly 3x lighter. On a Raspberry Pi or low-RAM VPS, this matters. Authentik’s Python/Django stack is heavier but provides a richer feature set.
Community and Support
| Metric | Authelia | Authentik |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | 23,000+ | 14,000+ |
| Community | Large, active | Large, active |
| Documentation | Comprehensive | Comprehensive |
| Commercial support | No | Yes (paid tiers) |
| Update frequency | Regular | Regular |
Both have strong communities and good documentation. Authentik has commercial backing with paid support tiers.
Use Cases
Choose Authelia If…
- You just want SSO + 2FA for your reverse-proxied apps
- You’re running on limited hardware (Pi, small VPS)
- You prefer YAML configuration
- You don’t need SAML, SCIM, or social login
- You want the lightest possible auth layer
- Your user base is small (file-based auth is fine)
Choose Authentik If…
- You need a full identity provider (OIDC + SAML + LDAP)
- You need user self-registration and enrollment flows
- You want social login (Login with Google/GitHub/etc.)
- You need SCIM provisioning for user lifecycle management
- You want a visual flow designer for authentication flows
- You want an application portal (all apps on one page)
- You’re managing many users and need a user admin UI
- You need LDAP — Authentik acts as an LDAP server for legacy apps
Final Verdict
Authelia for homelab simplicity. If your goal is “add a login page and 2FA to my self-hosted apps,” Authelia does exactly that with minimal overhead. It’s the right choice for 80% of self-hosters.
Authentik for enterprise-grade identity. If you need SAML for enterprise apps, SCIM for user provisioning, social login, or a full admin UI for managing dozens of users — Authentik is the more capable platform. It’s what you’d use if you’re building something closer to an Okta/Auth0 replacement.
Don’t use Authentik just because it has more features. More features means more complexity and resource usage. Use the tool that matches your actual needs.
FAQ
Can I switch from Authelia to Authentik later?
Yes, but it requires reconfiguring your reverse proxy integration and migrating user accounts. There’s no automated migration path. Starting with Authelia and switching if you outgrow it is a reasonable strategy.
Do both work with Nginx Proxy Manager?
Yes. Both support forward authentication with Nginx. Authelia’s integration is well-documented for NPM. Authentik also provides NPM integration guides.
Can Authelia act as an OIDC provider like Authentik?
Yes, since v4.37+. Authelia supports basic OIDC provider functionality — you can use it as an SSO source for apps that support OIDC (Gitea, Grafana, Portainer). Authentik’s OIDC support is more comprehensive (dynamic client registration, more grant types, SAML bridging).
Related
Get self-hosting tips in your inbox
New guides, comparisons, and setup tutorials — delivered weekly. No spam.