2FAuth vs Ory Oathkeeper
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted identity & sso options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
2FAuth
Self-hosted web app to manage two-factor authentication codes
VS
Ory Oathkeeper
Identity and access proxy for zero-trust networks
| Feature | 2FAuth | Ory Oathkeeper |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Identity & SSO | Identity & SSO |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, kubernetes, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,090 | ★ 3,590 |
| First released | 2020 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Authy, Google Authenticator | Cloudflare Access |
Why pick each one
Choose 2FAuth if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.1k GitHub stars)
Choose Ory Oathkeeper if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Active community (3.6k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is 2FAuth or Ory Oathkeeper better?
2FAuth is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Ory Oathkeeper if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are 2FAuth and Ory Oathkeeper free and open-source?
Yes. 2FAuth is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Ory Oathkeeper under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run 2FAuth and Ory Oathkeeper with Docker?
2FAuth: yes. Ory Oathkeeper: yes.