2FAuth vs Permify
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
Permify
Open-source authorization service for fine-grained access
| Feature | 2FAuth | Permify |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Identity & SSO | Identity & SSO |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, kubernetes, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,090 | ★ 5,933 |
| First released | 2020 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Authy, Google Authenticator | Auth0 FGA, OpenFGA |
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 Permify if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 5.9k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is 2FAuth or Permify better?
Neither is universally better. Permify has the larger community, while 2FAuth is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are 2FAuth and Permify free and open-source?
Yes. 2FAuth is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Permify under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run 2FAuth and Permify with Docker?
2FAuth: yes. Permify: yes.