Apache Syncope vs Ory Kratos
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?
Apache Syncope
Open-source system for managing digital identities
VS
Ory Kratos
Headless identity and user management API server
| Feature | Apache Syncope | Ory Kratos |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Identity & SSO | Identity & SSO |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Java | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal | docker, kubernetes, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 336 | ★ 13,815 |
| First released | 2012 | 2020 |
| Replaces | SailPoint, Okta | Auth0, Firebase Auth |
Why pick each one
Choose Ory Kratos if…
- Extremely flexible architecture
- Excellent for custom frontends
Frequently asked questions
Is Apache Syncope or Ory Kratos better?
Neither is universally better. Ory Kratos has the larger community; both share a hard setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Apache Syncope and Ory Kratos free and open-source?
Yes. Apache Syncope is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Ory Kratos under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Apache Syncope and Ory Kratos with Docker?
Apache Syncope: yes. Ory Kratos: yes.