Apache APISIX vs authentik
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted reverse proxy & gateways options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Apache APISIX
Dynamic, real-time, high-performance API gateway
VS
authentik
Open-source identity provider with proxy outpost
| Feature | Apache APISIX | authentik |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Reverse Proxy & Gateways | Reverse Proxy & Gateways |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | Lua | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, helm | docker, kubernetes, helm |
| GitHub stars | ★ 16,968 | ★ 23,666 |
| First released | 2019 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Kong, AWS API Gateway | Okta, Auth0 |
Why pick each one
Choose Apache APISIX if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 17k GitHub stars
Choose authentik if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 23.7k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is Apache APISIX or authentik better?
Neither is universally better. authentik has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Apache APISIX and authentik free and open-source?
Yes. Apache APISIX is licensed under Apache-2.0 and authentik under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Apache APISIX and authentik with Docker?
Apache APISIX: yes. authentik: yes.