Authgear vs SAML Jackson
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted identity & sso options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Authgear
Open-source authentication and user management server
VS
SAML Jackson
SAML and OIDC SSO service bridging enterprise providers
| Feature | Authgear | SAML Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 86 · Excellent | 80 · Excellent |
| Category | Identity & SSO | Identity & SSO |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Go | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,065 | ★ 2,266 |
| First released | 2021 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Auth0, Firebase Auth | Auth0, WorkOS |
What are Authgear and SAML Jackson?
Authgear
Authgear is an open-source authentication-as-a-service platform supporting passwordless login, social login, and multi-factor authentication. It is self-hosted to provide identity for web and mobile apps.
- Passwordless and social login
- Built-in MFA
- User management dashboard
- OIDC compliant
SAML Jackson
BoxyHQ Jackson (SAML Jackson) is a self-hosted service that abstracts SAML and OIDC enterprise single sign-on behind a simple OAuth 2.0 API. It lets apps add enterprise SSO without per-provider code.
- SAML and OIDC abstraction
- OAuth 2.0 API
- Directory sync (SCIM)
- Self-hostable
Authgear vs SAML Jackson: key differences
Authgear is written in Go, while SAML Jackson is built with TypeScript. SAML Jackson is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Authgear.
Why pick each one
Choose Authgear if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Active community (2.1k GitHub stars)
Choose SAML Jackson if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2.3k GitHub stars)
- Written in TypeScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Authgear or SAML Jackson better?
SAML Jackson is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Authgear if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Authgear and SAML Jackson free and open-source?
Yes. Authgear is licensed under Apache-2.0 and SAML Jackson under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Authgear and SAML Jackson with Docker?
Authgear: yes. SAML Jackson: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Authgear or SAML Jackson?
SAML Jackson has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Authgear. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.