Dex vs SpiceDB
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?
Dex
OpenID Connect identity provider with pluggable connectors
VS
SpiceDB
Open-source Zanzibar-inspired permissions database
| Feature | Dex | SpiceDB |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Identity & SSO | Identity & SSO |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Go | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, binary | docker, kubernetes, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 11,019 | ★ 6,947 |
| First released | 2016 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Okta, Auth0 | Auth0 FGA, OpenFGA |
Why pick each one
Choose SpiceDB if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 6.9k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is Dex or SpiceDB better?
Dex is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider SpiceDB if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Dex and SpiceDB free and open-source?
Yes. Dex is licensed under Apache-2.0 and SpiceDB under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Dex and SpiceDB with Docker?
Dex: yes. SpiceDB: yes.