FreeIPA vs Kanidm
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?
FreeIPA
Integrated identity management for Linux and Unix environments
VS
Kanidm
Modern, simple and secure identity management server
| Feature | FreeIPA | Kanidm |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Identity & SSO | Identity & SSO |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | Python | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,252 | ★ 5,214 |
| First released | 2008 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Active Directory | Active Directory, Okta |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is FreeIPA or Kanidm better?
Kanidm is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider FreeIPA if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are FreeIPA and Kanidm free and open-source?
Yes. FreeIPA is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Kanidm under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run FreeIPA and Kanidm with Docker?
FreeIPA: check the project docs for container support. Kanidm: yes.