Gluu Flex vs SimpleSAMLphp
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?
Gluu Flex
Enterprise identity and access management platform
VS
SimpleSAMLphp
PHP implementation of SAML and identity federation
| Feature | Gluu Flex | SimpleSAMLphp |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Identity & SSO | Identity & SSO |
| License | Apache-2.0 | LGPL-2.1 |
| Language | TypeScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, helm | bare-metal, source, docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 31 | ★ 1,139 |
| First released | 2009 | 2007 |
| Replaces | Okta, Ping Identity | Okta, PingFederate |
Why pick each one
Choose Gluu Flex if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Written in TypeScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Gluu Flex or SimpleSAMLphp better?
SimpleSAMLphp is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Gluu Flex if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Gluu Flex and SimpleSAMLphp free and open-source?
Yes. Gluu Flex is licensed under Apache-2.0 and SimpleSAMLphp under LGPL-2.1. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Gluu Flex and SimpleSAMLphp with Docker?
Gluu Flex: yes. SimpleSAMLphp: yes.