SAML Jackson vs Pocket ID
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?
SAML Jackson
SAML and OIDC SSO service bridging enterprise providers
VS
Pocket ID
Simple OIDC provider that uses only passkeys
| Feature | SAML Jackson | Pocket ID |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Identity & SSO | Identity & SSO |
| License | Apache-2.0 | BSD-2-Clause |
| Language | TypeScript | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,257 | ★ 8,737 |
| First released | 2022 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Auth0, WorkOS | Auth0, Authelia |
Why pick each one
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
Choose Pocket ID if…
- Released under the BSD-2-Clause license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 8.7k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is SAML Jackson or Pocket ID better?
Pocket ID is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider SAML Jackson if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are SAML Jackson and Pocket ID free and open-source?
Yes. SAML Jackson is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Pocket ID under BSD-2-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run SAML Jackson and Pocket ID with Docker?
SAML Jackson: yes. Pocket ID: yes.