Kanidm vs OpenUnison
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?
Kanidm
Modern, simple and secure identity management server
VS
OpenUnison
Identity management and SSO portal for Kubernetes
| Feature | Kanidm | OpenUnison |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Identity & SSO | Identity & SSO |
| License | MPL-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Rust | Less |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | kubernetes, helm |
| GitHub stars | ★ 5,214 | ★ 136 |
| First released | 2019 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Active Directory, Okta | Okta |
Why pick each one
Choose OpenUnison if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Written in Less
Frequently asked questions
Is Kanidm or OpenUnison better?
Kanidm is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider OpenUnison if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Kanidm and OpenUnison free and open-source?
Yes. Kanidm is licensed under MPL-2.0 and OpenUnison under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Kanidm and OpenUnison with Docker?
Kanidm: yes. OpenUnison: check the project docs for container support.