OpenUnison vs WSO2 Identity Server
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted identity & sso options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | OpenUnison | WSO2 Identity Server |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 67 · Good | 80 · Excellent |
| Category | Identity & SSO | Identity & SSO |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Less | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 4,096 MB |
| Deployment | kubernetes, helm | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 136 | ★ 880 |
| First released | 2018 | 2007 |
| Replaces | Okta | Okta, ForgeRock |
What are OpenUnison and WSO2 Identity Server?
OpenUnison
OpenUnison is an open-source identity manager and single sign-on portal that integrates Kubernetes and applications with enterprise identity providers. It is self-hosted in the cluster.
- Kubernetes SSO portal
- Identity provisioning
- LDAP and SAML integration
- Self-service workflows
WSO2 Identity Server
WSO2 Identity Server is an open-source IAM product that provides single sign-on, identity federation, and strong authentication. It supports SAML, OpenID Connect, and adaptive authentication policies.
- Single sign-on
- Identity federation
- Adaptive authentication
- Standards support
OpenUnison vs WSO2 Identity Server: key differences
OpenUnison is written in Less, while WSO2 Identity Server is built with Java. OpenUnison is the lighter option, starting around 1,024 MB of RAM against 4,096 MB for WSO2 Identity Server. WSO2 Identity Server is the more established project (first released 2007), while OpenUnison arrived in 2018. WSO2 Identity Server has the considerably larger community, at 880 GitHub stars versus 136. WSO2 Identity Server lists first-class Docker deployment; OpenUnison does not.
Why pick each one
Choose OpenUnison if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Written in Less
Choose WSO2 Identity Server if…
- Enterprise feature set
- Strong standards coverage
Watch out for
- Resource heavy
- Complex tuning
Frequently asked questions
Is OpenUnison or WSO2 Identity Server better?
Neither is universally better. WSO2 Identity Server has the larger community; both share a hard setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are OpenUnison and WSO2 Identity Server free and open-source?
Yes. OpenUnison is licensed under Apache-2.0 and WSO2 Identity Server under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OpenUnison and WSO2 Identity Server with Docker?
OpenUnison: check the project docs for container support. WSO2 Identity Server: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, OpenUnison or WSO2 Identity Server?
OpenUnison has the smaller minimum footprint at 1,024 MB of RAM, compared to about 4,096 MB for WSO2 Identity Server. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.