Ory Keto 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?
Ory Keto
Permission and authorization server based on Zanzibar
VS
Pocket ID
Simple OIDC provider that uses only passkeys
| Feature | Ory Keto | Pocket ID |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Identity & SSO | Identity & SSO |
| License | Apache-2.0 | BSD-2-Clause |
| Language | Go | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, binary | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 5,383 | ★ 8,737 |
| First released | 2018 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Auth0 FGA, OpenFGA | Auth0, Authelia |
Why pick each one
Choose Ory Keto if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 5.4k GitHub stars
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 Ory Keto or Pocket ID better?
Pocket ID is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Ory Keto if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Ory Keto and Pocket ID free and open-source?
Yes. Ory Keto 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 Ory Keto and Pocket ID with Docker?
Ory Keto: yes. Pocket ID: yes.