Ory Kratos vs SuperTokens
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 Kratos
Headless identity and user management API server
VS
SuperTokens
Open-source user authentication you can self-host
| Feature | Ory Kratos | SuperTokens |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Identity & SSO | Identity & SSO |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Go | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, binary | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 13,815 | ★ 15,250 |
| First released | 2020 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Auth0, Firebase Auth | Auth0, Firebase Auth |
Why pick each one
Choose Ory Kratos if…
- Extremely flexible architecture
- Excellent for custom frontends
Frequently asked questions
Is Ory Kratos or SuperTokens better?
SuperTokens is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Ory Kratos if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Ory Kratos and SuperTokens free and open-source?
Yes. Ory Kratos is licensed under Apache-2.0 and SuperTokens under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Ory Kratos and SuperTokens with Docker?
Ory Kratos: yes. SuperTokens: yes.