SHSelfHostIndex

Shibboleth Identity Provider vs SimpleSAMLphp

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?
SH Shibboleth Identity Provider Standards-based SAML identity provider for federations VS SI SimpleSAMLphp PHP implementation of SAML and identity federation
FeatureShibboleth Identity ProviderSimpleSAMLphp
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupUnder-an-hour setup
CategoryIdentity & SSOIdentity & SSO
LicenseApache-2.0LGPL-2.1
LanguageJavaPHP
Setup difficultyHardMedium
Min. RAM1,024 MB256 MB
Deploymentbare-metal, docker, sourcebare-metal, source, docker
GitHub stars★ 200★ 1,142
First released20032007
ReplacesOkta, Ping IdentityOkta, PingFederate

What are Shibboleth Identity Provider and SimpleSAMLphp?

Shibboleth Identity Provider

The Shibboleth Identity Provider is an open-source SAML identity provider widely used in research and education federations. It enables secure single sign-on and attribute release across organizations.

  • SAML 2.0 identity provider
  • Attribute resolution and release policies
  • Federation metadata support
  • Used by academic federations worldwide

SimpleSAMLphp

SimpleSAMLphp is a widely used PHP application for implementing SAML 2.0 identity and service providers. It enables web single sign-on and federation for PHP environments and beyond.

  • SAML 2.0 IdP and SP
  • Identity federation
  • Many auth backends
  • Module ecosystem

Read the full SimpleSAMLphp guide →

Shibboleth Identity Provider vs SimpleSAMLphp: key differences

Shibboleth Identity Provider is written in Java, while SimpleSAMLphp is built with PHP. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Shibboleth Identity Provider versus LGPL-2.1 for SimpleSAMLphp. SimpleSAMLphp is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Shibboleth Identity Provider. Shibboleth Identity Provider is the more established project (first released 2003), while SimpleSAMLphp arrived in 2007. SimpleSAMLphp has the considerably larger community, at 1,142 GitHub stars versus 200.

Why pick each one

Choose Shibboleth Identity Provider if…

  • Gold standard for SAML federations
  • Highly configurable

Watch out for

  • Complex setup
  • SAML-centric
Shibboleth Identity Provider details

Choose SimpleSAMLphp if…

  • Proven and widely deployed
  • Flexible modules

Watch out for

  • Configuration is intricate
  • PHP performance limits
SimpleSAMLphp details

Frequently asked questions

Is Shibboleth Identity Provider or SimpleSAMLphp better?

SimpleSAMLphp is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Shibboleth Identity Provider if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are Shibboleth Identity Provider and SimpleSAMLphp free and open-source?

Yes. Shibboleth Identity Provider is licensed under Apache-2.0 and SimpleSAMLphp under LGPL-2.1. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Shibboleth Identity Provider and SimpleSAMLphp with Docker?

Shibboleth Identity Provider: yes. SimpleSAMLphp: yes.

Which is lighter on resources, Shibboleth Identity Provider or SimpleSAMLphp?

SimpleSAMLphp has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Shibboleth Identity Provider. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.

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