SpiceDB vs Vouch Proxy
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?
SpiceDB
Open-source Zanzibar-inspired permissions database
VS
Vouch Proxy
SSO authentication helper for reverse proxies
| Feature | SpiceDB | Vouch Proxy |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Identity & SSO | Identity & SSO |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | Go | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, binary | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,947 | ★ 3,278 |
| First released | 2021 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Auth0 FGA, OpenFGA | Okta Access Gateway |
Why pick each one
Choose SpiceDB if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 6.9k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is SpiceDB or Vouch Proxy better?
Neither is universally better. SpiceDB has the larger community, while Vouch Proxy is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are SpiceDB and Vouch Proxy free and open-source?
Yes. SpiceDB is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Vouch Proxy under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run SpiceDB and Vouch Proxy with Docker?
SpiceDB: yes. Vouch Proxy: yes.