Comparison

Authentik vs Descope

On the evidence we track, Descope leads this comparison with a composite score of 85/100. Scores are only directly comparable because these tools share a category; the full breakdown and every source is below.

Machine formatsMarkdownJSONGraphQLMarkdown is open. JSON and GraphQL need a free key.
Authentik46
★Descope85
Score
vioscaleAI score
Authentik46 / 100medium · 69%
Descope85 / 100medium · 71%
Pricing
Free tier
Authentik✓
Descope✓
Model
Authentikfreemium
Descopefreemium
Price level
Authentiklow
Descopelow
Transparent
Authentik✗
Descope✗
Integrations
Count
Authentik10
Descope50
Security
Disclosure policy
Authentik✓
Descope✓
Fedramp
Authentik✓
Descope✓
Gdpr
Authentik✓
Descope✓
Hipaa
Authentik✓
Descope✓
Iso27001
Authentik–
Descope✓
Pci
Authentik–
Descope✓
Soc2
Authentik–
Descope✓
Reliability
Sla pct
Authentik–
Descope99.99
Status page
Authentik✓
Descope✓
Adoption
Dependent repos
Authentik0
Descope–
Github stars
Authentik25,816
Descope–
Activity
Commits last 30d
Authentik100
Descope–
Release
Cadence days
Authentik6
Descope–
History
Authentik20 items
Descope–
Language
Primary
AuthentikPython
Descope–
Content
Faq
Authentik7 items
Descope7 items

Capabilities

Feature-by-feature on the axes that matter for auth & identity software. “-” means undocumented, not absent.

Deployment
Hosting
AuthentikCloud + self-hosted
DescopeCloud only
Methods
Social login
Authentik✓
Descope✓
Passwordless
Authentik✓
Descope✓
Passkeys / WebAuthn
Authentik✓
Descope✓
Multi-factor auth
Authentik✓
Descope✓
Enterprise
SAML SSO
Authentik✓
Descope✓
SCIM provisioning
Authentik✓
Descope✓
B2B / multi-tenancy
Authentik✓
Descope✓
Standards
OpenID Connect provider
Authentik✓
Descope✓
Delivery
Hosted UI
AuthentikHosted
DescopeBoth
Access
RBAC
Authentik✓
Descope✓
Licensing
Self-hostable OSS core
Authentik✓
Descope✗

What each one is

The product in its own terms, so the numbers below have context.

Authentik

authentik is an open-source Identity Provider that consolidates authentication and identity management into one self-hosted platform, supporting standard protocols like OAuth2/OIDC, SAML, LDAP, and RADIUS for modern SSO deployments.

Independently observed

Descope

Leader

A managed identity and access management service that enables businesses to build and customize authentication journeys across applications. Supports passwordless authentication, multi-tenant configurations, role-based access control, and integration with external identity providers.

Independently observed

Pricing

List pricing as published by each vendor, with the date we read it. Always verify at the source before you buy.

Authentik

HybridFree tier
  • Open SourceFree
    • OIDC, SAML, LDAP, SCIM, RADIUS, Proxy support
    • OpenID Certified for OpenID Connect
    • Web-based RDP/SSH access
    • B2B and B2C use cases
    • Community Discord support
  • Enterprise-
    • Google Workspace integration
    • Microsoft Entra ID integration
    • Embed external OAuth/SAML sources
    • Chrome Enterprise Device Trust connector
    • Shared Signals Framework support
    • +9 more
  • Enterprise PlusContact sales
    • Invoice-based billing
    • Dedicated, customized support and SLAs
    • Volume discounts
    • Support for multi-instance deployments
    • FIPS compliance for FedRAMP
as of verify ↗

Descope

Leader
HybridFree tier

Usage-based pricing with Monthly Active Consents (MAC), Monthly Active Tokens (MATK), and M2M Exchanges. Free tier available.

  • Free ForeverFree
  • Pro-
as of verify ↗

Platform & deployment

Where each product runs and how it can be hosted. A dash means undocumented, not unsupported.

Platforms
Web
Authentik✓
Descope✓
macOS
Authentik✓
Descope✗
Windows
Authentik✓
Descope✗
Linux
Authentik✓
Descope✗
CLI
Authentik✓
Descope✗
Deployment
Cloud / SaaS
Authentik✗
Descope✓
Self-hosted
Authentik✓
Descope✗

Integrations

What each product connects to. Counts come from the vendor's own integration directory where one exists.

In common (2)
  • OpenID Connect
  • SAML

Authentik

17 total - 15 not shared
  • OAuth2
  • SAML2
  • LDAP
  • RADIUS
  • SCIM
  • WS-Federation
  • Microsoft Entra ID
  • Google Workspace
  • Shared Signals Framework (SSF)
  • Chrome Enterprise Device Trust
  • Fleet
  • Kerberos
  • OAuth2/OIDC
  • Apple Business Manager
  • Google Chrome
Independently observed

Descope

Leader
23 total - 21 not shared
  • Vercel
  • OpenAI
  • Google Calendar
  • Facebook
  • MCP servers
  • Email/SMS platforms
  • CRM platforms
  • CDP platforms
  • Audit solutions
  • Fraud detection systems
  • Fingerprint
  • Sardine
  • Forter
  • Incode
  • Amazon Rekognition
  • Cloudflare
  • reCAPTCHA
  • Turnstile
  • AbuseIPDB
  • Box
  • Vercel AI SDK
Independently observed
Still deciding?

Authentik or Descope: which one depends on you

A composite score cannot know your constraints. Describe them and both get re-weighted against what you actually need, with the evidence behind every position.

Free to run, no account needed to start. How the evaluation works

Comparison generated from independently-sourced facts. Every value links to its source and retrieval date. See the method.