Keycloak vs Microsoft Entra ID -- Open Source IAM Compared
Keycloak vs Microsoft Entra ID
Keycloak and Microsoft Entra ID are both open source iam solutions. Keycloak open-source IAM platform with SSO, identity brokering, and fine-grained authorization, while Microsoft Entra ID microsoft's cloud identity platform with deep M365 and Azure integration. The best choice depends on your organization's size, technical requirements, and budget.
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The Verdict
Choose Keycloak if completely free — no licensing costs regardless of user count is your priority and organizations with engineering expertise that want full control over their identity platform, avoid vendor lock-in, and eliminate IAM licensing costs. Choose Microsoft Entra ID if included in Microsoft 365 licensing — significant cost savings for M365 shops matters most and organizations heavily invested in Microsoft 365 and Azure that want unified identity management across their Microsoft ecosystem.
Used Keycloak or Microsoft Entra ID? Share your experience.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Microsoft Entra ID | Keycloak |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free tier included with M365 / P1 from $6/user/month / P2 from $9/user/month | Free (open source) / Red Hat SSO for enterprise support |
| Pricing Model | Per-user monthly subscription (tiered) | Free open source with optional commercial support |
| Open Source | No | Yes |
| Deployment | Cloud | Self-Hosted |
| Best For | Organizations heavily invested in Microsoft 365 and Azure that want unified identity management across their Microsoft ecosystem | Organizations with engineering expertise that want full control over their identity platform, avoid vendor lock-in, and eliminate IAM licensing costs |
| User federation with LDAP and Active ... | Not available | Supported |
| Fine-grained authorization services (... | Not available | Supported |
| Admin console and account management ... | Not available | Supported |
When to Choose Each Tool
Choose Microsoft Entra ID when:
- +You value included in Microsoft 365 licensing — significant cost savings for M365 shops
- +You value deep native integration with Azure, M365, and Defender ecosystem
- +You value conditional access policies are among the most powerful in the industry
- +You want to avoid requires significant engineering effort to deploy, scale, and maintain
- +You want to avoid no managed cloud service — you own all infrastructure operations
Choose Keycloak when:
- +You value completely free — no licensing costs regardless of user count
- +You value full source code access enables deep customization
- +You value self-hosted deployment gives complete data sovereignty
- +You want to avoid best experience limited to Microsoft ecosystem applications
- +You want to avoid non-Microsoft application integrations can be less polished than Okta
Other Keycloak Alternatives
Cloud identity and access management platform for SSO, MFA, and lifecycle management
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Open directory platform unifying identity, device management, and access in one console
Cisco's MFA and zero trust access platform known for ease of deployment
Enterprise identity platform with AI-driven orchestration for complex deployments
Developer-first identity platform for customer authentication and CIAM
Pros & Cons Comparison
Microsoft Entra ID
Pros
- +Included in Microsoft 365 licensing — significant cost savings for M365 shops
- +Deep native integration with Azure, M365, and Defender ecosystem
- +Conditional access policies are among the most powerful in the industry
- +Passwordless authentication with Windows Hello and FIDO2 support
- +Massive scale — proven across billions of authentications daily
Cons
- –Best experience limited to Microsoft ecosystem applications
- –Non-Microsoft application integrations can be less polished than Okta
- –Admin portal complexity — settings spread across multiple Azure portals
- –Identity Governance features require expensive P2 licensing
- –Hybrid identity (AD Connect) adds significant complexity
Keycloak
Pros
- +Completely free — no licensing costs regardless of user count
- +Full source code access enables deep customization
- +Self-hosted deployment gives complete data sovereignty
- +Red Hat backing provides commercial support option (Red Hat SSO)
- +Active community with extensive documentation and extensions
Cons
- –Requires significant engineering effort to deploy, scale, and maintain
- –No managed cloud service — you own all infrastructure operations
- –Pre-built SaaS application integrations far fewer than commercial platforms
- –User experience and admin UI less polished than Okta or Entra ID
- –High-availability and disaster recovery require complex infrastructure engineering
Sources & References
- Keycloak — Official Website & Documentation[Vendor]
- Microsoft Entra ID — Official Website & Documentation[Vendor]
- Keycloak Reviews on G2[User Reviews]
- Microsoft Entra ID Reviews on G2[User Reviews]
- Keycloak Reviews on TrustRadius[User Reviews]
- Microsoft Entra ID Reviews on TrustRadius[User Reviews]
- Keycloak Reviews on PeerSpot[User Reviews]
- Microsoft Entra ID Reviews on PeerSpot[User Reviews]
- Gartner Magic Quadrant for Access Management 2024[Analyst Report]
- Forrester Wave: Identity-As-A-Service (IDaaS), Q4 2024[Analyst Report]
- KuppingerCole Leadership Compass: Access Management 2024[Analyst Report]
- Gartner Peer Insights: Access Management[Peer Reviews]
Keycloak vs Microsoft Entra ID FAQ
Common questions about choosing between Keycloak and Microsoft Entra ID.
What is the main difference between Keycloak and Microsoft Entra ID?
Keycloak and Microsoft Entra ID are both open source iam solutions. Keycloak open-source IAM platform with SSO, identity brokering, and fine-grained authorization, while Microsoft Entra ID microsoft's cloud identity platform with deep M365 and Azure integration. The best choice depends on your organization's size, technical requirements, and budget.
Is Microsoft Entra ID better than Keycloak?
Choose Keycloak if completely free — no licensing costs regardless of user count is your priority and organizations with engineering expertise that want full control over their identity platform, avoid vendor lock-in, and eliminate IAM licensing costs. Choose Microsoft Entra ID if included in Microsoft 365 licensing — significant cost savings for M365 shops matters most and organizations heavily invested in Microsoft 365 and Azure that want unified identity management across their Microsoft ecosystem.
How much does Microsoft Entra ID cost compared to Keycloak?
Microsoft Entra ID pricing: Free tier included with M365 / P1 from $6/user/month / P2 from $9/user/month. Keycloak pricing: Free (open source) / Red Hat SSO for enterprise support. Microsoft Entra ID's pricing model is per-user monthly subscription (tiered), while Keycloak uses free open source with optional commercial support pricing.
Can I migrate from Keycloak to Microsoft Entra ID?
Yes, you can migrate from Keycloak to Microsoft Entra ID. The migration process depends on your specific setup and the features you use. Both platforms offer APIs that can facilitate automated migration. Consider running both tools in parallel during the transition to ensure zero downtime.
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