Authelia vs Authentik: Which Auth Server?

If you're self-hosting multiple services, you need SSO. Here's how Authelia and Authentik compare as authentication servers for your homelab. Quick Verdict Authelia is the better choice for most homelabs. It's lighter, simpler to configure, and covers the most common use case — adding SSO and 2FA to your reverse-proxied services. Choose Authentik if you need a full identity provider with a user management UI, SAML support, SCIM provisioning, or social login (OAuth sources). Overview Authelia is a lightweight authentication server that adds forward-auth-based SSO and 2FA to applications behind a reverse proxy. It's configured via YAML files and focuses on being a clean, minimal auth layer. Authentik is a comprehensive identity provider — it includes user management, application portals, OIDC/SAML/LDAP, SCIM provisioning, enrollment flows, and a visual flow designer. It's a full-featured alternative to Okta or Auth0. Feature Comparison Feature Authelia Authentik Forward auth (reverse pro