head to head · open source
Authentik vs lesspass
Authentik has 25,627 GitHub stars, 2,024 forks, 1,074 open issues and last shipped yesterday. lesspass has 6,061 stars, 365 forks, 34 open issues and last shipped 6 days ago. Authentik leads on adoption by 323% (25,627 vs 6,061 stars). Authentik is written in Python under a custom or non-standard licence; lesspass is written in TypeScript under GPL-3.0. Authentik has attracted 8% as many forks as stars, lesspass 6%. Authentik was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| Authentik | lesspass | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 26K | ★ 6.1K |
| License | Custom / other | GPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Python | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-18 | 2026-09-13 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.0K | ⑂ 365 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Authentik if
- You weight community size — 26K stars and counting
- You want the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick lesspass if
- You want the lesspass feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and lesspass fits your workflow better
About Authentik
Authentik is an open source Identity Provider (IdP) built for modern single sign on (SSO) workflows. It operates in the identity and access management (IAM) ecosystem, offering a self hosted alternative to commercial solutions like Auth0, Okta, and Entra ID. The project is written in Python and distributed under a mixed MIT/CC BY SA/enterprise license model, with a core open source offering and an enterprise tier for advanced features and support.
read the full Authentik overview →
About lesspass
LessPass is a stateless, open source password manager written in TypeScript and licensed under GPL 3.0 that generates passwords from a master password instead of storing them in a synchronized vault, built for individuals and self hosters who want the same passwords on every device without syncing an encrypted database.
read the full lesspass overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Authentik or lesspass more popular?
Authentik has 25,627 GitHub stars and lesspass has 6,061. Authentik has the larger community by that measure.
Are Authentik and lesspass free?
Both are open source. Authentik has no licence declared in this registry, and lesspass is licensed under GPL-3.0. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between Authentik and lesspass?
Authentik is written in Python and lesspass in TypeScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Authentik or lesspass?
Choose Authentik if you want the larger community (25,627 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose lesspass if its feature set, stack or GPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.