Zitadel
Modern identity and access management platform built on Go, offering a free cloud tier with 100 daily active users, unlimited stored users, and enterprise protocols (OIDC, SAML) plus a free self-hosted option.
Use Cases
Free Tier
Free cloud: $0/mo, 100 Daily Active Users, unlimited users stored, unlimited organizations, 3 identity providers, all security features. Self-hosted version free and unlimited.
How to Maximize the Free Tier
The free cloud tier limits you to 100 Daily Active Users (DAU) per day, but you can store unlimited users and create unlimited organizations — so you can onboard many users as long as only 100 are active on any given day. You get 3 identity providers (e.g. Google, GitHub, and one more) plus all security features including MFA, passwordless, and RBAC. Watch DAU spikes (marketing launches, onboarding pushes) that can temporarily exceed the cap. Pro tip: if you outgrow the DAU limit, self-host the fully free, unlimited version on your own infrastructure — Docker setup takes roughly 10 minutes. Combine Zitadel with a frontend framework like Next.js or React for a complete auth flow, and pair it with Supabase Auth as a fallback for simple apps that don't need multi-tenancy.
Getting Started
1. Go to https://zitadel.com and sign up for a free cloud account. 2. Choose your data residency region (EU, US, CH, or AU). 3. Create your first organization and project. 4. Configure up to 3 identity providers or use Zitadel's built-in login. 5. Integrate with your app using standard protocols (OAuth 2.0, OIDC, SAML) or the provided SDKs. 6. For self-hosting, download the open-source binary or use Docker, then run `zitadel start-from-init` with your config.
Pros
- Generous free cloud: 100 DAU with unlimited stored users and organizations at $0/mo — a rare combination among managed IAM providers
- Data residency flexibility: Choose EU, US, CH, or AU regions on the free plan, which is critical for GDPR and compliance needs
- Full-featured self-hosting: The self-hosted version is completely free with no limits on users or features — no vendor lock-in
Cons
- DAU limit on cloud: Only 100 daily active users on the free cloud tier — you'll outgrow it quickly as your user base grows
- Limited identity providers: Only 3 IdPs on the free tier; more require upgrading to Pro at $100/mo
- Self-hosting complexity: Running your own instance requires infrastructure management and ongoing maintenance