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Ory

Modular open-source identity infrastructure with Kratos, Hydra, and Keto

open sourceupdated Aug 16, 2026

Ory provides a suite of modular open-source identity components: Kratos for user management and authentication, Hydra for OAuth2 and OIDC, Oathkeeper for API gateway authorization, and Keto for fine-grained permission management. Used by OpenAI and other major organizations. API-first design with Go-based microservices that deploy independently or together as Ory Network cloud.

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A detailed review by the aicoolies team — click to read

Ory takes a fundamentally different approach to identity by decomposing authentication and authorization into independent, composable microservices rather than providing a monolithic identity server. Kratos handles user identity management including registration, login, account recovery, and profile management through a headless API that teams customize with their own UI. Hydra implements the OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect specification as a standalone service that delegates authentication decisions to existing identity systems.

Oathkeeper serves as an identity-aware reverse proxy that authenticates and authorizes incoming API requests based on configurable rules. Keto implements Google's Zanzibar paper for fine-grained relationship-based access control, enabling permission models like those used by Google Drive and GitHub. Each component runs independently with its own database and API, allowing teams to adopt only the pieces they need rather than deploying an entire identity platform.

Ory's component repos still provide strong open-source identity building blocks: Kratos, Hydra, Keto, and Oathkeeper are active Apache-2.0 projects, and Hydra's current source copy says it is trusted by OpenAI and others. Ory Network provides the managed SaaS deployment for teams that want the modular architecture without operating the components themselves. The Go-based codebase emphasizes performance and small resource footprints, making Ory components suitable for both cloud deployments and edge environments with limited resources.

Pricing

Developer Free; Ory Network Production $770/year, Growth $9,350/year, Enterprise custom

Platforms

Go binaries, Docker, Kubernetes, any OS

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Comparisons

Ory vs Auth0 — Modular Open-Source Identity Suite vs Managed Authentication Platform

Ory and Auth0 represent fundamentally different approaches to identity infrastructure. Ory provides a modular suite of open-source identity microservices including Kratos, Hydra, Oathkeeper, and Keto that teams deploy and compose according to their needs. Auth0 by Okta delivers a fully managed authentication platform with extensive pre-built integrations and a universal login experience that minimizes implementation effort.

FAQ

What is Ory?

Ory provides a suite of modular open-source identity components: Kratos for user management and authentication, Hydra for OAuth2 and OIDC, Oathkeeper for API gateway authorization, and Keto for fine-grained permission management. Used by OpenAI and other major organizations. API-first design with Go-based microservices that deploy independently or together as Ory Network cloud.

Is Ory free?

Yes — Ory is open source and free to use. Developer Free; Ory Network Production $770/year, Growth $9,350/year, Enterprise custom

Is Ory open source?

Yes — Ory is open source.

What are the best Ory alternatives?

The top editor-verified Ory alternatives are Authentik, Keycloak.

How does Ory score in our review?

Our hands-on review scores Ory 85/100 overall, based on speed, privacy, and developer-experience testing.