Software Alternatives & Startups

IdentityServer VS Tinyauth

Compare IdentityServer VS Tinyauth and see what are their differences

IdentityServer

An open-source, standards-compliant, and flexible OpenID Connect and OAuth 2.x framework for ASP.NET Core

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Tinyauth

The simplest way to protect your apps with a login screen.

Rating
0 reviews

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, IdentityServer seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 7 times since March 2021.

social mentions
7 vs 0
Identity Provider popularity
66% vs 34%
alternatives listed
50 vs 47

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

IdentityServer
Tinyauth
Website duendesoftware.com tinyauth.app
Pricing
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

IdentityServer 6 features
Tinyauth 0 features
  • Open Source Foundation
    IdentityServer is built on an open-source foundation. It has been widely used and developed by a community, ensuring transparency, reliability, and continuous improvements.
  • Comprehensive Protocol Support
    It supports industry standards such as OpenID Connect and OAuth 2.0, which are essential for authentication and authorization processes.
  • Customizability
    IdentityServer offers high levels of customizability, allowing developers to tailor authentication and authorization features to specific application needs.
  • Enterprise-Ready
    Designed to handle complex enterprise scenarios with robust performance and scalability options suitable for large-scale applications.
  • Strong Security Features
    Includes several security mechanisms to protect sensitive data, such as secure token storage and advanced encryption options.
  • Comprehensive Documentation
    Provides extensive documentation and resources, helping developers to implement and troubleshoot the server effectively in their systems.

Possible disadvantages

  • Licensing Cost
    Since its transition from IdentityServer4 to a non-OSS model under Duende Software, organizations need to purchase a license for commercial use, impacting budget-conscious projects.
  • Complexity
    Can be complex to set up and configure properly, especially for teams that are new to security protocols like OAuth and OpenID Connect.
  • Maintenance Overhead
    Requires ongoing maintenance and updates to ensure security and compatibility with evolving protocols, which can be resource-intensive.
  • Potential Overhead for Small Projects
    May be overkill for smaller projects or teams that do not require robust authentication systems, where simpler solutions might suffice.
  • Community vs. Commercial Transition
    The switch from a community-driven open-source project to a commercial product may alienate previous users who relied on its open-source nature.

No features have been listed yet.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

IdentityServer
Tinyauth

No analysis of IdentityServer yet.

Overall verdict

  • Tinyauth is a solid, lightweight authentication solution for self-hosters who want a simple way to add a login screen and access control to their applications without the complexity of heavier identity providers.

Why this product is good

  • Extremely lightweight and easy to deploy, typically running as a small Docker container with minimal resource usage
  • Simple configuration aimed at self-hosters, making it quick to set up in front of existing apps and services
  • Integrates well with reverse proxies like Traefik, Nginx, and Caddy for forward authentication
  • Supports multiple login methods including username/password and OAuth providers like Google and GitHub
  • Open source and free, giving users transparency and control over their authentication layer
  • Good fit for protecting internal dashboards and homelab services that lack built-in authentication

Recommended for

  • Self-hosters and homelab enthusiasts wanting simple access control
  • Users who need to add a login layer in front of apps that lack authentication
  • People running reverse proxies like Traefik, Nginx, or Caddy
  • Small teams or individuals seeking a lightweight alternative to heavy SSO/identity platforms
  • Anyone protecting internal dashboards and personal web services

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

IdentityServer 2 videos + Add
Tinyauth 2 videos + Add

Federated Identity: An intro to OAuth2, Open Id Connect & Duende IdentityServer 5 | Anthony Nguyen

More videos

  • - There's an IdentityServer in my API project - Anders Abel

Tinyauth is Simple, Lightweight, and Perfect for the Homelab

More videos

  • - Tinyauth - легкая авторизация для ваших приложений

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
IdentityServer
Tinyauth
66% 66%
34% 34%
57% 57%
SSO
43% 43%
100% 100%
0% 0%

User comments

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

IdentityServer no reviews yet
Tinyauth no reviews yet

We have no reviews of Tinyauth yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

IdentityServer 7 mentions
Tinyauth 0 mentions
  • Identity server 4
    Its deprecated in favor of Duende Identityserver which introduced a license model. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • How does cookie based authentication work?
    Tokens usually have a lifetime and they are separate from the user's authentication principals like username and password. Unless you are rolling your own form of token provider (not something that would be recommended) the token... Source: almost 4 years ago
  • ImageSharp leaving the .NET Foundation due to licensing change
    I think Duende (Identity Server) handled the situation pretty well. https://duendesoftware.com/products/identityserver > Standard License Pricing. - Source: Hacker News / almost 4 years ago

View more

Tracking Tinyauth since Jun 2025.

Alternatives to IdentityServer and Tinyauth

When comparing IdentityServer and Tinyauth, you can also consider the following products.