best keycloak alternatives

Top 10 Keycloak Alternatives

Find the best Keycloak alternative for passkeys. Compare top CIAM providers by UX, integration, pricing, adoption and full passkey functionality at scale.

Vincent Delitz

Vincent

Created: April 4, 2025

Updated: April 18, 2025


Our mission is to make the Internet a safer place and passkeys provide a superior solution to achieve that. That's why we want to keep you updated with the latest industry insights here.

1. Why Using a Keycloak Alternative?#

Keycloak is a powerful open-source identity and access management (IAM) solution popular among developer teams. It offers built-in support for WebAuthn and passkeys, making it a strong starting point for internal tools or engineering-driven environments.

However, if your goal is to roll out passkeys at scale to end users, especially in B2C scenarios, Keycloak shows its limitations. It lacks purpose-built UX, fallback orchestration, adoption tooling, and passkey analytics. For teams that want to go beyond a functional implementation and optimize real-world adoption and user experience, alternative solutions may be more effective.

2. What to Look for in Passkey Alternatives?#

When evaluating alternatives to Keycloak with passkeys in mind, it’s important to go beyond surface-level feature checklists. Here’s what really matters if you want passkeys to work - not just technically, but at scale.

2.1 Passkey Functionality#

Yes, any passkey provider should support WebAuthn, platform authenticators (iOS, Android, macOS, Windows Hello) and basic login and registration flows. But advanced functionality makes or breaks adoption at scale:

  • Multi-passkey support per user
    Support for multiple passkeys per account (e.g., one for phone, one for laptop), including device names, metadata, and management options.

  • Optimized login flows
    Features like 1-Tap login, Conditional UI or automatic passkey ceremony start to reduce friction and increase adoption.

  • Passkey fallback mechanisms
    What happens when passkey authentication fails? A secure and user-friendly fallback path is essential.

  • Passkey intelligence
    Real-time insights and decision support to find out if passkey logins and creations work for a user on a particular device and browser version. This helps to optimize the passkey experience and ultimately adoption.

  • Passkey analytics and tracking
    Built-in analytics to monitor adoption, success rates, error types and other key metrics.

  • Advanced passkey management console
    A powerful interface for admins to manage, monitor and debug passkey activity across the user base. Often this includes detailed login funnel analyses.

  • Support for advanced WebAuthn features
    Advanced features such as WebAuthn Signal API, Client Capabilities and Client Hints

2.2 Implementation Effort#

Passkeys aren’t plug-and-play in terms of implementation - the hard part is in the details. Look for providers that reduce engineering overhead by offering:

  • Purpose-built passkey SDKs and UI components
    Not just generic OAuth-like “Log in with a passkey” buttons or “magic link” flows, but components specifically designed for smooth passkey registration and login.

  • Credential lifecycle management APIs
    Support for creating, listing, renaming, deleting and rotating passkeys via well-documented APIs.

  • Progressive migration support
    Enable existing users to add a passkey after login or during key friction points, such as 2FA prompts, which are essential for driving gradual adoption.

  • Developer tooling
    Robust support for integration and testing, including WebAuthn testing harnesses, integration simulators and real-time logs for device/browser diagnostics

2.3 Passkey User Experience (UX)#

Passkey adoption lives or dies by UX. It's not enough for the flow to “technically work”, the focus must be on maximizing login and activation rates as well as minimizing user drop-off and avoiding dead-ends. Look for solutions that go beyond the basics and deliver a seamless, user-centric experience:

  • Advanced login flows
    Start the login flow via passkey autofill or one-tap passkey buttons - no need for extra clicks, or manual username input.

  • Visual feedback and context
    Clear indicators during passkey creation and login, including:
    – Progress bars or animations
    – Contextual messages (e.g., “Logging in with your iPhone”)
    – UI-level fallback guidance if something fails

  • First-time user onboarding
    Localized messaging and subtle animations that educate and build trust, especially for users new to passkeys.

  • Smart fallback routing
    Intuitive options when passkey login isn’t available, such as “Use another device”, “Continue with SMS” or “Use passkey on your phone”

  • Device-awareness
    Avoid confusing users by hiding passkey options on unsupported environments (e.g., desktop browsers without WebAuthn support).

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2.4 Passkey Adoption#

Enabling passkeys is easy. Driving real-world usage? Much harder. A good provider will actively help you get users to adopt passkeys.

2.4.1 Adoption Strategy & Tools#

Look for a provider that offers more than just the technical foundation:

  • Focus on real adoption rates
    Does the provider help you drive meaningful adoption (e.g. 50–80% of users) or just “offer passkeys” as a feature?

  • Support for campaigns and nudges
    – Segment-based passkey prompts
    – Nudging users after login or during security prompts
    – Forced enrollment for secure environments

  • Progressive onboarding flows
    Encourage passkey creation at key moments, like after the login, after the password entry or on secure device login

  • In-product promotion tools
    – Tooltips, modals, or banners that encourage passkey creation
    – Built-in analytics to track conversion and interaction

  • Deep analytics & insights
    – How many users have created a passkey?
    – Login success rates by device, browser, or OS
    – Fallback usage frequency
    – Drop-off points in the flow

  • User segmentation
    Identify users based on their device/browser compatibility, historical login behavior and passkey readiness

  • A/B testing support
    Experiment with different authentication flows and fallback strategies to find what works best.

  • Password phase-out strategies
    Built-in tools and strategies to help you remove passwords entirely once a critical mass of passkey adoption is reached.

2.4.2 User Education & Onboarding#

Simple, clear onboarding builds trust and helps users adopt passkeys with confidence.

  • Ready-made UI & help content
    – Pre-built UI components, prompts, and messages
    – Consumer-friendly help centers and step-by-step guides

  • Support for diverse user groups
    – Guidance tailored to both tech-savvy and non-tech-savvy users
    – Consideration for global variations in language, device type, and OS versions

2.4.3 Long-Term Roadmap to Passwordless#

True value comes from moving toward a fully passwordless future. Look for providers that help you plan for:

  • Safe removal of passwords once passkey coverage is sufficient

  • Ongoing user education to keep passkeys “top of mind”

  • Tools to prevent fallback dependency and legacy credential usage

2.5 Operations & Maintenance#

With passkeys, much of the complexity shifts from the user experience to backend operations and support workflows. A strong provider will simplify ongoing management and reduce the operational burden.

Key operational capabilities to consider:

2.5.1 Ongoing Monitoring & Security Updates#

  • Device Visibility & Metadata Logging
    Automatic logging of key metadata such as creation date, browser and platform type, and device nickname to support troubleshooting and analytics.

  • Regular Release Cadence
    Timely updates in response to WebAuthn spec changes, browser and OS updates, or passkey ecosystem developments.

  • Security Responsiveness
    Proactive handling of security advisories and zero-day vulnerabilities, including rapid deployment of patches across infrastructure.

2.5.2 Cross-Platform Testing & QA#

  • Compatibility Assurance
    Continuous testing to ensure reliable passkey functionality across all major browsers, operating systems, and devices.

  • Automated vs. Manual QA
    Preference for providers with automated end-to-end test coverage to catch regressions early and reduce operational overhead.

  • Adoption Engineering
    Access to dedicated experts to monitor adoption rates and optimize UX across platforms – especially valuable in managed passkey offerings.

  • Monitoring & Troubleshooting Tools
    Real-time visibility into authentication flows: see which device a login originated from, what credential was used, and why a passkey login may have failed.

  • Enterprise-Grade Observability
    Role-based access controls (RBAC), audit logs, and full compliance with SOC2/GDPR for tracking and securing authentication events.

  • Dashboards & Alerts
    Customizable analytics for tracking adoption metrics, fallback method usage, and suspicious behaviors (e.g., excessive device re-registrations).

2.6 Pricing & ROI#

Many providers treat passkeys as a premium add-on or charging per device or credential. To make a future-proof decision, evaluate both the total cost of ownership and the expected return on investment.

2.6.1 Transparent & Scalable Pricing#

  • Inclusive Passkey Support
    Passkey features should be included by default, not upsold as an add-on.

  • No Per-Device or Per-Credential Fees
    Pricing should scale with your users, not with the number of devices or credentials they use.

  • Predictable Cost Structures
    Look for pricing models that grow linearly or offer volume discounts as adoption increases.

2.6.2 Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)#

  • Upfront Costs
    Consider vendor license fees and the time required to integrate passkeys — whether building in-house or working with a third party.

  • Ongoing Costs
    Factor in developer time for maintaining passkey implementations, performing security audits, and staying up to date with ecosystem changes.

  • Future Expansion
    Evaluate the cost of adding advanced capabilities later (e.g., device intelligence, analytics, or identity verification) - especially if you'd need to build them yourself.

2.6.3 Return on Investment (ROI)#

  • Operational Savings

    • Lower SMS OTP costs

    • Fewer login-related support tickets

    • Reduced account recovery overhead

  • User Experience Gains

    • Higher login success rates and fewer abandoned sessions

    • Smoother logins across devices improve user retention and engagement

  • Business Impact

    • Increased revenue from more completed logins or transactions, particularly in e-commerce

    • Faster onboarding and reduced friction in critical user journeys

2.6.4 Time to Market#

  • Implementation Speed
    Compare the timeline to integrate passkeys with a vendor vs. building from scratch

  • Opportunity Cost
    Delays in shipping passkey support can result in lost competitive advantage, missed conversion opportunities or higher support burden.

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3. Alternatives#

Keycloak works well if you're already using it as your IdP and have the engineering capacity to build everything around passkeys yourself. But when time-to-market, conversion optimization, and ease of adoption matter, it’s worth evaluating solutions tailored for passkey-first authentication.

Here are some of the most relevant alternatives – including Corbado, which was built specifically to drive high passkey adoption in public-facing apps and platforms.

3.1 Corbado#

Corbado is built specifically for passkey-first applications. Unlike many CIAM providers who treat passkeys as a side feature, Corbado puts passwordless UX and high passkey adoption at the center. The solution supports both, integrates seamlessly into existing identity systems, gets you 10x higher passkey adoption and is optimized for large-scale B2C or public-sector deployments.

3.1.1 Passkey Functionality#

Corbado delivers industry-leading passkey adoption with robust WebAuthn functionality.

  • Supports WebAuthn Level 3 with Signal API, Client Capabilities, and Client Hints

  • Multi-passkey support per user, with comprehensive metadata and management options

  • Advanced fallback logic with proactive detection of problematic environments and alternatives

  • Comprehensive passkey intelligence: over 100 tracked signals per interaction (OS, browser, device, errors, behavior)

  • Real-time funnel analysis and adaptive login algorithms

3.1.2 Implementation Effort#

Corbado ensures minimal integration complexity, designed specifically for large-scale rollouts.

  • Ready-to-use SDKs and UI components for React, Next.js, and plain HTML / JavaScript

  • Credential lifecycle management APIs (create, list, rename, delete, rotate)

  • Seamless integration into existing CIAM/IdP setups without user migration

  • Robust developer tooling, including traffic adoption simulators, real-time logs, and integration diagnostics

3.1.3 User Experience#

Corbado prioritizes frictionless UX, resulting in exceptional adoption rates.

  • Native biometric authentication via one-tap login and autofill-first user experience

  • Context-aware, proactive fallback logic to maintain seamless login experiences

  • Comprehensive visual feedback and contextual messages to enhance user understanding

  • Continuous UX optimization powered by detailed user behavior tracking and analytics

3.1.4 Passkey Adoption#

Corbado significantly outperforms generic solutions, focusing heavily on measurable adoption.

  • Up to 10x higher passkey adoption rates compared to other solutions

  • In-depth tracking of over 100 signals per user event, enabling precise A/B testing and funnel optimization

  • Behavioral nudging, tailored prompts, and adaptive strategies based on user behavior and device capabilities

  • Comprehensive passkey adoption analytics, insights into success rates, fallbacks, and drop-off points

  • Built-in tools to support gradual password phase-out and progressive onboarding

3.1.5 Operations & Maintenance#

Corbado simplifies ongoing maintenance and reduces support overhead.

  • Advanced device metadata logging (creation date, browser, OS, device nickname)

  • Regular, proactive updates for OS/browser compatibility and rapid response to security advisories

  • Fully automated cross-platform QA to ensure compatibility and reliability

  • Comprehensive monitoring, real-time diagnostics, troubleshooting dashboards, and alerting tools

  • GDPR/SOC2-compliant audit trails, role-based access controls (RBAC), and observability

3.1.6 Pricing & ROI#

Corbado provides predictable, scalable pricing with rapid return on investment.

  • Transparent, user-based pricing without per-device or credential fees

  • Immediate cost reductions in SMS OTP, support tickets, and account recovery overhead

  • Increased login success rates and reduced session abandonment rates

  • ROI typically realized in less than 12 months, avoiding hidden in-house development costs

  • Supports gradual rollout strategies, minimizing operational and financial risk

3.1.7 Conclusion#

Corbado is an ideal solution for large-scale B2C organizations aiming for high passkey adoption and frictionless user experiences. Its strengths lie in extensive data-driven optimizations, advanced UX flows, seamless integration capabilities, and minimal operational complexity, making it especially suitable for environments where login success directly impacts revenue, customer retention and brand perception.

3.2 Frontegg#

Frontegg is a flexible CIAM platform popular with B2B SaaS companies. It offers a wide range of authentication features and has recently added initial support for passkeys. While this makes it a viable option for teams exploring passwordless authentication, its passkey tooling is still maturing, especially for high-adoption and user-facing environments.

3.2.1 Passkey Functionality#

Frontegg supports WebAuthn-based passkeys across major platforms, including Touch ID, Face ID, and Windows Hello.

  • Basic passkey creation and login flows are supported via hosted UI

  • Multi-passkey support and credential metadata management are limited

  • No support for advanced WebAuthn features like Signal API or Client Capabilities

  • No credential lifecycle APIs for renaming, listing, or deleting passkeys

3.2.2 Implementation Effort#

Integration is straightforward using Frontegg’s hosted login flow, but custom UI use cases may require more effort.

  • Hosted login widget simplifies initial setup

  • Custom frontends require manual WebAuthn integration

  • No dedicated SDKs or UI components tailored for passkeys

  • Lacks fallback orchestration or real-time diagnostics during integration

3.2.3 User Experience#

Passkey UX is functional but not yet optimized for high-conversion, frictionless user journeys.

  • No conditional UI or one-tap login experience

  • Limited contextual feedback or animations during login

  • No visual indicators for passkey fallback options

  • User onboarding is generic and lacks passkey-specific guidance

3.2.4 Passkey Adoption#

Frontegg enables passkey usage but provides few tools to increase real-world adoption.

  • No built-in nudging or segmentation for onboarding

  • No A/B testing or analytics on passkey conversion

  • No in-product prompts or timing-based enrollment flows

  • No tracking of drop-offs or fallback usage

3.2.5 Operations & Maintenance#

Includes general authentication observability, but passkey-specific tooling is not yet available.

  • No dashboards for passkey success rates or device/browser usage

  • No logs or error reports for failed passkey attempts

  • No role-based filtering or passkey-specific alerts

3.2.6 Pricing & ROI#

Frontegg offers tiered pricing with passkey features available in higher plans.

  • No additional fees per device or credential

  • Passkey value depends on broader CIAM usage

  • ROI primarily driven by consolidation and ease-of-use, not passkey adoption alone

3.2.7 Conclusion#

Frontegg is a versatile CIAM platform that offers initial support for passkeys and works well for teams exploring passwordless authentication in SaaS environments. However, if your goal is to reach high passkey adoption rates across diverse user devices and environments, more specialized solutions with advanced tooling and UX may offer better long-term fit.

3.3 LoginID#

LoginID is a strong choice for enterprises with strict compliance, fraud prevention and regulatory requirements, offering built-in legal binding and FIDO2 support.
However, it lacks transparent pricing, modern UX optimization, and developer-friendly tooling for driving passkey adoption at scale.

3.3.1 Passkey Functionality#

LoginID provides solid foundational support for passkey authentication across major platforms.

  • Supports WebAuthn-based passkey creation and authentication across web and mobile platforms.

  • Includes basic credential management options (list, rename, delete passkeys).

  • However, advanced WebAuthn Level 3 features (e.g., Signal API, Client Capabilities, Client Hints) are not explicitly documented.

3.3.2 Implementation Effort#

LoginID offers multiple SDKs and APIs aimed at easing integration, though deeper integration scenarios may require significant development effort.

  • Provides SDKs for web (JavaScript) and mobile (Android, iOS) applications.

  • Allows integration into existing IAM solutionsDocumentation lacks details on advanced migration or progressive onboarding scenarios, potentially increasing complexity in large-scale implementations.

3.3.3 User Experience#

LoginID prioritizes simplicity and ease-of-use, although some advanced UX optimizations might be missing.

  • Offers convenient autofill functionality for streamlined authentication.

  • Supports "usernameless" login flows to reduce friction.

  • Limited information about visual feedback, onboarding nudges, or platform-specific optimizations (e.g., Conditional UI, advanced fallback UX).

3.3.4 Passkey Adoption#

LoginID includes basic mechanisms to support passkey adoption, though comprehensive user adoption tooling is unclear.

  • Allows users to upgrade existing authentication methods to passkeys after initial login.

  • No explicit documentation regarding behavior-based nudging, in-product prompts, user segmentation, or built-in A/B testing to drive large-scale adoption.

  • Missing detailed analytics or insights for adoption funnel optimization.

3.3.5 Operations & Maintenance#

LoginID provides foundational operations and management tools, but enterprise-grade observability and advanced monitoring are not fully detailed.

  • Includes basic credential management APIs and session management.

  • Comprehensive device metadata logging, detailed authentication event monitoring, audit logging, or SOC2/GDPR-compliant observability tools are not explicitly described in documentation.

  • Real-time troubleshooting and monitoring dashboards appear to be absent or minimally documented.

3.3.6 Pricing & ROI#

LoginID pricing is enterprise-oriented and non-transparent, requiring direct vendor contact.

  • No publicly disclosed pricing; custom quotes needed based on usage and scale.

  • Appears suitable mainly for enterprise or compliance-focused environments rather than startups or smaller deployments.

ROI likely driven by compliance, reduced OTP costs, and improved login security; however, detailed cost-benefit analysis examples are not publicly available.

3.3.7 Conclusion#

LoginID is a viable choice for organizations prioritizing basic passkey integration and compliance-driven environments.

However, teams seeking extensive UX optimizations, detailed analytics for adoption, robust operational observability, or transparent pricing models might find gaps in the current offering.

3.4 Authsignal#

Authsignal is a good fit for developers building custom authentication flows with strong policy orchestration and fraud-based step-up logic.
However, passkey support is limited to lower-level integration, with no built-in adoption flows or UX components for passkey onboarding.

3.4.1 Passkey Functionality#

Authsignal offers basic passkey authentication features. Besides they support various authentication methods, including TOTP, SMS OTP and push notifications, providing flexibility in user authentication.

3.4.2 Implementation Effort#

Authsignal aims to simplify the integration process with:​

  • Drop-In Integration: Designed to plug into any architecture, allowing rapid deployment of passkeys, adaptive MFA, and passwordless authentication

  • SDKs and Pre-Built UI Components: Offers SDKs for JavaScript, React Native, iOS, and Android, along with pre-built UI components, facilitating seamless integration across platforms.

  • Platform Integrations: Provides integration for integrating with various IAM solutions,

3.4.3 User Experience#

Authsignal focuses on delivering a seamless and user-friendly authentication experience:​

  • Passwordless Authentication: Facilitates a smooth user experience by eliminating the need for traditional passwords, utilizing passkeys and biometric authentication methods. ​

  • Effortless UX: Provides authenticator enrollment and challenge flows, allowing customization with branding elements like logos to align with the application's design.

3.4.4 Adoption#

To promote passkey adoption, Authsignal provides:​

  • Expert Support: Offers guidance and support to achieve high passkey adoption rates within organizations.

  • Educational Resources: Publishes articles and guides on implementing passkeys, including strategies for championing passkey adoption and understanding their functionality.

3.4.5 Operations & Maintenance#

Authsignal provides tools and features to support ongoing management:

  • No-Code Rules Engine: Allows for the creation and management of authentication rules and policies without coding, facilitating adaptive MFA and risk-based authentication.

  • 360 Observability and Analytics: Offers analytics and observability features, providing insights into authentication events and user behaviors.

3.4.6 Pricing & ROI#

Authsignal offers scalable pricing plans:

  • Free Plan: Supports up to 2,000 monthly active users, including features like passkeys, SMS OTP, email OTP, TOTP, a no-code rules engine, and a single view of the customer.

  • Essential Plan: Starting at $99 USD/month (billed annually) for 5,000 monthly active users, offering all features from the Free plan plus additional capabilities.

3.4.7 Conclusion#

Authsignal presents a robust and flexible authentication solution, particularly well-suited for organizations seeking to add multi-factor authentication to their product. Its drop-in integration, comprehensive SDKs, and pre-built UI components facilitate rapid deployment across various platforms.

However, organizations with highly specialized requirements or those seeking extensive customization may need to assess whether Authsignal's offerings align with their specific needs.

3.5 OwnID#

OwnID is well suited for e-commerce platforms and retail-focused websites looking to add passkey-based login via biometric authentication with low development overhead. Their approach is tailored to specific integrations and verticals.
However, their solution is highly niche, often tightly coupled with proprietary components, and lacks the flexibility and UX polish needed for broader or more customized implementations.

3.5.1 Passkey Functionality#

OwnID offers passkey support as part of a tightly scoped authentication solution tailored to e-commerce.

  • Focuses on biometric login across retail and commerce use cases with opinionated integration paths.

  • Offers multiple auth methods, but passkey flows are not open or extensible beyond predefined templates.

    Does not support advanced WebAuthn features or deep customization for varied user flows.

3.5.2 Implementation Effort#

OwnID aims to simplify integration with:

  • Connectors and SDKs: Provides pre-built connectors for platforms like Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Adobe Commerce Cloud, and Auth0, as well as SDKs for custom integrations.

  • Quickstart Guides and Documentation: Offers comprehensive guides to facilitate rapid implementation, reducing development time and effort.

3.5.3 User Experience#

OwnID provides a basic biometric login flow optimized for embedded e-commerce scenarios.

  • UX is highly standardized, limiting control for teams wanting to tailor onboarding or fallback flows.

  • Visuals and messaging are generic and not optimized for high-conversion UX, especially outside of commerce-specific use cases.

  • Lacks dynamic passkey logic (e.g., conditional UI, smart fallback routing, or real-time behavioral nudging).

3.5.4 Passkey Adoption#

To promote passkey adoption, OwnID provides:

  • Systematic Transition from Passwords: Integrates passkeys directly into the login process, systematically shifting users away from passwords over time.

  • Post-Login Enrollment: After a user logs in with a password, they are offered the ability to skip the password next time by setting up a passkey, encouraging gradual adoption.

3.5.5 Operations & Maintenance#

OwnID provides tools to support ongoing management:​

  • Admin Dashboard: Offers an interface for monitoring authentication activities and managing user credentials.​

  • Fallback Authentication Methods: Automatically includes alternative authentication methods to ensure users can access their accounts even if passkeys are unavailable.

3.5.6 Pricing & ROI#

Specific pricing information for OwnID's services is not publicly disclosed. Organizations are encouraged to contact OwnID directly to obtain detailed pricing information tailored to their specific use cases and requirements.​

3.5.7 Conclusion#

OwnID presents a passwordless authentication solution focused on niche e-commerce platforms with pre-built flows and limited customization. It’s a fit for companies looking for a narrowly scoped solution that “just works” within supported platforms.
However, its lack of UX flexibility, limited analytics, and tight focus on specific shop platforms make it less suitable for larger-scale rollouts or teams with broader identity needs or advanced adoption goals.

3.6 Hanko#

Hanko is ideal for startups and teams seeking a simple, open-source passkey implementation with clean SDKs and hosted options.
However, it currently lacks enterprise-level observability, adoption tooling, and advanced fallback orchestration.

3.6.1 Passkey Functionality#

Hanko offers a comprehensive passkey authentication system:​

  • FIDO2-Certified Passkey API and SDK: Facilitates integration of passkeys into existing authentication systems, supporting various methods including passkeys, passwords, passcodes, and social logins.

  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Supports TOTP authenticator apps and FIDO security keys, enhancing account security.

3.6.2 Implementation Effort#

Hanko aims to simplify integration with:

  • Embeddable Web Components and APIs: Designed for quick integration into applications.

  • JavaScript/TypeScript SDK: Facilitates interaction with the Passkey API.

  • Example Implementations: Provides guides for frameworks like Next.js and the T3 Stack.

3.6.3 User Experience#

Hanko focuses on delivering a seamless authentication experience:​

  • Passwordless Authentication: Utilizes passkeys and passcodes for user convenience.

  • Customizable Authentication Components: Aligns with application design and user flow.

  • Passkey Management: Allows users to view, create, rename, and delete passkeys within their security settings. ​

3.6.4 Passkey Adoption#

To promote passkey adoption, Hanko recommends:​

  • Onboarding Integration: Encouraging users to create passkeys during initial onboarding to ensure early adoption.

  • User Prompts: Prompting returning users who haven't created a passkey to do so, highlighting benefits like faster logins and enhanced security.

The focus is more on giving the user a choice for login methods than driving real-world passkey adoption.

  • Passkey API can be added to existing auth systems but requires substantial additional engineering effort for real-world usage

  • No support for nudging, A/B testing, or user segmentation

  • Lacks tooling for gradual password phase-out

3.6.5 Operations & Maintenance#

Hanko provides tools for ongoing management:​

  • Admin API Endpoints: Includes endpoints for managing passwords, WebAuthn credentials, OTPs, and sessions.

  • Session Management: Offers server-side sessions with options for session limits and active session lists.

  • Metadata logging and basic auditing available

  • No built-in dashboards or alerting for auth issues

3.6.6 Pricing & ROI#

Hanko offers scalable pricing plans:​

  • Free Plan: Supports up to 10,000 monthly active users with core authentication features.

  • Pro Plan: At $29/month, includes 10,000 free monthly active users, with additional users at $0.01 each, offering enhanced features like personal support and SAML SSO.

  • Startup Plan: Provides up to 1 million active users for $29/month flat.

3.6.7 Conclusion#

Hanko presents a robust authentication solution suitable for organizations aiming to implement passkeys. Its clearly a solution for developers and startups. However, organizations requiring highly specialized features or extensive customization may need to assess whether Hanko's offerings align with their specific requirements.

3.7 Ping Identity#

Ping is designed for enterprises needing full IAM orchestration and secure, standards-based passkey support across mobile and web.
However, its passkey feature set is part of a broader platform, with limited documentation on UX, fallback logic or adoption-driving mechanisms.

3.7.1 Passkey Functionality#

  • Supports basic FIDO2/WebAuthn for passwordless authentication with registered platform authenticators.

  • Available through Ping SDKs for iOS, Android, and JavaScript.

  • No mention of advanced WebAuthn features like Signal API or Client Capabilities.

3.7.2 Implementation Effort#

  • Sample applications are provided to help developers implement passkey flows.

  • Requires PingAM or PingOne Advanced Identity Cloud for setup.

  • No-code orchestration UI available through PingOne.

  • SDK setup includes device binding and key pair registration.

3.7.3 User Experience#

  • Mobile SDKs bind the device cryptographically to a user identity.

  • No detailed documentation on fallback UX or contextual feedback.

3.7.4 Passkey Adoption#

  • Offers cloud-based passwordless capabilities under PingOne for Customers.

  • Adoption strategies like nudging or analytics are not publicly documented.

  • Focus is on simply offering passkey of a feature, not consumer adoption UX.

3.7.5 Operations & Maintenance#

  • SDKs support device verification, key rotation, and secure binding.

  • No public details on passkey-specific observability or login funnel analytics.

  • Security updates and versioning are maintained across Ping services.

3.7.6 Pricing & ROI#

  • PingOne for Customers pricing starts at $35,000/year (Essential tier).

  • Passkey support is part of broader passwordless orchestration capabilities.

  • ROI is positioned around enterprise security, reduced password friction, and infrastructure alignment.

  • No pricing per credential or device; volume-based enterprise pricing assumed.

3.7.7 Conclusion#

Ping Identity offers a robust and enterprise-grade passkey solution built on FIDO2 and WebAuthn standards. It is best suited for large organizations already using the Ping platform or those needing orchestration, compliance, and secure passwordless authentication at scale. The platform’s SDKs support key passkey flows on web and mobile, and it integrates into existing IAM setups.

However, Ping Identity’s offering is less geared toward rapid implementation or consumer-focused UX optimization. It lacks publicly documented features for A/B testing, nudging strategies, deep analytics, and advanced passkey observability. Pricing is also enterprise-only and not transparent.

3.8 Daon#

Daon fits best for large enterprises already using Daon’s identity stack (e.g. KYC, biometrics) and looking to expand into passkey-based authentication.
However, it’s not ideal for greenfield implementations or teams seeking agile UX customization, developer self-service, or rapid iteration.

3.8.1 Passkey Functionality#

Daon offers solid passkey support leveraging WebAuthn and FIDO2, particularly suitable for regulated and enterprise environments.

  • Supports WebAuthn and FIDO2 standards across major platforms (iOS, Android, macOS, Windows Hello).

  • Provides foundational multi-passkey support, including basic management (create, delete, manage credentials).

  • Limited public information on advanced WebAuthn Level 3 features (e.g., Signal API, Client Capabilities, detailed analytics).

3.8.2 Implementation Effort#

Daon simplifies implementation via its identity platforms but may require significant initial configuration.

  • Offers IdentityX and TrustX platforms, designed for integration into existing authentication infrastructures.

  • Provides SaaS deployment options (Identity Continuity with TrustX) and hosted identity solutions (IdentityX).

  • Public documentation indicates strong compatibility with existing IAM setups, but specific developer tools like testing harnesses or detailed API documentation are limited publicly.

3.8.3 User Experience#

Daon prioritizes smooth and frictionless authentication experiences, with a focus on biometrics and passkey-based login.

  • Delivers passwordless, biometric-driven passkey authentication to reduce friction.

  • Supports multi-factor authentication (MFA) with intuitive flows, enhancing security without compromising UX.

  • Limited details publicly available on advanced UX elements like conditional UI, visual login progress indicators, or device-specific optimizations.

3.8.4 Passkey Adoption#

Daon provides foundational tools and guidance but offers limited public information on adoption-focused strategies.

  • Educates customers on passkey benefits through comprehensive FAQs and sector-specific resources (e.g., financial services).

  • No detailed public information on proactive adoption tools such as A/B testing, segmented nudging, or progressive onboarding flows.

  • Passkey-specific analytics, funnel tracking, or detailed adoption metrics are not prominently detailed publicly.

3.8.5 Operations & Maintenance#

Daon offers solid operational support with emphasis on compliance, though detailed observability tools and analytics appear limited.

  • Features general customer support teams to assist with implementation and maintenance.

  • Compliance support documentation and assistance for regulated industries (GDPR, SOC2 compliance).

  • Publicly limited information on real-time troubleshooting dashboards, detailed device metadata logging, or comprehensive operational analytics.

3.8.6 Pricing & ROI#

Daon’s pricing is tailored for enterprise deals and not publicly disclosed.

  • Pricing is quote-based; no transparent plans or per-user pricing models.

  • Designed for large organizations with specific compliance or orchestration needs.

  • ROI is likely framed around fraud reduction and enterprise security improvements.

  • No data shared on passkey conversion rates, support ticket reduction, or UX uplift.

  • Time to market may vary depending on existing use of IdentityX/TrustX infrastructure.

3.8.7 Conclusion#

Daon is a strong fit for organizations already using other parts of the Daon ecosystem (e.g., identity proofing, KYC, or biometric authentication) and looking to extend their stack with passkey capabilities. Its platform is built for large enterprises with strict security, compliance, and orchestration requirements.

However, for product teams that are starting from scratch or looking for self-serve developer tooling, passkey-specific UX optimization, or real-time adoption tracking, Daon may be less suitable. The platform is designed for full-suite enterprise deployments rather than lightweight or standalone passkey rollouts.

3.9 Duende#

Duende is a great fit for teams building custom OAuth2/OIDC infrastructure with full control over authentication logic.
However, passkeys must be implemented entirely from scratch, with no native WebAuthn support or tooling for adoption, fallback, or observability.

3.9.1 Passkey Functionality#

  • Passkeys (WebAuthn) are not natively supported in Duende; developers must implement WebAuthn flows themselves or integrate third-party libraries.

  • Duende is protocol-focused (OAuth2, OpenID Connect) and does not offer out-of-the-box biometric or passkey handling.

  • Passkey support depends entirely on how much the developer is willing to build or plug in externally.

3.9.2 Implementation Effort#

  • High integration effort for passkeys; developers need to manage WebAuthn ceremonies, attestation, and credential storage manually.

  • No official WebAuthn modules or SDKs; requires familiarity with both Duende’s extensibility model and WebAuthn spec.

  • Best suited for teams with strong security and identity engineering experience.

3.9.3 User Experience#

  • No native UI components or frontend support for passkeys.

  • All UX for registration, login, and fallback handling must be built from scratch or sourced from third-party libraries.

  • No support for Conditional UI or one-tap login flows.

3.9.4 Passkey Adoption#

  • No built-in tooling for onboarding, nudging, or progressive enrollment.

  • Lacks analytics, segmentation, or tracking features needed to drive adoption.

  • Adoption strategy is entirely custom and developer-defined.

3.9.5 Operations & Maintenance#

  • No native observability or monitoring tools for passkey usage or issues.

  • Credential lifecycle management must be built and maintained manually.

  • Maintenance complexity increases with scale, especially in multi-device or cross-platform scenarios.

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3.9.6 Pricing & ROI#

  • Duende is a commercial product with licensing fees based on usage tiers.

  • ROI for passkeys depends on how much of the WebAuthn stack is custom-built.

  • Low TCO only if you already use Duende and have internal resources to manage passkey integration end-to-end.

3.9.7 Conclusion#

Duende IdentityServer is a powerful and flexible identity platform, best suited for teams building custom OAuth2/OpenID Connect solutions. However, it does not provide native passkey support - making it a better choice for developers who want full control over authentication flows and are comfortable implementing the entire WebAuthn stack themselves.

For companies focused on fast passkey rollout, consumer adoption, or optimized UX, Duende alone is likely not sufficient. In those cases, an external passkey orchestration layer may be needed to fill the gap.

3.10 Cognito#

Cognito is a good option for simple passkey use cases within the AWS ecosystem, especially when using Hosted UI and managed login flows.
However, it lacks flexibility for custom frontends, real adoption tooling, fallback logic, and UX optimization - making it hard to scale passkey usage effectively.

3.10.1 Passkey Functionality#

Amazon Cognito supports basic passkey (WebAuthn/FIDO2) functionality for passwordless authentication through its Hosted UI.

  • WebAuthn Support: Manages basic WebAuthn ceremonies internally without exposing advanced configuration options to developers.

  • No advanced WebAuthn features like Conditional UI, Signal API, or fine-grained credential control.

3.10.2 Implementation Effort#

Cognito is simple to set up if using the Hosted UI, but custom frontend integration significantly increases development effort.

  • Hosted UI Integration: Works out-of-the-box with minimal setup when using Cognito’s managed login flow.

  • Manual Integration for Custom UIs: Developers must handle WebAuthn flows manually if not using Hosted UI.

  • No drop-in UI components or frontend SDKs for WebAuthn available from AWS.

  • Limited customization of the login experience (no access to PublicKeyCredentialOptions).

3.10.3 User Experience#

Cognito offers a functional but limited UX when it comes to passkeys.

  • Separate “Sign in with passkey” Button: Requires explicit user action to trigger passkey login.

  • No Conditional UI: Users won’t see passkey autofill prompts automatically after entering their email.

  • Static Login Flow: Passkey registration is only offered via Hosted UI and not embedded in contextual moments like post-login.

  • Fallbacks like password and SMS are available but not orchestrated intelligently.

3.10.4 Passkey Adoption#

Cognito currently offers no dedicated features for increasing or tracking passkey adoption.

  • Manual Enrollment Only: Passkey registration must be initiated by the user through account settings or Hosted UI.

  • No Nudging or A/B Testing: Lacks in-product messaging, nudges, or targeting strategies for progressive adoption.

  • No Funnel Analytics: Developers cannot track passkey creation rates, drop-offs, or login method success.

  • Adoption Intelligence: No support for fallback detection, device readiness, or behavioral targeting.

3.10.5 Operations & Maintenance#

Operational tools for managing passkey-based logins are minimal in Cognito.

  • No Admin Dashboard for Passkeys: AWS Console provides general user management, but no passkey-specific views.

  • No Real-Time Monitoring: No built-in logging or troubleshooting tools for failed WebAuthn attempts.

  • Fallbacks are static: Passwords and MFA (e.g. OTP) can be used, but not dynamically orchestrated based on environment.

  • No support for viewing device metadata or credential-level logs.

3.10.6 Pricing & ROI#

Cognito uses a pay-per-MAU model, but passkey usage is included without additional cost.

  • Included in MAU Pricing: No extra fees for enabling passkeys within user pools.

  • Transparent Pricing: AWS pricing for Cognito is publicly available and scales with MAUs.

  • No Add-on Costs: Passkeys don’t incur device-based or credential-based charges.

  • Limited ROI Optimization: No tooling for reducing SMS costs, increasing adoption, or optimizing login success.

3.10.7 Conclusion#

Amazon Cognito provides a functional foundation for adding passkey support, especially when using its Hosted UI. It’s a good fit for teams that want to experiment with passkeys in a greenfield project or internal tool.

However, Cognito lacks customization, UX optimization, analytics and adoption tooling - which limits its suitability for large-scale or enterprise passkey rollouts. Organizations aiming for deep passkey integration, measurable adoption and frictionless UX may find Cognito’s offering too limited without additional tooling.

4. Conclusion#

We’ll be honest: We’ve got strong opinions on passkeys. It’s our daily focus, and yes, that means we’ve got strong opinions. But only because we’ve seen what it really takes to make passkeys work at scale - not just technically, but with real users, across devices and in business-critical environments.

Keycloak gives developers control - but that comes at the cost of building your own passkey flows, fallback logic, analytics and UX from scratch.

Corbado, on the other hand, delivers a production-ready passkey platform out of the box, optimizing everything from login success rates to backend observability. A smart choice for teams that want to ship quickly and scale passkeys with confidence.

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