Frequently asked questions about open source identity and access management
What is open source identity and access management?
An IAM stack built from platforms whose source code is open and whose licence costs nothing: midPoint for identity management and governance (lifecycle, roles, requests, certification, audit) and Keycloak for access management (authentication, single sign-on, multi-factor, federation). You pay for implementation, support and operations, not for the right to use the software.
Is open source IAM secure enough for banks and public administration?
Yes. midPoint and Keycloak run in banks, universities, hospitals and public-sector organisations across Europe, including under NIS2, DORA and KRITIS. The code is auditable, security fixes are public, and both platforms can run entirely on infrastructure you control — which is more than most SaaS suites can offer.
Do we need both midPoint and Keycloak?
Only if you need both functions. Keycloak alone gives you single sign-on and MFA but no lifecycle, roles or governance; midPoint alone governs identities but does not authenticate users. Most organisations that come to us for IAM need both, and the integration between them is where our experience shows.
How much does an open source IAM solution cost?
There is no licence fee. The cost is the implementation project — sized by the number of connected systems, data quality and governance scope, not by headcount — plus optional vendor subscriptions and operations, in-house or managed. The midPoint implementation pricing page explains the drivers.
Can it replace Microsoft Identity Manager or SAP IDM?
Yes; it is the most common reason customers come to us. MIM support ends in January 2029 and SAP IDM mainstream maintenance in December 2027. Our MIM migration and SAP IDM migration services run the parallel operation, data migration and cut-over as defined phases.