Apereo CAS vs OpenIddict

Apereo CAS9.0Visit OpenIddict8.9Visit

Higher score Apereo CAS #4 in OAuth Server Software 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Apereo CAS

vs

OpenIddict #5 in OAuth Server Software 8.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit OpenIddict

• Apereo CAS fits best

  Auditable open-source SSO infrastructure

• OpenIddict fits best

  .NET OAuth and OIDC implementations

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature	Apereo CAS 9.0/10 Visit ↗	OpenIddict 8.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.0	8.9
Ranking	#4 in OAuth Server Software	#5 in OAuth Server Software
Best for	Auditable open-source SSO infrastructure	.NET OAuth and OIDC implementations
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Self-hosted	Self-hosted
Platforms	Web, Linux	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Support	Docs	Email, Community, Docs
Integrations	13 integrations	100+ integrations
Built for	Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Apereo CAS 5/5 · OpenIddict 5/5
OpenID Connect	✓	✓
SAML support	✓	✓
Self-hosting	✓	✓
Token introspection	✓	✓
Machine-to-machine auth	✓	✓
Specs
Deployment model	Self_hosted	Self_hosted
Our review
Pros	Supports CAS, SAML, OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, REST, and WS-Federation Connects authentication to LDAP, databases, X.509, RADIUS, MongoDB, and more Includes token introspection, machine-to-machine auth, auditing, and monitoring	Separate client, server, and token-validation stacks Supports ASP.NET, ASP.NET Core, desktop, and mobile applications Includes introspection, revocation, mTLS, and database integrations
Cons	Self-hosted deployment requires internal infrastructure ownership Its broad configuration surface may require specialist identity expertise Best suited to organizations able to manage a Java-based identity server	Requires application code instead of providing a turnkey hosted service SAML is handled through a commercial component, not the core feature set Dedicated support depends on a custom support contract
Our verdict	Apereo CAS is an open-source Java server for authentication, authorization, identity management, and single sign-on. It is designed for organizations that need a self-managed identity provider, including enterprise and higher-education… Read the review →	OpenIddict is a free, open-source .NET framework for building OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect clients, authorization servers, and token-validation services. Its independent client, server, and validation stacks can be used together or… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Apereo CAS — where it wins

  • Supports CAS, SAML, OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, REST, and WS-Federation
  • Connects authentication to LDAP, databases, X.509, RADIUS, MongoDB, and more
  • Includes token introspection, machine-to-machine auth, auditing, and monitoring

  Where it doesn't

  • Self-hosted deployment requires internal infrastructure ownership
  • Its broad configuration surface may require specialist identity expertise
  • Best suited to organizations able to manage a Java-based identity server

• OpenIddict — where it wins

  • Separate client, server, and token-validation stacks
  • Supports ASP.NET, ASP.NET Core, desktop, and mobile applications
  • Includes introspection, revocation, mTLS, and database integrations

  Where it doesn't

  • Requires application code instead of providing a turnkey hosted service
  • SAML is handled through a commercial component, not the core feature set
  • Dedicated support depends on a custom support contract

• Apereo CAS9.0/10 · Free plan

  A broad, auditable SSO foundation for teams prepared to run identity infrastructure.

  Visit Apereo CASFull verdict →
• OpenIddict8.9/10 · Free plan

  A flexible .NET framework for building self-hosted OAuth and OIDC services.

  Visit OpenIddictFull verdict →