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Duende IdentityServer

Freemium#26 of 33 in OAuth Server Software

Duende IdentityServer: A broad OAuth, OIDC, and SAML toolkit for commercial .NET teams. Ranked #26 of 33 in OAuth Server Software by our editors (6.8/10); pricing: Free plan; best for commercial .NET identity infrastructure.

6.8/10Editor score

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Duende IdentityServer6.8 Visit Duende

At a glance

Editor score
6.8 / 10
Pricing
Free plan
Best for
Commercial .NET identity infrastructure
Free plan
Yes
Paid from
$5,750/yr
OpenID Connect
Yes
Founded
2020
Facts checked
22 Sep 2026

Where it wins
- Supports OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0/OAuth 2.1, and SAML 2.0
- Handles token introspection, client credentials, federation, and sessions
- Automates signing-key generation, rotation, propagation, and retirement
Where it doesn't
- Production use requires a paid license
- Lite allows one production deployment and two client IDs
- Delivered as a self-hosted SDK rather than a hosted SaaS service

Our verdict on Duende IdentityServer

Duende IdentityServer is a standards-based identity and access framework for ASP.NET Core applications. It is designed for development teams building identity infrastructure into their own applications and environments, including APIs, SPAs, mobile applications, microservices, and server-to-server systems. The SDK supports token issuance, client and scope management, authentication and authorization flows, single sign-on, and federation with external identity providers. Free use covers development, testing, personal projects, and qualifying community users, while production use requires a paid license.

Pricing scales by deployment and application scope. Lite costs $5,750 per year and includes core OpenID Connect and OAuth support, one production deployment, two client IDs, two BFF front-ends, unlimited APIs, and 10,000 User Management users. Standard costs $12,500 per year and adds extended protocol support, 10 client IDs, 10 BFF front-ends, and server-side sessions. Advanced costs $24,900 per year and provides two production deployments, 30 client IDs, and 30 BFF front-ends. Custom offers flexible annual licensing, up to unlimited deployments, client IDs, BFF front-ends, and User Management users, plus custom support options.

Its main strength is breadth within an ASP.NET Core identity stack. Teams can combine OAuth token issuance, scoped API authorization, token introspection through /connect/introspect, machine-to-machine client credentials, external identity federation, and server-side session coordination. Automatic signing-key management also covers generation, rotation, propagation, and retirement. SAML 2.0 Identity Provider and Service Provider support depends on the edition or add-on. Choose Duende IdentityServer when self-hosted, commercial .NET identity infrastructure is the priority; teams seeking a hosted SaaS service should consider a different product model.

Your product? Our editors can test Duende IdentityServer in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →

Duende IdentityServer pricing

Plans Free planFreemium A usable free plan; paid tiers unlock the limits above. Prices checked 22 Sep 2026.

See plans on duendesoftware.com

All 4 Duende IdentityServer plans and prices →

Duende IdentityServer fact sheet

Free plan	Yes
Paid from	$5,750/yr
OpenID Connect	Yes
SAML support	Yes
Self-hosting	Yes
Token introspection	Yes
Machine-to-machine auth	Yes
Deployment model	Self_hosted
Deployment	Self-hosted
Support	Community, Docs
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate)
Pricing	Free plan (source)
Website	duendesoftware.com
Facts checked	22 Sep 2026

Alternatives to Duende IdentityServer

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Featured on iTechGuides

Duende IdentityServer is listed in our OAuth Server Software directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update