Which is cheaper, Cerbos or Zitadel?

Cerbos is 4.0x cheaper than Zitadel. Cerbos starts at $0/mo, Zitadel starts at $0/mo.

Does Cerbos have a free tier?

Yes, Cerbos offers a free tier with .

Cerbos has moderate switching cost. Zitadel has moderate switching cost. Both have similar switching complexity.

Auth

Cerbos

← More affordable

Policy-as-code authorization engine with YAML policies, audit logs, and managed PDP deployment

Switching Cost: moderate

Zitadel

Open-source identity management with DAU-based cloud pricing

Switching Cost: moderate

You're paying a premium for Zitadel — expect around a 4.0x higher bill compared to Cerbos.

If budget is your primary constraint, Cerbos is the clear winner with its more wallet-friendly pricing structure.

If budget is your primary constraint, Cerbos is the clear winner with its more wallet-friendly pricing structure.

Price Difference

4.0x

Cerbos is cheaper by $75/mo