List of the Top 7 Identity and Access Management (IAM) Software for Docker in 2026

Smallstep delivers the first true Device Identity Platform™, enabling enterprises to enforce Zero Trust at the device level. By leveraging ACME Device Attestation, it binds identity to hardware co-processors, ensuring credentials cannot be stolen, copied, or reused on unauthorized machines. This allows organizations to confidently secure access to Wi-Fi networks, VPNs, SaaS applications, cloud APIs, Kubernetes, Git repositories, and regulated data. Unlike traditional certificate or MDM-based approaches, Smallstep provides cryptographic proof that a device is both authentic and company-owned. The platform supports all major operating systems and integrates with over 100 enterprise tools, making deployment seamless at scale. Trusted by Fortune 100 companies, Smallstep helps IT, security, and DevOps teams eliminate device identity gaps. The result is stronger security, reduced attack surface, and Zero Trust that actually works in modern environments.

Manage the access to all your enterprise applications and services through a unified platform. Leverage an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface to create workflows, forms, and processes that anyone can use, regardless of their technical expertise. A simple and engaging user experience helps to boost adoption rates and encourages users to participate in training. You have the ability to filter and schedule compliance certifications according to users, groups, or applications. There is 24/7 support available to help with any questions or issues that may arise. Updated documentation and video tutorials are provided regularly to keep users informed and up-to-date. The no-code design feature allows team leaders to take charge of managing their own applications and user access without needing IT intervention. You can define both static and dynamic attribute-based roles to optimize entitlements and control access. The pricing model is transparent, based solely on the number of individual users, and includes all features, eliminating any surprise costs for additional services. This system significantly reduces the reliance on passwords, which in turn lowers the chances of phishing attacks and decreases IT service requests related to password issues. Every resource, including service requests, applications, entitlements, and roles, is subject to a defined approval workflow, ensuring that all access requests undergo thorough vetting. Adopting this efficient method not only bolsters security but also substantially improves overall organizational productivity and efficiency. Additionally, this approach enables teams to respond more swiftly to changing business needs while maintaining compliance and security standards.

ZITADEL is an open-source solution designed for identity and access management, focused on optimizing authentication and authorization processes across a variety of applications. It boasts an extensive set of features, such as customizable login interfaces, support for advanced authentication methods like Single Sign-On (SSO) and social logins, and the incorporation of multifactor authentication to enhance overall security. Developers can choose to integrate ZITADEL’s APIs directly into their applications for seamless authentication or create bespoke login pages that cater to their specific requirements. Additionally, the platform offers a role-based access control system that facilitates detailed management of permissions based on user roles, and its multi-tenant architecture simplifies the process of expanding applications to serve new organizations. ZITADEL’s adaptability not only accommodates a wide range of workflows and user management scenarios, but it also complies with branding guidelines; features like ZITADEL Actions allow users to execute workflows triggered by specific events without needing additional code deployments. Consequently, ZITADEL emerges as a versatile tool for organizations aiming to effectively refine their identity management strategies, making it suitable for both small startups and large enterprises alike. Its comprehensive capabilities ensure that users can maintain a high level of security while also delivering a streamlined experience for end users.

Authentik functions as an open-source identity provider, streamlining all aspects of identity management into one cohesive platform, thereby serving as an alternative to services such as Okta, Active Directory, and Auth0. Authentik Security operates with a public benefit ethos, dedicated to promoting and advancing the open-source movement. By choosing a self-hosted, open-source identity provider, you prioritize security and retain authority over your most sensitive data. With authentik, the need to rely on third-party services for identity management is removed, providing you with enhanced peace of mind. You can effortlessly integrate authentik into your current infrastructure, customizing it to fulfill a variety of needs. Our robust APIs and fully customizable policies enable you to effectively automate workflows, increasing efficiency. Facilitating deployment and scaling is made simple through our prebuilt templates, which are compatible with Kubernetes, Terraform, and Docker Compose. This approach allows you to eliminate reliance on external services for critical infrastructure while protecting your confidential information from exposure to the public internet. You can leverage our pre-built workflows or choose to adjust every aspect of the authentication process with flexible templates, infrastructure as code, and comprehensive APIs, ensuring a tailored experience that fits your specific requirements. This adaptability not only allows you to customize authentik for your organization's unique demands but also significantly strengthens your security protocols in the process. Overall, authentik presents a powerful solution for organizations aiming to take full control of their identity management while fortifying their data protection strategies.

Authelia is an open-source server and portal focused on authentication and authorization, effectively overseeing identity management and access control to bolster information security with features like multi-factor authentication and single sign-on, all accessible through a web interface. It is specifically crafted to integrate seamlessly with widely-used reverse proxies. With a lightweight container size of less than 20 megabytes and typical memory usage under 30 megabytes, it is recognized as one of the most efficient solutions available. Built with Go and React, it executes authorization policies and backend processes in milliseconds, and its login portal boasts impressively quick loading times of just 100 milliseconds, positioning it among the fastest options on the market. Despite the high energy consumption often associated with processors, Authelia maintains an incredibly low idle power consumption that is nearly undetectable, while its active usage in small business environments typically remains below 1%, ensuring minimal impact on energy resources (excluding the password hashing process). The design team prioritizes security at every stage of development, instilling confidence in users regarding the management of their data. This dedication to both efficiency and security renders Authelia an attractive option for organizations in search of comprehensive identity management solutions. Additionally, its user-friendly interface and robust feature set further enhance its appeal in the competitive landscape of authentication solutions.

Curity's identity server operates as a holistic platform focused on identity and API security, designed to comply with recognized standards while providing robust authentication and authorization for a wide array of digital services. By merging identity security with API security, it streamlines customer identity and access management, thus driving digital transformation, supporting growth, and increasing customer loyalty. The platform is equipped with numerous features, including multi-factor authentication, user journey orchestration, decentralized identity, and secure access management. Its compatibility with various identity-related standards, such as OAuth, OpenID Connect, and SCIM, ensures both interoperability and compliance with industry regulations. Built on the principle of separating concerns, Curity’s architecture significantly enhances security, flexibility, and scalability. Additionally, it includes advanced configuration management capabilities that allow for transaction-based updates, rollbacks, and backups, all manageable through an intuitive web interface, command-line interface, RESTCONF API, and XML configuration files. With these extensive features and tools, the Curity identity server not only provides a critical solution for organizations aiming to bolster their digital security framework but also sets a new benchmark in user management and safety practices. As organizations increasingly recognize the importance of security in the digital age, Curity’s offerings become essential for maintaining trust and integrity in their operations.

Defakto Security presents a powerful platform that authenticates all automated interactions by issuing temporary, verifiable identities to non-human entities such as services, pipelines, AI agents, and machines, effectively eliminating the reliance on static credentials, API keys, and persistent privileges. Their extensive non-human identity and access management solution supports the detection of unmanaged identities across various environments, including cloud, on-premises, and hybrid configurations, allowing for the real-time issuance of dynamic identities in accordance with policy requirements, the enforcement of least-privilege access principles, and the creation of comprehensive audit-ready logs. The solution consists of multiple modules: Ledger, which guarantees continuous discovery and governance of non-human identities; Mint, which streamlines the generation of targeted, temporary identities; Ship, which supports secretless CI/CD workflows by removing hard-coded credentials; Trim, which refines access rights and removes excessive privileges for service accounts; and Mind, which protects AI agents and large language models using the same identity framework utilized for workloads. Each module is essential in bolstering security and optimizing identity management across a variety of operational landscapes. Together, these components not only enhance security but also promote efficiency in managing identities for non-human entities.