Our take
Pick Unkey if aPI teams who will stay on API Management Free $0 (150k valid requests, 1k keys, no card) while they issue a first keyspace, then buy Pro at $25/month when they need 250k requests and team workspaces — or start Deploy Starter at $5 when they also want the container host. Pick ZITADEL if app teams who will stay on Cloud Free $0 (100 DAU, 3 IdPs, unlimited orgs, no card) while they invite a first user,
API-key + deploy desk
Best for
Unkey Keys you start at $0 / 150k verifications, or Deploy from $5
ZITADEL Login you start at $0
Free plan
Unkey $0 · /month. 150k valid requests. 1k API keys. 1-day logs. 3-day audit. Unlimited APIs
ZITADEL $0 · / month. All security features. 100 daily active users. Unlimited stored users. Unlimited organizations. 3 identity providers. Custom workflows. Data residency: EU, US, Switzerland, Australia
Lowest paid
Unkey Usage rates $0.000006944/mo
ZITADEL Pro $100
Next step up
Unkey Starter $5/mo
ZITADEL
Coding agent
Unkey
ZITADEL Users
Runs where
Unkey
ZITADEL Local; you host it
Watch out
Unkey Free API Management is 150k valid requests and 1k keys
ZITADEL Free is 100 daily active users
Last checked
Unkey 2026-10-22 · unkey.com/pricing
ZITADEL 2026-10-22 · zitadel.com/pricing
aPI teams who will stay on API Management Free $0 (150k valid requests, 1k keys, no card) while they issue a first keyspace, then buy Pro at $25/month when they need 250k requests and team workspaces — or start Deploy Starter at $5 when they also want the container host.
Read the Unkey pageapp teams who will stay on Cloud Free $0 (100 DAU, 3 IdPs, unlimited orgs, no card) while they invite a first user, then buy Pro at $100/month when they need 25k DAU, a custom domain, and the 99.5% uptime card.
Read the ZITADEL page