Univention Nubus
Open-source IAM from Bremen that bundles directory, single sign-on and self-service into one package
Quick Overview
| Company | Univention GmbH |
|---|---|
| Category | Identity Management |
| Headquarters | Bremen, Germany |
| Founded | 2002 |
| EU Presence | EU (Germany) |
| Data Location | Self-hosted (on-premises VM, Kubernetes or hybrid, wherever you run it) |
| Open Source | AGPL-3.0-only |
| Pricing | Core Edition free (open source) / Enterprise Subscription from €35 per user per year, excl. VAT (recommended retail price, sold through certified partners) |
| Free Option | Free (Core Edition) |
| Replaces | Microsoft Entra ID, Microsoft Active Directory, Okta |
Detailed Review
Univention GmbH has been in Bremen since 2002, registered there as HRB 20755; Nubus is the name it gave its identity management in 2024, out of what used to be part of Univention Corporate Server.
It bundles the pieces an organisation needs to stop paying for a directory: an OpenLDAP directory with SCIM, the Directory Manager, a portal, self-service password reset, and single sign-on over SAML and OpenID Connect. All of it is AGPL-3.0-only, so the Core Edition is free to run and the source is there to read.
The honest description of the single sign-on is one Univention gives itself: the identity provider inside Nubus is, in the words of its own README, a preconfigured deployment of Keycloak. That overlaps directly with the tool at number one in this list. What you are buying, or downloading, is the package around it — the directory, the portal, the self-service and the management interface assembled and maintained as one product, rather than seven components you integrate.
There is no Univention-operated cloud. You deploy it on a VM, on Kubernetes or hybrid, which means the residency question is answered by wherever you put it rather than by a vendor's region picker.
The Enterprise Subscription starts at €35 per user per year excluding VAT, but that figure is a recommended retail price sold through certified partners, so what you actually pay depends on which partner you buy from. Univention's own pages name no ISO 27001 or comparable audit, which for a self-hosted product matters less than for a SaaS but is still absent.
What Univention Nubus does well
- AGPL-3.0-only, with a free Core Edition
- German GmbH in Bremen, trading since 2002 (HRB 20755)
- Self-hosted on a VM, Kubernetes or hybrid — residency is your decision
- Directory, portal, self-service and SSO assembled as one package
- Published price: from €35 per user per year for the Enterprise Subscription
Where Univention Nubus falls short
- The identity provider is a preconfigured Keycloak, which is already number one here
- No ISO 27001 or comparable independent audit stated on its own pages
- The €35 is a recommended retail price sold through partners, not a checkout price
- No Univention-run service, so the operations and upgrades are yours
Standout feature. A directory, a portal and single sign-on in one AGPL package from Bremen — with the price per user per year printed on the site.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- AGPL-3.0-only, with a free Core Edition
- German GmbH in Bremen, trading since 2002 (HRB 20755)
- Self-hosted on a VM, Kubernetes or hybrid — residency is your decision
- Directory, portal, self-service and SSO assembled as one package
- Published price: from €35 per user per year for the Enterprise Subscription
Cons
- The identity provider is a preconfigured Keycloak, which is already number one here
- No ISO 27001 or comparable independent audit stated on its own pages
- The €35 is a recommended retail price sold through partners, not a checkout price
- No Univention-run service, so the operations and upgrades are yours
Alternatives to Univention Nubus
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Univention Nubus?
Univention GmbH has been in Bremen since 2002, registered there as HRB 20755; Nubus is the name it gave its identity management in 2024, out of what used to be part of Univention Corporate Server.
It bundles the pieces an organisation needs to stop paying for a directory: an OpenLDAP directory with SCIM, the Directory Manager, a portal, self-service password reset, and single sign-on over SAML and OpenID Connect. All of it is AGPL-3.0-only, so the Core Edition is free to run and the source is there to read.
Where is Univention Nubus based?
Univention Nubus operates from Bremen, Germany, which places it under EU (Germany).
What does Univention Nubus cost?
Core Edition free (open source) / Enterprise Subscription from €35 per user per year, excl. VAT (recommended retail price, sold through certified partners). Free (Core Edition).
Who is Univention Nubus best for?
Organisations replacing Active Directory with an open-source directory they run themselves. A directory, a portal and single sign-on in one AGPL package from Bremen — with the price per user per year printed on the site.
What are the drawbacks of Univention Nubus?
The identity provider is a preconfigured Keycloak, which is already number one here. No ISO 27001 or comparable independent audit stated on its own pages. The €35 is a recommended retail price sold through partners, not a checkout price. No Univention-run service, so the operations and upgrades are yours.
Is Univention Nubus a good alternative to Microsoft Entra ID?
Univention Nubus is built as a European alternative to Microsoft Entra ID: Open-source IAM from Bremen that bundles directory, single sign-on and self-service into one package. It will not be a like-for-like feature match in every respect, so check the review above for where the two genuinely differ before switching.
How does Univention Nubus compare to other Identity Management tools?
Univention Nubus is one of several European Identity Management tools we cover. It is most often compared with Microsoft Entra ID, Microsoft Active Directory, Okta.