---
title: "Cerbos vs SpiceDB: Which is Better in 2026? | App Stack Builder"
description: "Cerbos vs SpiceDB compared for 2026 — pricing, free tiers, features, pros & cons. See which authorization & permissions tool is the better fit for your startup."
source: https://appstackbuilder.com/compare/cerbos-vs-spicedb
retrieved: 2026-10-28
---

![](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=cerbos.dev&sz=128)

vs

![](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=authzed.com&sz=128)

# Cerbos vs SpiceDB: Which is Better in 2026?

Authorization & Permissions

Choosing between [Cerbos](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/cerbos) and [SpiceDB](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/spicedb)? Both are popular authorization & permissions tools. Below we compare them on pricing, free tiers, features, and pros & cons so you can pick the right fit for your stack.

Quick verdict

Both Cerbos and SpiceDB are strong authorization & permissions choices. The right pick comes down to your specific feature needs, existing stack, and team preferences.

## Cerbos vs SpiceDB — Side by Side

|                | Cerbos                                   | SpiceDB                                       |
| -------------- | ---------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- |
| Category       | Authorization & Permissions              | Authorization & Permissions                   |
| Pricing        | Free · paid from $25/mo                  | Free · then usage-based                       |
| Starting price | Free tier available                      | Free tier available                           |
| Free tier      | ✓                                        | ✓                                             |
| Rating         | 4.5                                      | 4.5                                           |
| Best for       | Authorization & Permissions — rbac, abac | Authorization & Permissions — rebac, zanzibar |

## Pros & Cons

![](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=cerbos.dev&sz=128)

[Cerbos](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/cerbos)

* ✓Free, stateless PDP that is easy to deploy
* ✓Policies as code with built-in testing
* ✓Published, usage-based Hub pricing
* ✗You pass in all attributes on each check
* ✗Relationship graphs are less natural than in Zanzibar engines
* ✗Hub Production is a big step up from Development

![](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=authzed.com&sz=128)

[SpiceDB](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/spicedb)

* ✓Most complete open-source Zanzibar implementation
* ✓Strong consistency guarantees on revocation
* ✓Several production-grade datastores
* ✗Overkill for simple role checks
* ✗Steeper learning curve than RBAC tools
* ✗Managed pricing needs a sales conversation beyond Cloud

## Key Features Compared

### Cerbos

* ✓100 monthly active principals included
* ✓5 developers, 10 PDPs
* ✓3 months of audit logs
* ✓3-month free trial

### SpiceDB

* ✓Self-hosted
* ✓Postgres, CockroachDB, Spanner, MySQL
* ✓Schema language and playground
* ✓Community support

### Choose Cerbos if…

* ✓You want a free tier to validate before paying.
* ✓Free, stateless PDP that is easy to deploy
* ✓Policies as code with built-in testing
* ✓Published, usage-based Hub pricing

[Cerbos review & pricing ](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/cerbos)

### Choose SpiceDB if…

* ✓You want a free tier to validate before paying.
* ✓Most complete open-source Zanzibar implementation
* ✓Strong consistency guarantees on revocation
* ✓Several production-grade datastores

[SpiceDB review & pricing ](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/spicedb)

## Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cerbos better than SpiceDB?⌄

Both Cerbos and SpiceDB are strong authorization & permissions choices. The right pick comes down to your specific feature needs, existing stack, and team preferences.

What is the difference between Cerbos and SpiceDB?⌄

Cerbos — Open-source (Apache-2.0) policy decision point: write RBAC and ABAC rules in YAML, run the stateless PDP next to your app for free, and add Cerbos Hub from $25 a month to manage and roll out policies. SpiceDB — Open-source (Apache-2.0) Zanzibar-style permissions database from AuthZed, used by Red Hat, IBM and GitPod. Free to self-host; AuthZed Cloud is usage-billed from about $2 an hour. Both are authorization & permissions tools; the comparison table above breaks down pricing, free tiers, and what each is best for.

Cerbos vs SpiceDB: which is cheaper?⌄

Cerbos pricing: Free · paid from $25/mo. SpiceDB pricing: Free · then usage-based. Confirm current pricing on each tool's official site, as plans change.

Which is rated higher, Cerbos or SpiceDB?⌄

In our catalog, Cerbos rates 4.5 out of 5 and SpiceDB rates 4.5 out of 5 — they are evenly matched.

See more options in our guide to the [best authorization & permissions tools for startups](https://appstackbuilder.com/categories/authorization).

## Still not sure which to pick?

Get a free, AI-powered tech stack — including the best authorization & permissions pick for your budget and team — in 60 seconds.

[Build my stack free ](https://appstackbuilder.com/build-stack)