Casdoor vs Apereo CAS

A CAS server with user management built in

Apereo CAS is the reference CAS server: a Java and Spring Boot application, built as a WAR overlay, that signs users in against your existing directories. Casdoor speaks the same CAS 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 protocol, and also stores users, lets them sign up, and comes with an admin console and a managed cloud.

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Casdoor and Apereo CAS at a glance

	Casdoor	Apereo CAS
Source code	Open source (Apache-2.0)	Open source (Apache-2.0), governed by the Apereo Foundation
How you deploy it	A single Go binary or Docker image with a SQL database, or Casdoor Cloud	Build a WAR overlay project with Gradle on JDK 25, then run it with its embedded servlet container or Tomcat; the Docker images are mostly meant as quickstarts
Users	Stored in Casdoor, with sign-up, profiles and an admin console; can also sync from LDAP, Active Directory and others	Kept in a system of record such as LDAP, Active Directory or a database; its docs say CAS is not an identity management solution
Protocols	OAuth 2.0, OIDC, SAML, CAS, LDAP, RADIUS and SCIM	CAS, SAML 1.1 and 2.0, OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, WS-Federation and REST
Commercial support and hosting	From the Casdoor team; Casdoor Cloud from $24/month billed yearly	Through third-party companies listed on the CAS support page

Information about Apereo CAS is from its public website as of October 2026 (Apereo CAS on GitHub, CAS installation requirements, CAS WAR overlay installation, CAS Docker installation, CAS supported protocols, CAS account registration, CAS support, Apereo CAS project) and may have changed. Apereo CAS is a trademark of its owner.

Why teams choose Casdoor

No build step

Run the released binary or image and configure everything in the web console, instead of maintaining a Gradle overlay project.

User management included

Users can sign up, reset passwords and set up MFA themselves, and admins manage them in a web console.

Serves LDAP and RADIUS

Casdoor can itself be the LDAP server for apps and the RADIUS server for VPNs and Wi-Fi, from the same accounts.

Don't want to run it?

Casdoor Cloud gives you a dedicated instance and database from $24/month billed yearly, upgraded by the team that builds Casdoor.

When Apereo CAS may fit better

You run Java and want to customize the server's code through Spring, with the widest range of authentication handlers and MFA providers such as Duo.
You need WS-Federation or SAML 1.1, or your team already maintains a CAS overlay.

Moving from Apereo CAS to Casdoor

Casdoor is a CAS server for CAS 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0, including proxy tickets, so CAS clients only need a new server URL: Casdoor serves `/login`, `/serviceValidate`, `/p3/serviceValidate` and the other endpoints under `/cas/<organization>/<application>`. Connect Casdoor to the same LDAP or Active Directory with a syncer, or import users, then move services over one at a time.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is Casdoor compatible with existing CAS clients?

Yes. Casdoor implements the CAS 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 protocols, including proxy authentication, so a standard CAS client, such as the Apereo Java CAS client, works by pointing it at Casdoor's CAS URL. Add each service URL to the application's redirect URLs.

Can Casdoor use our LDAP or Active Directory like CAS does?

Yes. Casdoor can authenticate users against LDAP and sync users and groups from LDAP, Active Directory, Entra ID, Google Workspace and other directories, and it can also hold users itself.

Is Apereo CAS only for universities?

No. CAS started in higher education and is still common there, but Apereo describes users in government, finance, healthcare and other industries.

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