Keel vs Open Policy Agent: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Keel and Open Policy Agent side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Keel
Enforce action-level rules before AI agents execute calls
Best for you if:
- • Teams whose agents take consequential actions (payments, writes, messages) and who must show afterward that each action was authorized
Open Policy Agent
Unify policy enforcement across your entire software stack with a high-performance policy engine.
Best for you if:
- • You want unifies policy enforcement across diverse systems
| At a Glance | Keel | Open Policy Agent |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free 100% free | Free 100% free |
Category | Security Identity & Access | Security DevOps |
Rating | n/a | n/a |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Choose Keel or Open Policy Agent?
Choose Keel if
- Teams whose agents take consequential actions (payments, writes, messages) and who must show afterward that each action was authorized
- You want decides on the specific action and its arguments, not just the agent's identity
- You want a review holds the action until a person approves that exact request
Choose Open Policy Agent if
- You want unifies policy enforcement across diverse systems
- You want enhances developer productivity by externalizing policy
In-Depth Analysis
Keel
Enforce action-level rules before AI agents execute calls
Keel is currently free with no paid tiers, which is extremely generous compared to competitors that charge per seat or per action.
Strengths
- Pro: Decides on the specific action and its arguments, not just the agent's identity
- Pro: A review holds the action until a person approves that exact request
- Pro: Works alongside your identity provider, gateway and observability tools
- Pro: Open AI Permit specification (Apache-2.0) and MIT-licensed verifier
Weaknesses
- Con: Covers only actions routed through Keel; agents and tools it can't see aren't governed
- Con: Requires integrating Keel's SDK or API; it isn't a drop-in agent
- Con: A product from a small team
Key features
Open Policy Agent
Unify policy enforcement across your entire software stack with a high-performance policy engine.
Strengths
- Pro: Unifies policy enforcement across diverse systems
- Pro: Enhances developer productivity by externalizing policy
- Pro: Provides detailed audit trails for compliance and debugging
- Pro: High performance due to Rego language and in-memory data processing
- Pro: Flexible and extensible for a wide range of use cases
Weaknesses
- Con: Requires learning a new declarative language (Rego)
- Con: Initial setup and integration can be complex for new users
- Con: Policy management can become intricate for very large and complex organizations
Key features
Key Takeaways
Keel
- Choose if you want enforce action-level rules before AI agents execute calls
Open Policy Agent
- Choose if you want unify policy enforcement across your entire software stack with a high-performance policy engine
What the data shows
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
- Both have a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Keel and Open Policy Agent compare in 2026?
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair. Both have a free plan.
What are Keel and Open Policy Agent used for?
Keel: Enforce action-level rules before AI agents execute calls. Open Policy Agent: Unify policy enforcement across your entire software stack with a high-performance policy engine.
What does Keel cost vs Open Policy Agent?
Keel is free. Open Policy Agent is free.
What's the main difference between Keel and Open Policy Agent?
Keel's main strength: decides on the specific action and its arguments, not just the agent's identity. Open Policy Agent's main strength: unifies policy enforcement across diverse systems.