Overview
Auth0 is a cloud-based identity platform that abstracts away the complexity of implementing authentication and authorization, allowing developers to focus on building their core product. Founded in 2013 and backed by Okta, Auth0 provides enterprise-grade security without the enterprise price tag for bootstrapped founders.
For solo developers building SaaS applications, Auth0's free tier is remarkably generous: 25,000 monthly active users without requiring a credit card. This is enough to launch and grow most early-stage products. The startup program adds even more value, granting 100,000 free MAU for the first year, effectively giving solo founders free authentication for their critical growth period.
Auth0's comprehensive feature set includes 30+ pre-built social login providers, multi-factor authentication, and enterprise connections like SAML and LDAP. The platform handles all the security concerns modern applications require, from breached password detection to bot protection and real-time threat intelligence. With excellent SDKs across multiple languages and frameworks, integrating Auth0 is straightforward. For solo developers who want to ship quickly without worrying about authentication infrastructure, Auth0 is a smart choice that scales from MVP to millions of users.
Pricing
Free
- 25,000 Monthly Active Users
- Single Sign-On (SSO)
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Role-based access control (RBAC)
- +3 more features
Essential (B2C)
- Everything in Free
- Enterprise connections (SAML, LDAP, AD)
- Breached password detection
- Bot protection
- +3 more features
Essential (B2B)
- Everything in Essential B2C
- Enhanced enterprise features
- Priority support
Professional (B2C)
- Everything in Essential B2C
- 1,000 Monthly Active Users
- Real-time threat intelligence
- Adaptive authentication
- +2 more features
Professional (B2B)
- Everything in Professional B2C
- B2B-specific features
- Enhanced compliance
- Dedicated support
Enterprise
- Unlimited Monthly Active Users
- Custom resource limits
- 24/7 priority support
- SLA guarantee
- +3 more features
Startup Program
- 100,000 Monthly Active Users
- Free for 1 year
- All Enterprise features
- For qualified Y Combinator startups
Free tier includes 25,000 Monthly Active Users. Essential plan starts at $35/month (B2C) for 500 MAU or $150/month (B2B). Professional plan from $240/month (B2C) or $800/month (B2B) for 1,000 MAU. Enterprise custom pricing. Startup program available: free for 1 year with 100k MAU.
Best for: Startups, Software developers, SaaS companies, Enterprises, Mobile app developers, B2B companies, B2C platforms, Healthcare organizations
The Good
- Comprehensive authentication features out of the box
- Excellent developer experience with SDKs
- Free tier for development
- 30+ built-in social login providers
- Strong security features (MFA, breached password detection, bot protection)
- Flexible deployment (cloud-hosted)
- Good documentation and community support
- Enterprise-grade reliability
The Bad
- Expensive pricing model for growing companies (growth penalty)
- Usage-based billing can become unpredictable
- Limited fine-grained RBAC compared to some alternatives
- Potential vendor lock-in after acquisition by Okta
- Customer support quality concerns
- Limited data residency options
Best For
Startups, Software developers, SaaS companies, Enterprises, Mobile app developers, B2B companies, B2C platforms, Healthcare organizations
Auth0's free tier grants 25,000 monthly active users with no credit card required, perfect for solo developers launching SaaS products. The startup program provides 100k free MAU for a year, making professional-grade authentication affordable for bootstrapped founders without vendor lock-in worries.
Key Features
- 0125,000 free MAU (no credit card)
- 0230+ built-in social login providers
- 03Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- 04Single Sign-On (SSO) and enterprise connections
- 05Breached password detection and bot protection
- 06Real-time threat intelligence and adaptive auth
Integrations
Use Cases
- SaaS application authentication
- Mobile app authentication
- Enterprise SSO
- B2B identity management
- Customer identity and access management (CIAM)
- Workforce identity management
- API security
- Microservices authentication
Alternatives
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