Authentication APIs (per MAU): pricing compared
4 providers · normalized per MAU after free tier · June 2026 snapshot
Authentication and identity APIs handle sign-up, login, MFA and SSO. They are priced per monthly active user (MAU) after a free allowance. The two numbers that matter are the size of the free MAU tier and the incremental cost per MAU beyond it. On its headline metric, Supabase Auth is generally the cheapest (Free to 50,000 MAU, then ~$0.00325 per MAU), but the best value depends on your volume and feature needs.
Source: Vendor published pricing pages. Data as of June 2026.
Authentication APIs (per MAU) compared
| Provider | Free MAU tier | After free tier | Owner | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AWS Cognito | Free up to 50,000 monthly active users (MAU) on the Lite tier. | Free to 50,000 MAU, then ~$0.0055 per MAU (first paid tier) | Amazon Web Services | AWS-native apps that want the cheapest per-MAU auth and don't mind a rougher developer experience. |
| Auth0 | Free up to 25,000 monthly active users (MAU). | Free to 25,000 MAU, then paid tiers | Okta | Companies that need enterprise SSO, fine-grained features and Okta's compliance posture. |
| Supabase Auth | Free up to 50,000 monthly active users (MAU) on the Free plan. | Free to 50,000 MAU, then ~$0.00325 per MAU | Supabase | Teams already building on Supabase/Postgres who want auth bundled with their backend. |
| Clerk | Free up to 10,000 monthly active users (MAU). | Free to 10,000 MAU, then ~$0.02 per MAU | Clerk | Modern React/Next.js apps that want drop-in, prebuilt auth UI components. |
Vendor pricing as of June 2026 — verify on the vendor pricing page. We compare the free MAU allowance and the first paid per-MAU rate. Note that advanced features (enterprise SSO, advanced MFA, B2B orgs) are usually paid add-ons that raise the real cost beyond the headline per-MAU rate.
How we compare
We compare the free MAU allowance and the first paid per-MAU rate. Note that advanced features (enterprise SSO, advanced MFA, B2B orgs) are usually paid add-ons that raise the real cost beyond the headline per-MAU rate.
Provider notes
AWS Cognito — Free to 50,000 MAU, then ~$0.0055 per MAU (first paid tier)
Cheapest per-MAU after the free tier and the largest AWS free allowance, but the DX and prebuilt UI lag the dedicated products. Advanced security (threat protection) is an extra per-MAU charge.
Free tier: Free up to 50,000 monthly active users (MAU) on the Lite tier.
Auth0 — Free to 25,000 MAU, then paid tiers
Most generous free MAU tier of the group, but paid plans get expensive and feature-gated quickly (e.g. enterprise connections, advanced MFA). Owned by Okta.
Free tier: Free up to 25,000 monthly active users (MAU).
Supabase Auth — Free to 50,000 MAU, then ~$0.00325 per MAU
Lowest add-on per-MAU rate, but it comes with the platform rather than as a standalone auth product. Best value when you're already on Supabase.
Free tier: Free up to 50,000 monthly active users (MAU) on the Free plan.
Clerk — Free to 10,000 MAU, then ~$0.02 per MAU
Developer-favorite for prebuilt UI and great DX. Per-MAU pricing is transparent and predictable; add-ons increase the real cost.
Free tier: Free up to 10,000 monthly active users (MAU).
Head-to-head matchups
- Auth0 vs Clerk — cheaper on price: Auth0
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest authentication API in 2026?
Supabase Auth is generally the cheapest authentication option on its headline metric (Free to 50,000 MAU, then ~$0.00325 per MAU). The best value depends on your volume and feature needs — We compare the free MAU allowance and the first paid per-MAU rate. Note that advanced features (enterprise SSO, advanced MFA, B2B orgs) are usually paid add-ons that raise the real cost beyond the headline per-MAU rate.
How do you compare authentication API pricing fairly?
We normalize each provider to a common unit (per MAU after free tier). We compare the free MAU allowance and the first paid per-MAU rate. Note that advanced features (enterprise SSO, advanced MFA, B2B orgs) are usually paid add-ons that raise the real cost beyond the headline per-MAU rate. Always confirm current pricing on the vendor's page, since rates change.
Source & accuracy
Each figure is a snapshot of the named vendor's public pricing page, captured in June 2026. Trademarks belong to their owners. API pricing changes frequently — verify on the vendor's pricing page before relying on these numbers. Derived figures are computed with the transparent formulas described in our methodology.
Last updated: 2026-06-18