adds clerk alternatives

content/clerk-alternatives/index.md

@@ -0,0 +1,295 @@
+---
+title: "Clerk Alternatives: Ceding vs. Owning UAM Control"
+description: "An in depth guide covering Auth0's pricing model"
+date: "2024-06-28"
+cover: "clerk-alternatives.png"
+category: "featured"
+author: "Dejan Lukic"
+---
+
+## Table of Content
+
+- [When To Use Clerk vs. Another Authentication Software](#when-to-use-clerk-vs-another-authentication-software)
+- [5 Clerk Alternatives For More Customizable User Authentication](#5-clerk-alternatives-for-more-customizable-user-authentication)
+- [Clerk Alternatives: Comparing Implementation, Features, & Pricing](#clerk-alternativces)
+- [Prioritizing Front-End vs. Back-End Customization](#prioritizing-front-end-vs-back-end-customization)
+- [Understanding Team Needs When Choosing UAM Software](#understanding-team-needs-when-choosing-uam-software)
+- [Conclusion](#conclusion)
+
+## When To Use Clerk vs. Another Authentication Software
+
+Clerk is a complete authentication and user-management suite, with API-first and well-documented SDKs. Clerk focuses heavily on pre-built components, allowing end users to ship auth-ready products rapidly.
+
+Clerk stands out with its developer-centric approach, simplicity, and focus on enhancing the UX. Startups and SMBs will find Clerk the most suitable for their use cases where quick integration, iteration, and customizable authentication processes are a priority.
+
+However, enterprises needing broader identity management capabilities or handling very high user volumes should look for alternatives.
+
+## 5 Clerk Alternatives For More Customizable User Authentication
+
+In the current sea of UAM solutions, distinguishing between UAMs hinges not only on their set of features but also on factors such as competitive pricing, rapid setup capabilities, extensive customization choices, and seamless migration opportunities.
+
+This article will guide you into each of these crucial aspects, offering concise insights into the offerings of 5 Clerk alternatives.
+
+### Feature & Pricing Comparison: Clerk vs. SuperTokens
+
+SuperTokens differs from the vast majority of authentication providers by being completely open-source and modular, meaning you take what you need, and leave unnecessary features behind, making it easier to implement just the things you need.
+
+**Pricing**
+
+- **Self-hosted** version is completely free with no user limitations whatsoever.
+- **The cloud** version includes 5,000 MAU for free and is priced at $0.02 per MAU after 5,000 users.
+- SuperTokens offers paid add-ons like:
+  - [Multi-factor authentication (MFA)](https://supertokens.com/blog/mfa-best-practices)
+  - Account linking
+  - [Multi-tenancy](https://supertokens.com/blog/multi-tenancy-in-2024) and such.
+- See detailed [SuperTokens pricing](https://supertokens.com/pricing).
+
+**Setup time & Complexity**
+
+- SuperTokens can be set up in a few minutes, with automatic setup using CLI.
+- The self-hosted version can be deployed within 10 minutes.
+- There are plenty of [setup guides](https://supertokens.com/docs/guides\) for different use cases with SuperTokens that you might find useful.
+
+**Open-source & Licensing**
+
+- SuperTokens is completely open-source with over 12k stars on [GitHub](https://github.com/supertokens/supertokens-core) and 25+ contributors at the time of writing.
+- It’s licensed under Apache License 2.0. In short, Apache License 2.0 is a permissive open-source license that allows users to freely use, modify, and distribute software for any purpose, with the requirement that any modifications to the original code are documented. It also includes a patent grant, providing users with assurance against patent claims from contributors to the project.
+
+**Data Migration Options**
+
+- SuperTokens supports user data migration, session migration, and MFA migration out of the box. See a detailed overview of [SuperTokens migration support](https://supertokens.com/docs/migration).
+
+**Hosting Options**
+
+- Cloud & self-hosted.
+
+**Size of the Company**
+
+- It is also one of the fastest growing open-source startups as covered by ROSS Annual 2022 Index.
+
+**Security Features**
+
+- SuperTokens is AICPA SOC 2 Type-II compliant, with [extensive policy controls](https://security.supertokens.com/), with a 99.99% uptime covered by Instatus.
+
+SuperTokens extensibility and flexibility to be self-hosted or be used with it's managed service are it's main selling points. The affordable pricing coupled with the opensource nature of the product make it a compelling offering.
+
+### Feature & Pricing Comparison: Clerk vs. Cognito
+- Cognito is part of the already huge ecosystem of Amazon Web Services. While it is neat to have it with your existing AWS stack, keeping all of your eggs in one basket isn’t something you’d do for auth.
+
+**Pricing**
+
+- Free 50,000 monthly active users (MAU), with $0.0055/MAU afterwards, making it cheaper than most providers.
+- Additional costing is required for additional security features like compromised credentials detection, adaptive authentication, advanced security metrics, and access token customization.
+
+**Setup time & Complexity**
+
+- Although Cognito may seem trivial to setup in a testing envioronment, it can be hassele in high traffic productions environments. This coupled with bad documentation make it difficult to figure out how and why thigns are breaking.
+
+**Hosting Options**
+
+- Cloud only.
+
+**Size of the Company**
+
+- Created by Amazon
+
+**Security Features**
+
+- A complete list of complainace information about Clerk can be found [here]https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cognito/latest/developerguide/compliance-validation.html
+
+### Feature & Pricing Comparison: Clerk vs. Auth0
+
+Auth0 was previously known and loved as a preferred CIAM platform with a wide range of specific features that cater to different use cases and industries.
+
+Nonetheless, following its acquisition by Okta in 2021, developers have noticed the usual pattern when startups get acquired when a surge for profit outweighs customer needs and since started exploring alternative solutions, citing concerns regarding pricing (a 300% increase), and a need for enhanced customization, and perceived support shortcomings.
+
+**Pricing**
+
+- The free plan includes 7,500 MAU. Auth0 differentiates its plans as B2B and B2C.
+  - **B2C:**
+    - $35 - $240 per month for 500 MAU
+    - $70 - $240 per month for 1,000 MAU
+    - $175 - $545 per month for 2,500 MAU
+    - and so on…
+  - **B2B:**
+    - $150 - $800 per month for 500 MAU
+    - $300 - $800 per month for 1,000 MAU
+    - $700 - $1,200 per month for 2,500 MAU
+    - and so on…
+
+**Setup time & Complexity**
+
+- Auth0 can be set up within a few minutes. It also features pretty comprehensive documentation.
+
+**Open-source & Licensing**
+
+- The core is closed-source with the ability to connect to an external database.
+
+**Data Migration Options**
+
+- Extensive methods of user migration (provide links); automatic migrations; trickle migration support; user import/export extension.
+
+**Hosting Options**
+
+- Cloud & on isolated private deployment.
+
+**Size of the Company**
+
+- Enterprise, with the latest $120M funding, valuing the company at $1.92B.
+
+**Security Features**
+
+- Auth0’s security, privacy & compliance:
+  - Can provide HIPAA BAA & PCI compliance
+  - SOC 2 Type-II compliant
+  - ISO27001 certified
+  - ISO27018 certified
+  - Gold Star CSA Level 2 Audit certified
+  - PCI DSS compliance
+  - GDPR compliance
+
+Auth0 is a great tool for specific or complex use cases that require multiple layers of abstraction. If you’re just starting out with, let’s say a simple SaaS, Auth0 might have unnecessary overhead for you.
+
+### Feature & Pricing Comparison: Clerk vs. Stytch
+
+Stych comes as a feature-packed Swiss army knife covering both user management and fraud & risk prevention. Stytch focuses on B2B authentication, with superior documentation and support both from the company and the community.
+
+**Pricing**
+
+- The free plan includes:
+  - 25 organizations
+  - 1,000 MAU
+  - 1,000 machine-to-machine (M2M) tokens
+- Pricing ranges from $249 - $799 per month for the following:
+  - 25 - 100 organizations
+  - 1,000 - 7,500 MAU
+  - 5,000 machine-to-machine (M2M) tokens
+- Additional pricing:
+  - $0.50 per organization
+  - $0.05 per MAU
+  - $0.005 per M2M token
+
+**Setup time & Complexity**
+
+- Stytch can be set up in less than an hour.
+
+**Open-source & Licensing**
+
+- Closed-source; no control over data hosting.
+
+**Data Migration Options**
+
+- Stytch has support for: static data migration strategy, dynamic data migration strategy Migrating authentication related logic.
+
+**Hosting Options**
+
+- Cloud-only.
+
+**Size of the Company**
+
+- Startup, valued at over $1B.
+
+**Security Features**
+
+- Stytch’s security, privacy & compliance:
+  - ISO27001 certified
+  - ISO27018 certified
+  - SOC 2 Type-II compliant
+  - GDPR & CCPA compliance
+
+Similar to Clerk, with a focus on passwordless authentication, Stytch is also favored for increased customer conversions and simpler UI. It has a good balance between complexity and feature-rich set, so it may apply to a greater range of use cases.
+
+### Feature & Pricing Comparison: Clerk vs. Frontegg
+
+At first, by reading the name you wouldn’t think this provider has anything to do with user authentication, but it very much does. Jokes aside, Frontegg is another B2B-centered user management platform featuring a straightforward, “step” based setup.
+
+**Pricing**
+
+- The “Free forever” plan includes:
+  - 50 tenants
+  - 7,500 MAU
+  - 5 SSO
+- Other pricing plans require a sales call.
+
+**Setup time & Complexity**
+
+- Less than an hour, Frontegg promises that it's “operational in hours, not months”.
+
+**Open-source & Licensing**
+
+- Closed-source, no control over data.
+
+**Data Migration Options**
+
+- Frontegg has support for data migration from other auth providers out-of-the-box, with additional support for:
+  - Bcrypt passwords
+  - Scrypt passwords
+  - Firebase passwords
+  - Pbkdf2 and Pbkdf2 from Keycloak
+  - Bulk user migration
+
+**Hosting Options**
+
+- Cloud-only. Enterprise can be self-hosted. No SLA.
+
+**Size of the Company**
+
+- Startup, with over $70M in funding.
+
+**Security Features**
+
+- Frontegg’s security, privacy & compliance:
+  - ISO27001 certified
+  - ISO27018 certified
+  - SOC 2 Type-II compliant
+  - GDPR & CCPA compliance
+
+Frontegg’s absolute best benefit is the “free forever” plan. With most of the tools in this list, Frontegg is also heavily B2B and enterprise-focused, but that shouldn’t stop other consumers from using Frontegg as its less laser-focused feature set is sufficient for other use cases.
+
+## Understanding Team Needs When Choosing UAM Software
+
+When embarking on the journey of selecting UAM solutions for your project, it’s important to align the choice with the specific needs and dynamics of the project, and your team.
+
+This decision hinges on several key considerations, whether you need features like MFA, or heavy focus on developer experience (DevEx), business logic applicability and the choice between managed and self-hosted solutions.
+
+DevEx plays a crucial role in the effectiveness and efficiency of UAM solution integration. A seamless integration process not only enhances productivity but also reduces potential technical debt. Evaluating UAM solutions based on tier DevEx involves assessing factors such as API documentation quality, ease of SDK integration, and community support.
+
+The applicability of the UAM solution to your business logic is also something to consider. Consider whether the UAM supports the features your application needs and if that reflects your business logic needs. The ability to customize workflows and user permissions to match business processes is essential for ensuring smooth operations and compliance.
+
+### When To Use Managed Vs. Self-Hosted Software
+
+One of the fundamental decisions in choosing a UAM is between choosing managed and self-hosted solutions.
+
+Managed services, offered by cloud providers or similar vendors, provide the convenience of updates, maintenance, and scalability - all handled by the provider. This option is ideal for users who prioritize ease of implementation and operational simplicity.
+
+Conversely, self-hosted solutions offer greater control over infrastructure and data, appealing to users with stringent security requirements or specific regulatory compliance needs. While offering more customization and potentially lower long-term costs, self-hosted solutions will require dedicated technical resources for maintenance, development and security updates.
+
+### Do You Need Implementation Ease Or More Control?
+
+The decision between implementations ease and control over the UAM solution is a balance between factors like team expertise, resources, and scalability requirements.
+
+A team which needs rapid deployment and minimal upfront investment may lean towards managed solutions. On the other hand, organizations preferring extensive customization and data sovereignty tend to opt for self-hosted alternatives.
+
+### Choosing Speed Or Customization
+
+Choosing between speed and customization revolves around the urgency of deployment and the degree of tailored functionality required. Managed UAM solutions typically offer quicker implementation timelines.
+
+Comparatively, self-hosted solutions enable deeper customization, at the cost of time and resources. Most of the self-hosted solutions now offer “one-click” installation, reducing the time-to-market.
+
+## Prioritizing Front-End vs. Back-End Customization
+
+Front-end and back-end customization considerations depend on how deeply UAM integrates within existing applications and interfaces. Managed solutions often provide sleek front-end customization options, such as branding, user interface adjustments, social login, and internationalization to mention a few. All of that adds up to great user experience.
+
+In contrast, self-hosted solutions allow you to customize the back end, allowing for custom-tailored authentication workflows, database integrations, and security enhancements.
+
+Real-world use cases might differ, though. For instance, a startup with a limited budget might prioritize a managed UAM solution for rapid deployment and scalability.
+
+## Conclusion
+
+Understanding your team, project and business needs are the factors that go into consideration when selecting the right UAM solution.
+
+After reading this article, you should be able to evaluate the trade-offs between managed and self-hosted solutions, and balancing factors like implementation ease, customization requirements, and integration capabilities.
+
+Combining the best from both worlds of open-source software and managed UAM solutions - SuperTokens is the go-to choice for any startup or even a larger company.
+
+SuperTokens is completely open-source, self-hostable (available on the cloud, too), and free from vendor lock-in. And did we mention it’s fully customizable? Spin up a SuperTokens instance in a few minutes [here](https://supertokens.com).

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