TL;DR
Clerk for best developer experience. Auth0 for enterprise requirements. Supabase Auth if you're already on Supabase.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Clerk | Auth0 | Supabase Auth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free-$25/mo | Free-$23/mo | Free with Supabase |
| DX | Excellent | Good | Good |
| UI components | Pre-built | Custom | Custom |
| Social login | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Enterprise SSO | No | Yes | No |
1. Clerk
Best developer experience with pre-built UI components, user management dashboard, and Next.js integration. Drop-in auth that looks professional out of the box.
2. Auth0
Okta-owned enterprise auth platform. SSO, SAML, advanced security rules, and compliance certifications. Overkill for early-stage but essential for enterprise sales.
3. Supabase Auth
Built into Supabase platform. Email, OAuth, magic links, and phone auth. Free with your Supabase project. Good enough for most MVPs if you're already using Supabase.
How We Chose These Tools
We evaluated developer experience, pricing, UI quality, security features, and integration with popular startup stacks.
Key Takeaways
- Most startups: Clerk.
- Already on Supabase: Supabase Auth.
- Enterprise customers: Auth0.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I ever build auth myself?+
No. Security risk and wasted time. Use a provider from day one.