Auth.js vs. Clerk
Auth.js
Formerly known as NextAuth. It's is an open-source authentication library originally built for NextJS. Auth.js is free to use and comes with over 80 integrations for various third-party identity providers such as Google, Facebook, Auth0, Apple etc. You can use it with your own database if you choose to. It works with MySQL, Postgres, MSSQL and MongoDB. Auth.js is compatible with Next.js, SvelteKit and SolidStart as of March 2024.
Clerk
Clerk is a comprehensive user management and authentication platform designed to streamline how developers handle user accounts within web and mobile applications. It offers a suite of embeddable UI components—such as <SignIn/>, <SignUp/>, <UserButton/>, and <UserProfile/>—that integrate seamlessly into your application without redirecting users off-site. These components are fully customizable to match your brand, making the user experience cohesive and frictionless. Under the hood, Clerk provides a robust API and SDKs compatible with modern frameworks like Next.js, Remix, React, and Expo. It handles the entire authentication lifecycle, supporting multifactor authentication (MFA), session management, passwordless sign-in (via magic links or one-time passcodes), and traditional password-based methods with breach detection. The platform also integrates social sign-on (SSO) with over 20 providers, enabling quick user onboarding while adhering to security best practices. Clerk’s securit...
Reviews
Reviews
Reviewed on 2/25/2025
Clerk is a comprehensive authentication and user management platform. It comes with embeddable UIs, APIs and admin dashboards for user management. Clerk offers official SDKs for Next.js, React, JavaScript, Node.js, Remix, Go, Gatsby, and Ruby / Rails. There are many more community SDKs for other frameworks and languages. They have a free tier of 10,000 MAUs and a $25/month Pro tier with $0.02/MAU. Enhanced authentication, with SMS auth, device tracking and revocation, simultaneous sessions and SAML authentication costs additional $100/month. Admin add-on, with user impersonation and enhanced roles is another $100/month.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Auth.js and Clerk both offer excellent integration with Next.js. Auth.js, formerly known as NextAuth, is specifically optimized for Next.js and offers over 80 integrations with third-party identity providers. It is also free to use and supports multiple databases like MySQL, Postgres, MSSQL, and MongoDB. Clerk, on the other hand, provides comprehensive authentication and user management features, including embeddable UIs, APIs, and admin dashboards. Clerk also supports a wide range of SDKs for various frameworks, including Next.js. Therefore, if you need robust user management features and can afford the cost, Clerk might be a better choice. For simpler, cost-effective solutions focused on Next.js, Auth.js is a strong contender.
Auth.js is generally more cost-effective as it is an open-source library that is free to use. Clerk offers a free tier for up to 10,000 Monthly Active Users (MAUs) and charges $25/month for the Pro tier with an additional $0.02 per MAU. Enhanced authentication features and admin add-ons each cost an additional $100/month. If you are looking for a low-cost or free solution, Auth.js would be the better option. However, Clerk provides more comprehensive features and support, which might justify the cost for larger or more complex applications.
Auth.js offers over 80 integrations with third-party identity providers such as Google, Facebook, Auth0, and Apple. Clerk also supports many integrations and provides official SDKs for Next.js, React, JavaScript, Node.js, Remix, Go, Gatsby, and Ruby/Rails, along with numerous community SDKs for other frameworks. While both platforms offer extensive integration options, Auth.js may have a slight edge in the sheer number of third-party identity providers it supports.
Clerk is specifically designed to be a comprehensive authentication and user management platform. It offers embeddable UIs, APIs, and admin dashboards for user management, along with features like SMS authentication, device tracking, and user impersonation. Auth.js, while robust in its authentication capabilities, does not offer the same level of built-in user management features as Clerk. Therefore, for applications requiring extensive user management functionalities, Clerk would be the better choice.
Auth.js, formerly known as NextAuth, is an open-source authentication library originally built for NextJS. It is free to use and offers over 80 integrations for various third-party identity providers such as Google, Facebook, Auth0, and Apple. Auth.js can also be used with your own database, supporting MySQL, Postgres, MSSQL, and MongoDB.
As of March 2024, Auth.js is compatible with Next.js, SvelteKit, and SolidStart.
Yes, you can use Auth.js with your own database. It supports MySQL, Postgres, MSSQL, and MongoDB.
Auth.js offers a variety of features including over 80 integrations with third-party identity providers like Google, Facebook, Auth0, and Apple. It is also compatible with multiple platforms such as Next.js, SvelteKit, and SolidStart, and supports various databases including MySQL, Postgres, MSSQL, and MongoDB.
Clerk is a comprehensive user management and authentication platform designed to streamline how developers handle user accounts within web and mobile applications. It offers a suite of embeddable UI components, such as <SignIn/>, <SignUp/>, <UserButton/>, and <UserProfile/>, that integrate seamlessly into applications without redirecting users off-site. Clerk also provides a robust API and SDKs compatible with modern frameworks like Next.js, Remix, React, and Expo.
Clerk includes features such as multifactor authentication (MFA), session management, passwordless sign-in, traditional password-based methods with breach detection, and social sign-on (SSO) with over 20 providers. It also offers advanced multi-tenancy features for B2B SaaS applications, allowing organization-based user management with custom roles and permissions.
Pros of Clerk include its comprehensive suite of embeddable UI components, robust API, and strong security features such as SOC 2 Type 2 certification and CCPA compliance. It also offers a free tier for up to 10,000 monthly active users, making it a scalable solution. However, some cons include the additional costs for enhanced authentication features and admin add-ons, which can add up for larger applications.
Clerk has a strong security posture that includes SOC 2 Type 2 certification and CCPA compliance. It undergoes continuous third-party audits and penetration testing. Additionally, Clerk incorporates fraud prevention measures such as disposable email blocking and machine learning-powered bot detection to reduce spam and abusive sign-ups.
Clerk offers a free tier for up to 10,000 monthly active users. For additional features, there is a Pro tier priced at $25 per month with a cost of $0.02 per additional monthly active user. Enhanced authentication features and admin add-ons are available for an additional $100 per month each.
