Better Auth vs Okta
Better Auth and Okta are both security & identity tools. Better Auth is aimed at developers, while Okta is aimed at enterprise and small businesses. Okta costs less, from $6/mo versus $20/mo for Better Auth. Only Better Auth has a free plan.
Framework-agnostic TypeScript authentication
Enterprise identity platform for SSO, MFA and user lifecycle
| Pricing | Open source · $20 | Paid · $6 |
| Starting price | $20/mo | $6/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Free trial | — | 30 days |
| Built for | Developers | Enterprise, Small businesses, Developers |
| Platforms | web | web, macos, windows, ios, android |
| Country | US · 2024 | US · 2009 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Better Auth if
TypeScript developers who want complete ownership and flexibility without paying per user.
- Free and MIT licensed; you own user data
- Comprehensive plugin set rivals hosted providers
- Excellent TypeScript DX
Look elsewhere if: Teams that want hosted UI and zero maintenance (Clerk) or heavy enterprise SSO today (Auth0).
Choose Okta if
Mid-sized and large companies with many SaaS apps that need central SSO, MFA and automated joiner, mover and leaver processes.
- Largest catalog of prebuilt SSO and provisioning integrations
- Vendor-neutral, works well across Microsoft, Google and AWS
- Mature lifecycle automation that speeds onboarding and offboarding
Look elsewhere if: Very small teams or those fully on Microsoft 365 (Microsoft Entra ID, Keycloak, 1Password).
Better Auth vs Okta pricing
Better Auth
- Open source$0MIT library, self-hosted, no per-user fees
- Starter$0Managed infra: 1 dashboard seat, 10k audit logs/mo
- Pro$20/moUnlimited seats, 20k audit logs/mo, 1 SSO connection
- EnterpriseCustomCustom limits, log drain, Slack support
Okta
- Starter$6/user/moBilled annually; SSO, MFA, Universal Directory, 5 Workflows
- Core Essentials$14/user/moBilled annually; mid-tier bundle between Starter and Essentials
- Essentials$17/user/moBilled annually; Adaptive MFA, lifecycle, governance, 50 Workflows
- Professional / EnterpriseCustomDevice Access, ITDR, ISPM, API Access Management
- Customer Identity$3,000/moEnterprise base platform, billed annually
Better Auth · Key features
- Email/password, OAuth, magic link, passkeys and OTP
- Plugins: organizations, teams, 2FA, admin, multi-session, API keys
- Database adapters for Drizzle, Prisma, Kysely and more
- Framework integrations: Next.js, Nuxt, SvelteKit, Hono, Express
- Typed client hooks for React, Vue and Svelte
- Rate limiting, session management and CLI migrations
Cons
- You host and secure it yourself
- No prebuilt UI components (bring your own)
- Younger project; APIs still evolving
Okta · Key features
- Single sign-on to thousands of apps via the Okta Integration Network
- Adaptive MFA with Okta Verify push, biometrics and FastPass
- Universal Directory that syncs users from AD, LDAP and HR systems
- Lifecycle management for automatic provisioning and deprovisioning
- No-code Okta Workflows for identity automation
- Identity governance, access reviews and privileged access
Cons
- $1,500 annual minimum rules out very small teams
- Many capabilities are add-ons, so real costs exceed list prices
- Professional and Enterprise tiers are quote-only
Better Auth vs Okta: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Better Auth or Okta?
Okta starts at $6/mo and Better Auth at $20/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Better Auth and Okta have a free plan?
Better Auth has a free plan. Okta has no free plan, a 30-day free trial.
Which is better for small businesses, Better Auth or Okta?
Okta lists small businesses as a core audience, while Better Auth is aimed more at developers.