Softwr

Technology · head to head

Auth0 vs Chainguard

Auth0 logo

Auth0

Technology

Secure access for everyone

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Chainguard logo

Chainguard

Cybersecurity

Secure-by-default open source software with hardened container images and libraries

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Auth0 free tier limited to 25,000 monthly active users, requiring upgrade for growth beyond that; Chainguard containers Catalog at 19,000 USD/year expensive for teams under 10 people
  • They diverge on capability: Auth0 covers Universal login, Chainguard covers Hardened container images.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Auth0 and Chainguard actually diverge.

Attributes where Auth0 and Chainguard differ
AttributeAuth0Chainguard
Pricing modelUnknownLicensing by artifact type and team size
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidCloud, Container, VM
CategoryTechnologyCybersecurity
Founded2013Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Auth0

  • Universal login
  • Social login
  • Multi-factor authentication
  • Passwordless
  • User management
  • Anomaly detection
  • Extensibility
  • Machine to machine

Only in Chainguard

  • Hardened container images
  • CVE remediation SLA
  • SLSA L2/L3 builds
  • Sigstore signatures
  • SBOM generation
  • Language libraries
  • VM images
  • Artifact scanning

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Auth0

  • B2C authenticationnot Chainguard
  • B2B authenticationnot Chainguard
  • B2E authenticationnot Chainguard
  • API securitynot Chainguard
  • Mobile app securitynot Chainguard

Chainguard

  • Deploying hardened container images with minimal attack surfacenot Auth0
  • Meeting supply chain security requirements for regulated industriesnot Auth0
  • Reducing CVE exposure with contractual remediation guaranteesnot Auth0
  • Building secure language packages with automatic backportsnot Auth0
  • Verifying artifact provenance with Sigstore signaturesnot Auth0

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Auth0

  • Free tier limited to 25,000 monthly active users, requiring upgrade for growth beyond that
  • Advanced features like MFA and RBAC only available on paid Essentials tier and above
  • Ownership by Okta introduces risk that independent product roadmap may change

Chainguard

  • Containers Catalog at 19,000 USD/year expensive for teams under 10 people
  • Per-image pricing for containers requires custom quotes with no transparency
  • Free tier limited to 5 container images for testing
  • Libraries pricing by ecosystem and developer count lacks transparent per-developer cost
  • VM image catalog pricing opacity makes cost estimation difficult

Pricing, plan by plan

Auth0

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 25,000 monthly active users
    • Basic authentication
    • Email/password login
  • Essentials (B2C)$35/month
    • Unlimited MAUs beyond free tier
    • Multi-Factor Authentication
    • Role-Based Access Control
  • Professional (B2C)$240/month
    • All Essentials features
    • Advanced security
    • Custom branding

Chainguard

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • Five container images to test and deploy
  • Containers Per-Image$undefined/custom
    • Licensed by quantity and type
    • Base images, application images, AI/ML images, FIPS variants
    • Custom pricing per image
  • Containers Catalog$19000/year
    • For 10-person engineering teams
    • 2,000+ container images
    • Contractual CVE remediation SLAs
  • Libraries Licensing$undefined/custom
    • Licensed by ecosystem (Python, Java, JavaScript)
    • Licensed by developer count
    • Unlimited pulls with no metering

Which should you pick?

Choose Auth0 if

  • You need universal login.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want social login.
Auth0 review

Choose Chainguard if

  • You need hardened container images.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Container, VM.
  • You also want cve remediation sla.
Chainguard review

Questions people ask

Is Auth0 or Chainguard better?
Neither clearly leads. Auth0 starts at Free and Chainguard at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Auth0 or Chainguard?
Auth0 starts at Free and Chainguard at Free.
Does Auth0 or Chainguard run on more platforms?
Auth0 runs on Web, iOS, Android. Chainguard runs on Cloud, Container, VM.
Can I use Auth0 for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Auth0 best used for?
Auth0 is most often used for b2c authentication, b2b authentication, b2e authentication, api security. Of those, b2c authentication and b2b authentication are not what Chainguard is typically brought in for.
What can Auth0 do that Chainguard cannot?
Auth0 covers Universal login, Social login, Multi-factor authentication, Passwordless. Chainguard covers Hardened container images, CVE remediation SLA, SLSA L2/L3 builds, Sigstore signatures.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Auth0: How much does Auth0 cost?

Auth0 has a Free tier for up to 25,000 monthly active users (MAUs). Paid plans start at $35/month (Essentials B2C) and scale to $240/month (Professional B2C) and higher for Enterprise. Pricing scales with MAU usage.

Source
Chainguard: How much is the Chainguard Containers Catalog?

The Containers Catalog is 19,000 USD per year for 10-person engineering teams, providing access to 2,000+ hardened container images.

Source
Auth0: Does Auth0 include Multi-Factor Authentication?

No. MFA, RBAC (Role-Based Access Control), and premium support are not included in the free tier and require upgrading to paid Essentials plans or higher.

Source
Chainguard: What SLAs does Chainguard offer?

Chainguard provides contractual CVE remediation SLAs: 7 days for critical vulnerabilities, 14 days for high/medium/low severity, all with priority support.

Source
Auth0: Is Auth0 independent or part of a larger company?

Auth0 was acquired by Okta in May 2021 for $6.5 billion. It now operates as a subsidiary business unit within Okta, but maintains its own brand and operations.

Source
Chainguard: Can I try Chainguard before purchasing?

Yes. The free tier includes five container images for testing and deployment, allowing hands-on evaluation.

Source
Auth0: Who should use Auth0 vs Okta?

Auth0 is developer-focused and serves customer identity use cases (B2C). Okta serves workforce identity (B2B) and has broader enterprise features. Auth0 now serves both markets post-acquisition but maintains its developer-friendly positioning.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Auth0

More on Chainguard

Keep looking

Other head to heads