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Auth0 vs HID Global

Auth0 logo

Auth0

Technology

Secure access for everyone

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
HID Global logo

HID Global

Cybersecurity

Physical access control, credential issuance and workforce authentication hardware and software

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Auth0 has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Auth0 free tier limited to 25,000 monthly active users, requiring upgrade for growth beyond that; HID Global sales run through integrators, so the price you get depends on which partner quotes it and there is no published list to negotiate against.
  • They diverge on capability: Auth0 covers Universal login, HID Global covers Physical access readers.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Auth0 and HID Global actually diverge.

Attributes where Auth0 and HID Global differ
AttributeAuth0HID Global
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Windows, iOS, Android
CategoryTechnologyCybersecurity
Founded2013Unknown

Identical on both: 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 HID Global

  • Physical access readers
  • Mobile access
  • Seos credential technology
  • Card issuance
  • Workforce authentication
  • Visitor management

What people use each for

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

Auth0

  • B2C authenticationnot HID Global
  • B2B authenticationnot HID Global
  • B2E authenticationnot HID Global
  • API securitynot HID Global
  • Mobile app securitynot HID Global

HID Global

  • An enterprise moving from plastic badges to phone-based credentials without replacing every reader in the estatenot Auth0
  • A government agency needing card issuance and PKI credentials under a national identity programmenot Auth0
  • A hospital consolidating access control, visitor screening and clinician authentication onto one credentialnot Auth0
  • An organisation retiring cloneable legacy proximity cards after a physical penetration test found them trivially copiednot 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

HID Global

  • Sales run through integrators, so the price you get depends on which partner quotes it and there is no published list to negotiate against.
  • Mobile credentials are charged per identity as an ongoing fee, which converts a one-off card cost into a recurring per-employee subscription that budgets rarely anticipate.
  • Large estates run mixed generations of readers, so a credential upgrade is a multi-year hardware programme and the software licence is a small fraction of the true cost.
  • Legacy credential technologies still widely deployed have documented cloning weaknesses, and HID commercial interest in selling the replacement does not remove your exposure in the interim.
  • The portfolio spans hardware, firmware and several acquired software products, so integration between HID own components is less consistent than the single-vendor pitch implies.

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

HID Global

On request
  • HID Access and Identity Products$undefined/year
    • Hardware, credentials and software quoted through channel partners
    • Credential costs charged per card or per mobile identity
    • Reader hardware and installation quoted separately

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 HID Global if

  • You need physical access readers.
  • You work on Web, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want mobile access.
HID Global review

Questions people ask

Is Auth0 or HID Global better?
Neither clearly leads. Auth0 starts at Free and HID Global at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Auth0 or HID Global?
Auth0 has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Auth0 and On request for HID Global.
Does Auth0 or HID Global run on more platforms?
Auth0 runs on Web, iOS, Android. HID Global runs on Web, Windows, iOS, Android.
Can I use Auth0 for free?
Yes. Auth0 has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. HID Global starts at On request.
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 HID Global is typically brought in for.
What can Auth0 do that HID Global cannot?
Auth0 covers Universal login, Social login, Multi-factor authentication, Passwordless. HID Global covers Physical access readers, Mobile access, Seos credential technology, Card issuance.

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
HID Global: Do we have to replace readers to use mobile credentials?

Often yes, at least in part. Reader capability determines which credential technologies work, and that hardware cost dominates the business case.

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
HID Global: Are mobile credentials cheaper than cards?

Not necessarily. Cards are a one-off cost per employee, mobile identities are typically a recurring charge, so the crossover depends on staff turnover.

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
HID Global: Can we buy directly from HID?

Generally not for access control deployments. Products are sold and installed through channel partners, so partner selection is part of the buying decision.

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
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