Software · head to head
Okta vs Auth0
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Okta requires $1,500 annual minimum contract; Auth0 free tier limited to 25,000 monthly active users, requiring upgrade for growth beyond that
- They diverge on capability: Okta covers Single sign-on (SSO), Auth0 covers Universal login.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Okta and Auth0 actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Okta
- Single sign-on (SSO)
- Lifecycle management
- Universal directory
- API access management
- B2B integration
- Passwordless authentication
- Adaptive MFA
- Microsoft 365
Only in Auth0
- Universal login
- Social login
- Passwordless
- User management
- Anomaly detection
- Extensibility
- Machine to machine
- Datadog
Both cover
- Multi-factor authentication
- Slack
- AWS
- SOC2
- ISO27001
- HIPAA
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Okta
- Employee SSOnot Auth0
- Customer identitynot Auth0
- B2B integrationnot Auth0
- Zero Trust securitynot Auth0
- Compliancenot Auth0
Auth0
- B2C authenticationnot Okta
- B2B authenticationnot Okta
- B2E authenticationnot Okta
- API securitynot Okta
- Mobile app securitynot Okta
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Okta
- Requires $1,500 annual minimum contract
- Admin-only MFA can be vulnerable to push notification fatigue attacks
- Implementation requires significant services and integration fees in year one
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
Pricing, plan by plan
Okta
Free- Starter Suite$6/user/month
- SSO
- MFA
- Universal Directory
- Core Essentials Suite$14/user/month
- Adaptive MFA
- Privileged Access
- Lifecycle Management
- Essentials Suite$17/user/month
- Same as Core Essentials
- Most popular
- Professional Suite$null/custom
- Device Access
- Identity Security Posture
- Threat Protection
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
Which should you pick?
Choose Okta if
- You need single sign-on (sso).
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, SaaS.
- You also want lifecycle management.
Choose Auth0 if
- You need universal login.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want social login.
Questions people ask
- Is Okta or Auth0 better?
- Neither clearly leads. Okta starts at Free and Auth0 at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Okta or Auth0?
- Okta starts at Free and Auth0 at Free.
- Does Okta or Auth0 run on more platforms?
- Okta runs on Web, SaaS. Auth0 runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Okta for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Okta best used for?
- Okta is most often used for employee sso, customer identity, b2b integration, zero trust security. Of those, employee sso and customer identity are not what Auth0 is typically brought in for.
- What can Okta do that Auth0 cannot?
- Okta covers Single sign-on (SSO), Lifecycle management, Universal directory, API access management. Auth0 covers Universal login, Social login, Passwordless, User management. Both handle Multi-factor authentication, Slack, AWS, SOC2.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Okta: What is the minimum contract for Okta Workforce Identity?
Okta requires a $1,500 annual minimum contract for Workforce Identity plans. Pricing starts at $6 per user per month (Starter) and ranges to $17 per user per month (Essentials), billed annually.
SourceAuth0: 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.
SourceOkta: Does Okta offer a free trial?
Yes, Okta provides a 30-day free trial so customers can explore all product capabilities before committing to a paid plan.
SourceAuth0: 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.
SourceOkta: How many pre-built integrations does Okta support?
Okta offers over 7,000 pre-built integrations with popular enterprise applications including Salesforce, Slack, Workday, Box, Confluence, and Zendesk.
SourceAuth0: 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.
SourceOkta: What security features does Okta provide for admins?
Okta provides multi-factor authentication, adaptive MFA, single logout, and identity threat detection and response. However, only 94% of Okta customers have MFA enabled for administrators.
SourceAuth0: 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.
SourceOkta: Can Okta integrate with on-premises directories?
Yes, Okta's Universal Directory and lifecycle management support cloud and on-premises identity sources, including Active Directory and LDAP.
Source