Software · head to head
Stytch vs Authy
Stytch
Software
Identity platform with passwordless auth, passkeys and bot detection.
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Authy
Software
Simple to setup, secure cloud backup, multi device support
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Stytch free tier limited to 10,000 monthly active users; scaling beyond this requires custom pricing negotiation; Authy free consumer app with no paid tier, so there is no vendor-stated enterprise SLA or support plan on the pricing side
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Stytch and Authy actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Stytch
- Applications prioritising passwordless and passkey authenticationnot Authy
- SaaS platforms requiring AI agent authentication and machine-to-machine flowsnot Authy
- Companies with emerging identity needs such as bot detection and device intelligencenot Authy
- Organisations building with Next.js and React requiring modern auth patternsnot Authy
- Applications needing transparent pricing without surprise tiers or feature gatingnot Authy
Authy
No use cases recorded yet. See the Authy review.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Stytch
- Free tier limited to 10,000 monthly active users; scaling beyond this requires custom pricing negotiation
- Fraud prevention capabilities billed at $0.005 per fingerprint for usage exceeding 10,000 free checks
- Additional SSO or SCIM connections beyond the 5 included in free tier cost $125 each
- Brand customisation and email removal require one-time payment of $99
- HIPAA and advanced fraud protection only available in Enterprise tier
- No native UI builder; requires custom frontend development for fully-branded auth flows
Authy
- Free consumer app with no paid tier, so there is no vendor-stated enterprise SLA or support plan on the pricing side
- Vendor markets multi-device sync as a core feature, meaning account security depends on cloud-backed codes rather than device-only storage
Pricing, plan by plan
Stytch
Free- FreeFree
- 10,000 monthly active users and AI agents
- Unlimited organisations
- 5 SSO or SCIM connections
- Scaled$null/variable
- Usage-based pricing for users exceeding 10,000
- All free tier features
- Volume discounts available
- Enterprise$null/variable
- Custom pricing
- Discounted volume rates
- Enterprise support SLA
Authy
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Authy review.
Which should you pick?
Questions people ask
- Is Stytch or Authy better?
- Neither clearly leads. Stytch starts at Free and Authy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Stytch or Authy?
- Stytch starts at Free and Authy at Free.
- Does Stytch or Authy run on more platforms?
- Stytch runs on Web, API. Authy runs on Web.
- Can I use Stytch for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Stytch best used for?
- Stytch is most often used for applications prioritising passwordless and passkey authentication, saas platforms requiring ai agent authentication and machine-to-machine flows, companies with emerging identity needs such as bot detection and device intelligence, organisations building with next.js and react requiring modern auth patterns. Of those, applications prioritising passwordless and passkey authentication and saas platforms requiring ai agent authentication and machine-to-machine flows are not what Authy is typically brought in for.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Stytch: What is included in Stytch's free tier?
The free tier includes 10,000 monthly active users (human and AI agents), unlimited organisations, 5 SSO or SCIM connections, and 1,000 machine-to-machine tokens with full authentication features.
SourceStytch: Does Stytch support AI agent authentication?
Yes. Stytch provides native AI agent authentication and authorisation, with support for the Model Context Protocol (MCP) for authenticating AI agents accessing external systems.
SourceStytch: What fraud prevention features does Stytch offer?
Stytch includes bot detection with 99.99% accuracy, device fingerprinting, invisible CAPTCHA, and zero-day device intelligence built into all tiers.
Source