Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

Stytch vs WorkOS

Stytch logo

Stytch

Cybersecurity

Identity platform with passwordless auth, passkeys and bot detection.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
WorkOS logo

WorkOS

Cybersecurity

Developer platform for enterprise-ready authentication and identity.

From
$125/one-time per connection
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Stytch has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Stytch free tier limited to 10,000 monthly active users; scaling beyond this requires custom pricing negotiation; WorkOS authKit free tier limited to 1 million monthly active users; additional millions cost $2,500/month
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Stytch and WorkOS actually diverge.

Attributes where Stytch and WorkOS differ
AttributeStytchWorkOS
Starting priceFree$125/one-time per connection
Pricing modelfreemiumusage-based
Free tierYesNo

Identical on both: platforms (Web, API), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

What people use each for

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

Stytch

  • Applications prioritising passwordless and passkey authenticationnot WorkOS
  • SaaS platforms requiring AI agent authentication and machine-to-machine flowsnot WorkOS
  • Companies with emerging identity needs such as bot detection and device intelligencenot WorkOS
  • Organisations building with Next.js and React requiring modern auth patternsnot WorkOS
  • Applications needing transparent pricing without surprise tiers or feature gatingnot WorkOS

WorkOS

  • SaaS applications needing rapid enterprise SSO deploymentnot Stytch
  • Companies selling to mid-market and enterprise customersnot Stytch
  • Applications requiring SCIM directory sync with corporate identity systemsnot Stytch
  • Product teams needing audit logs for compliance (SOC 2, ISO 27001)not Stytch
  • Platforms with multiple identity provider requirementsnot Stytch

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

WorkOS

  • AuthKit free tier limited to 1 million monthly active users; additional millions cost $2,500/month
  • Per-connection pricing for SSO and Directory Sync ($125–$50 each) scales poorly for enterprises with many identity providers
  • Audit logs require separate subscription at $125/month per SIEM connection or $99/month per 1 million events
  • Radar fraud protection billed separately at $100/month per 50,000 additional checks beyond 1,000 free checks
  • Custom domain feature requires $99/month subscription
  • Requires annual commitment for SLA and support guarantees; pay-as-you-go tier lacks uptime guarantee

Pricing, plan by plan

Stytch

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 10,000 monthly active users and AI agents
    • Unlimited organisations
    • 5 SSO or SCIM connections
  • Scaled$undefined/variable
    • Usage-based pricing for users exceeding 10,000
    • All free tier features
    • Volume discounts available
  • Enterprise$undefined/variable
    • Custom pricing
    • Discounted volume rates
    • Enterprise support SLA

WorkOS

$125/one-time per connection
  • Pay as You Go$undefined/variable
    • Per-connection pricing from $125 to $50 with volume discounts
    • Up to 60% discount at scale
    • Quick deployment
  • Annual Credits$undefined/variable
    • Custom pricing with volume discounts
    • 99.99% uptime SLA
    • Guided migration

Which should you pick?

Choose Stytch if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API.
Stytch review

Choose WorkOS if

  • You work on Web, API.
WorkOS review

Questions people ask

Is Stytch or WorkOS better?
Neither clearly leads. Stytch starts at Free and WorkOS at $125/one-time per connection, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Stytch or WorkOS?
Stytch has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Stytch and $125/one-time per connection for WorkOS.
Does Stytch or WorkOS run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, API, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Stytch for free?
Yes. Stytch has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. WorkOS starts at $125/one-time per connection.
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 WorkOS 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.

Source
WorkOS: How quickly can I implement WorkOS SSO?

Developers can implement single sign-on in minutes instead of months. Multiple customers report setting up SSO in less than a week, with WorkOS handling the complexity of SAML and OIDC protocols.

Source
Stytch: 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.

Source
WorkOS: What SDKs does WorkOS provide?

WorkOS offers SDKs for Node.js, Python, Ruby, Go, PHP, Java, and .NET.

Source
Stytch: 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
WorkOS: Does WorkOS support SCIM provisioning?

Yes. WorkOS supports SCIM provisioning integration with systems like Okta and Entra ID for automated user management.

Source
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