Auth.js vs WorkOS
Auth.js and WorkOS both answer the same question: how do users sign in? The long-running open source auth layer formerly called NextAuth, mostly a thin wrapper around OAuth providers. Auth aimed at teams selling to enterprises, where SAML, SCIM directory sync and audit logs are the actual requirement. The real split is ownership: Auth.js runs inside your project and leaves the operational work with you, while WorkOS runs the hard parts as a service and takes a dependency in exchange.
Verdict
The real split is ownership: Auth.js runs inside your project and leaves the operational work with you, while WorkOS runs the hard parts as a service and takes a dependency in exchange.
Pick Auth.js if
- ✓Enormous library of OAuth providers configured with a few lines each.
- ✓Years of production usage mean most errors already have a forum answer.
- ✓Adapters let you keep sessions in whichever database you already chose.
Pick WorkOS if
- ✓SAML and SCIM are first-class, not an afterthought priced behind sales calls.
- ✓Directory sync keeps enterprise customer user lists current automatically.
- ✓Audit logs and admin portal remove a common enterprise procurement blocker.
| Comparison | Auth.js | WorkOS |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing shape | Free and open source. Costs are whatever your identity providers and database charge. | Free up to a sizable user count for standard auth, with enterprise connections priced per connected organization. |
| Frameworks | Next.js, SvelteKit | Next.js, Laravel |
| In one line | The long-running open source auth layer formerly called NextAuth, mostly a thin wrapper around OAuth providers. | Auth aimed at teams selling to enterprises, where SAML, SCIM directory sync and audit logs are the actual requirement. |
Pricing described qualitatively because published plans change often. Checked 2026-08-23. Confirm current terms on Auth.js and WorkOS.
Auth.js
Strengths
- ✓Enormous library of OAuth providers configured with a few lines each.
- ✓Years of production usage mean most errors already have a forum answer.
- ✓Adapters let you keep sessions in whichever database you already chose.
- ✓Stateless JWT sessions work without any session store at all.
Tradeoffs
- ✗Anything past OAuth, like invitations or roles, you design yourself.
- ✗Callback and adapter APIs have churned across major versions more than once.
- ✗Documentation lags the code, so reading the source becomes routine.
- ✗Debugging silent callback failures is a known rite of passage.
WorkOS
Strengths
- ✓SAML and SCIM are first-class, not an afterthought priced behind sales calls.
- ✓Directory sync keeps enterprise customer user lists current automatically.
- ✓Audit logs and admin portal remove a common enterprise procurement blocker.
- ✓Normalizes many identity providers behind a single consistent API.
Tradeoffs
- ✗Built for business-to-business, so consumer social login is not the sweet spot.
- ✗Per-connection enterprise pricing gets steep as you add corporate customers.
- ✗Identity lives with WorkOS, adding a hard external dependency to every login.
- ✗Overkill and over-configured if you never sell to companies with an IT department.
Same pair, different context
Frequently asked questions
Is Auth.js or WorkOS better?
Neither is better in the abstract. The real split is ownership: Auth.js runs inside your project and leaves the operational work with you, while WorkOS runs the hard parts as a service and takes a dependency in exchange. Pick the one whose downside you can absorb, because both upsides are real.
What is the main drawback of Auth.js?
Anything past OAuth, like invitations or roles, you design yourself. Callback and adapter APIs have churned across major versions more than once.
What is the main drawback of WorkOS?
Built for business-to-business, so consumer social login is not the sweet spot. Per-connection enterprise pricing gets steep as you add corporate customers.
Can you switch from one to the other later?
Usually, at a cost that grows with how much of your product leans on the authentication layer. Keep the integration behind a thin module of your own and the migration stays a weekend rather than a quarter.