Auth0 vs Okta in 2026: pick Auth0 if you are adding login to your own app or API
Auth0 vs Okta is mostly a question of who signs in. Both are sold by Okta. Auth0 is customer identity for developers: its Free plan covers up to 25,000 monthly active users, and Essentials starts at $35 a month. Okta Workforce Identity signs in your staff from $6 per user a month, billed annually, and Okta Customer Identity starts at $3,000 a month.
Facts and prices checked on against the sources listed below.
Quick verdict
Auth0
Starts atEssentials $35/mo
Pick Auth0 if you are adding login to your own app or API, want a free plan to start and monthly billing, and need social logins, passwordless and MFA.
Okta
Starts atWorkforce Starter $6/user/mo
Pick Okta if you need single sign-on, MFA and lifecycle management for employees across the apps your company uses, under an annual contract.
Auth0 vs Okta at a glance
| Feature | Auth0 | Okta |
|---|---|---|
| Who signs in | Your app's customers and users (B2C and B2B) | Workforce: your employees; Customer Identity: your customers |
| Free tier | Free: up to 25,000 MAU, 1 custom domain, unlimited social connections | Integrator Free Plan for developers, 100 authentications a minute |
| Entry paid plan | Essentials, $35 a month for 500 MAU | Workforce Starter, $6 per user a month |
| Next plan | Professional, $240 a month for 500 MAU | Workforce Essentials, $17 per user a month |
| Billing | Monthly or yearly | Billed annually; $1,500 annual minimum for Workforce |
| Customer identity | Core product, from the Free plan | Okta Customer Identity from $3,000 a month, annual contract |
| Enterprise SSO | 1 enterprise connection, self-service SSO and SCIM on Free | Single Sign-On in every Workforce suite |
Pricing and free tier (checked Nov 2026)
Auth0's B2C prices start with a Free plan at $0 a month for up to 25,000 monthly active users, with no credit card needed to sign up. Free includes passwordless login, unlimited social connections, 5 organizations, 1 custom domain (credit card verification required), basic attack protection, and 1 enterprise connection with self-service SSO and SCIM. Essentials is $35 a month and Professional $240 a month at 500 monthly active users, and the price rises with the number of users. Essentials adds Pro MFA, role-based access control per organization and separate production and development environments. Professional adds logins against your existing user database and enterprise MFA. Enterprise is priced by sales.
Okta's pricing page splits into Workforce Identity and Customer Identity. Workforce suites are sold per user a month and billed annually, with a $1,500 annual contract minimum: Starter is $6 per user with SSO, MFA and Universal Directory, Core Essentials $14, Essentials $17, and Professional is quoted by sales. Okta Customer Identity starts with the required Enterprise base product at $3,000 a month, billed annually, with add-ons priced by monthly active users. Its Integrator Free Plan has a default rate limit of 100 authentications a minute.
Same company, different jobs
Okta's site presents Okta and Auth0 together and links to Auth0 pricing from its own pricing page. In practice, Auth0 is the product for adding login to the app you build, and Okta Workforce Identity is for signing employees in to the tools a company uses.
For developers
Auth0 offers quickstarts for React, Next.js, Angular, Vue, React Native and iOS, monthly or yearly billing, and a free plan you can ship on. Okta Customer Identity is an enterprise purchase with an annual contract.
When to pick Auth0
- You are adding sign-in to your own app or API.
- You want to start free and pay monthly.
- You need social, passwordless and enterprise connections for your customers.
When to pick Okta
- You need SSO and MFA for your staff across many apps.
- You buy identity per employee under an annual contract.
- You need lifecycle management and access governance.
For lighter options, read Clerk vs Auth0 and Auth0 pricing.
FAQ
Are Auth0 and Okta the same company?
Yes. Okta's site presents Okta and Auth0 together and links to Auth0 pricing from its own pricing page. They remain separate products with separate plans.
Is Auth0 free?
Auth0's Free plan costs $0 a month with no credit card needed to sign up, and covers up to 25,000 monthly active users. It includes passwordless login, unlimited social connections, 5 organizations and 1 custom domain, which needs credit card verification.
How much does Okta cost?
Okta Workforce Identity starts at $6 per user a month for Starter and $17 for Essentials, billed annually with a $1,500 annual minimum. Okta Customer Identity starts with the Enterprise base product at $3,000 a month, billed annually.
Which should a startup use for app login?
For login inside your own product, Auth0 is the developer path: it has a free plan, monthly billing and SDKs for common frameworks. Okta Workforce Identity is for staff signing in to company tools, not for your app's users.
Sources, checked November 8, 2026
Prices and plans change often. If something here is out of date, tell us through the contact page.