Okta is for securing your own people: employees, contractors and partners signing in to work apps with single sign-on, adaptive MFA and lifecycle management. Auth0 is for securing your customers: the login, sign-up and user management inside the apps you build, with a free plan for up to 25,000 monthly active users. They're two products from the same company, so pick by who is signing in.
This comparison confuses people because Okta owns Auth0 and both pages talk about identity. I read Okta's home and Workforce Identity pages and Auth0's home and plans pages.
Okta and Auth0: who signs in where
| Okta | Auth0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Who signs in | Employees, contractors, partners | Customers of your app |
| Typical buyer | IT and security teams | Developers and product teams |
| Core features | SSO, Adaptive MFA, Universal Directory, Lifecycle Management | Universal Login, passwordless, user management, Organizations |
| Integrations | Okta Integration Network | Quickstarts for React, Next.js, Angular, Vue, iOS |
| AI agents | Okta for AI Agents | Auth for AI agents, Token Vault |
| Free option | Free trial | Free plan up to 25,000 monthly active users |
| Relationship | Lists Auth0 as its customer identity product | An Okta product |
Okta and Auth0 are the same company
Okta's own navigation settles the confusion: under Customer Identity and Access Management it lists Auth0 alongside Okta Customer Identity, and its developer section says Okta and Auth0 deliver flexible, secure access. So the choice isn't between two rivals. It's between Okta's workforce products for your team and Auth0 for the customers who log in to your software.
Auth0's plans page adds the detail developers want first: the Free plan covers up to 25,000 monthly active users, needs no credit card and includes one custom domain.
When Okta is the answer
Choose Okta when the problem is your own staff. Workforce Identity gives single sign-on to work apps, adaptive multi-factor authentication, device access, a universal directory, automatic joiner and leaver workflows through Lifecycle Management, identity governance and threat protection. The Okta Integration Network connects it to the business apps your team already uses.
When Auth0 is the answer
Choose Auth0 when you're building an app and need customers to log in. It provides Universal Login, passwordless sign-in, breached password detection, MFA and SSO for business customers through Organizations, plus fine-grained authorisation and machine-to-machine tokens. Quickstarts cover React, Next.js, Angular, Vue, React Native and iOS, and newer features secure AI agents that act for users.
Questions that point to the right product
- Are the people signing in your staff or your customers?
- Is IT or your development team running the project?
- How many monthly active users will your app have?
- Do business customers need their own SSO into your app?
- Will AI agents act on behalf of users or staff?
For background, my piece on passwordless authentication explains the login trend, and this guide to security for customer-facing platforms covers the basics.
What admins and developers each get
Okta is run by admins: Universal Directory holds your people, Lifecycle Management handles who joins and leaves, and the Okta Integration Network connects your work apps. Auth0 is run by developers: Actions and Forms customise login flows, Universal Login gives you a hosted sign-in page, and breached password detection checks credentials. If you're unsure which team owns your project, that's usually your answer.
My advice on Okta or Auth0
If you're protecting your team's access to work apps, talk to Okta and start a free trial. If you're adding login to a product you're building, start on Auth0's free plan and only move up when your monthly active users or business features need it. Larger companies often run both: Okta for staff, Auth0 for customers.
Do you make identity, login or security software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place in comparisons like this one.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Auth0 part of Okta?
Yes. Okta lists Auth0 under its customer identity products, and says Okta and Auth0 deliver flexible, secure access.
What is the difference between Okta and Auth0?
Okta secures your workforce's access to work apps. Auth0 handles login and user management for customers of the apps you build.
Is Auth0 free?
Auth0's Free plan covers up to 25,000 monthly active users, with no credit card needed and one custom domain.
Does Okta have a free trial?
Yes. Okta offers a free trial on its website.
Can Auth0 do single sign-on for business customers?
Yes. Auth0 lists single sign-on, MFA and Organizations for B2B apps.
Do Okta and Auth0 support AI agents?
Yes. Okta lists Okta for AI Agents, and Auth0 offers features for securing AI agents, including Token Vault.
Does Auth0 check for breached passwords?
Yes. Auth0 lists breached password detection among its customer identity features.
What is Okta Universal Directory?
Okta's directory for your workforce identities, listed with single sign-on and adaptive MFA in Workforce Identity.
