Choose a replacement by how much of sign-in you want to build yourself. If you want screens and user management ready to drop in, pick a hosted service with components. If you sell to larger companies, prioritise single sign-on and directory sync. If you want full control, an open source option you host is worth a look.
Swapping the service that signs people in touches every account you've got. Passwords, social logins, sessions, roles and organisation settings all live with your auth provider, so leaving one is a bigger job than swapping most other tools. This list covers eight authentication and user management services, in no particular order, for developers weighing up a move away from Kinde.
What changes when you leave Kinde
It's an authentication and user management service, and I'll keep it at that. What matters more is what you're moving to, and three questions decide most of it.
First, how sign-in works for your users: email and password, magic links, social logins, passkeys or enterprise single sign-on. Second, where user data lives and how you'll get it out again if you ever need to. Third, how much you build versus configure. Some services hand you finished sign-in screens; others give you APIs and expect you to write the interface yourself.
Tools in this category split by who they're built for and how much setting up they expect from you, so run the same real task through each before you decide. A good test is to add sign-in to a small branch of your app, invite a teammate, and see how long it takes to get from zero to a working, secure login.
Kinde replacements at a glance
| Tool | Type | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Auth0 | Authentication and authorisation platform | Sign-up and sign-in journeys for many app types |
| Clerk | Drop-in auth and user management | React and Next.js apps that need auth quickly |
| Descope | External identity platform | Customer, partner and AI agent identity flows |
| Frontegg | Customer identity for B2B SaaS | Multi-tenant B2B apps with a customer admin portal |
| PropelAuth | B2B authentication | B2B products that want auth out of the way |
| Stytch | Auth APIs and SDKs | Building auth into your own app code |
| SuperTokens | Open source authentication | Teams who'd rather run auth themselves |
| WorkOS | Enterprise features API | Adding SSO, directory sync and audit logs |
Three ways these auth services differ
Components you drop in
Clerk leans towards ready-made components for modern JavaScript frameworks, while Auth0 covers a broad range of sign-in journeys from one platform. Both suit teams who'd rather configure than code the login screens.
Built for selling to businesses
WorkOS, Frontegg and PropelAuth focus on what business customers ask for: single sign-on, directory sync, multi-tenancy and admin controls. If your buyers are companies with IT teams, start here.
APIs, open source and newer identity needs
Stytch gives you APIs and SDKs to build on, SuperTokens is open source so you can run it yourself, and Descope frames identity around customers, partners and AI agents alike. These suit teams who want more control over the flow.
The auth services, in no particular order
Listed alphabetically. Each line reflects how the vendor describes its own service.
Auth0
Best for: Teams that want sign-in and authorisation for both users and AI agents from one provider; the vendor's pitch centres on protecting and personalising each journey.
Clerk
Best for: React, Next.js and Remix developers who want authentication and user management added quickly; the vendor says it's purpose-built for the modern web.
Descope
Best for: Products needing sign-in flows for customers, business clients, partners, AI agents and MCP servers, which the vendor groups under external identity and access.
Frontegg
Best for: B2B SaaS companies needing login, SSO, SCIM provisioning, multi-tenancy and a self-serve admin portal for customers, per the vendor; a free plan is named.
PropelAuth
Best for: Founders of B2B products who want ready-made auth tools out of the box; the vendor positions it for AI-native companies.
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Stytch
Best for: Developers who prefer APIs and SDKs to wire authentication and security into their own code, with the vendor also highlighting teams building AI agents.
SuperTokens
Best for: Teams that want open source user authentication they can inspect and host themselves, which is how the vendor describes its product.
WorkOS
Best for: SaaS teams selling to larger companies that need single sign-on, directory sync and audit logging through developer APIs, per the vendor.
Practical advice for developers
Don't migrate on a feature list. Build a small proof of concept with your real sign-in methods, your real roles and at least one real edge case, such as a user who belongs to two organisations. That'll show you more in an afternoon than a week of reading docs.
Plan for the people side too. Users notice when their login changes, so test password reset and social login carefully. If you'd like to watch real people try your new sign-up flow, my piece on what UserTesting pays its testers shows how that kind of feedback works from the other side. And because account security is personal for your users, my guide to credit monitoring services is a useful reminder of what's at stake when identity data leaks.
Questions to settle before moving user accounts
- Can you export your existing users, including password hashes, and can the new service import them?
- Which sign-in methods do you need on day one, and which can wait?
- Do any customers need single sign-on or directory sync, and on which plan does it sit?
- Where will user data be stored, and does that meet your customers' data rules?
- How will sessions and tokens move across without logging everyone out at once?
- Who on your team owns the migration, and what's the rollback plan if it goes wrong?
Do you make authentication software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
What does an authentication service do?
It handles how people sign up, sign in and stay signed in to your app, and often manages user profiles, roles and organisations too.
Can I move users without forcing a password reset?
Often yes, if your current provider lets you export password hashes and the new one can import them. Check both sides before you commit.
Do I need single sign-on?
If you sell to larger businesses, there's a good chance some of them will ask for it. If your users are consumers, it's usually less urgent.
Is open source auth harder to run?
It gives you more control, but you take on hosting, updates and security patches yourself. Weigh that against a hosted service before choosing.
Are there legal rules on storing user data?
Yes, and they vary by country and industry. Check the rules that apply to your users with your regulator or a legal adviser.
