BastionAuth vs Auth0

Auth0 is the incumbent enterprise authentication platform. Here's how BastionAuth compares.

TL;DR

Choose BastionAuth if you want modern developer experience, transparent pricing, or need to self-host for compliance.

Choose Auth0 if you need the broadest enterprise feature set and have budget for premium pricing.

Feature Comparison

Pricing Comparison

Auth0 Pricing (B2C, as of 2024)

• Free: 7,500 MAU, limited features
• Essentials: $240/month for 10K MAU
• Professional: $1,150/month for 10K MAU
• Enterprise: Custom (typically $50K+/year)

BastionAuth Pricing

• Self-hosted: Free forever
• Pro: $299/month
• Business: $899/month
• Enterprise: Custom

Total Cost of Ownership

Key Differences

1. Developer Experience

Auth0: Mature but dated SDK. Configuration-heavy. Universal Login requires customization.

BastionAuth: Modern React-first approach. Beautiful pre-built components. Clerk-like developer experience.

// Auth0 - Multiple packages, configuration
import { Auth0Provider } from '@auth0/auth0-react';
import { withAuthenticationRequired } from '@auth0/auth0-react';
 
// BastionAuth - Simple, intuitive
import { BastionProvider, ProtectedRoute } from '@bastionauth/react';

2. Pricing Transparency

Auth0: Complex pricing tiers. Many features locked behind Enterprise. Pricing changes frequently.

BastionAuth: Simple, transparent pricing. Self-hosted is free. Feature tiers are clear.

3. Self-Hosting

Auth0: No self-hosting option. Private cloud only for Enterprise tier.

BastionAuth: Self-host on any infrastructure. Docker, Kubernetes, or cloud VMs.

4. Vendor Lock-in

Auth0: Proprietary extensions, rules engine, and hooks create lock-in.

BastionAuth: Open-source core. Standard JWT tokens. No proprietary extensions.

5. Setup Complexity

Auth0: Powerful but complex. Many configuration options. Steep learning curve.

BastionAuth: Simple setup. Sensible defaults. Get running in minutes.

SDK Comparison

Authentication Hook

// Auth0
import { useAuth0 } from '@auth0/auth0-react';
const { isAuthenticated, user, loginWithRedirect, logout } = useAuth0();
 
// BastionAuth
import { useAuth } from '@bastionauth/react';
const { isSignedIn, user, signIn, signOut } = useAuth();

Protected Routes

// Auth0 - HOC pattern
import { withAuthenticationRequired } from '@auth0/auth0-react';
export default withAuthenticationRequired(Profile);
 
// BastionAuth - Component pattern
import { ProtectedRoute } from '@bastionauth/react';
<ProtectedRoute><Profile /></ProtectedRoute>

Migration from Auth0

BastionAuth provides migration tools:

# Export users from Auth0 Management API
npx @bastionauth/cli migrate auth0 \
  --domain your-tenant.auth0.com \
  --client-id xxx \
  --client-secret xxx
 
# Import to BastionAuth
npx @bastionauth/cli migrate auth0 --import

When to Choose Auth0

• You need 30+ pre-built social connections
• You require enterprise features NOW (SAML, SCIM)
• Budget is not a primary concern
• You need PCI DSS compliance
• You want managed private cloud deployment

When to Choose BastionAuth

• You want modern, React-first developer experience
• You need to self-host for compliance
• You want transparent, predictable pricing
• You prefer open-source solutions
• Setup speed matters more than feature breadth