Which is cheaper, Cerbos or Stack Auth?

Cerbos is 2.0x cheaper than Stack Auth. Cerbos starts at $0/mo, Stack Auth starts at $0/mo.

Does Cerbos have a free tier?

Yes, Cerbos offers a free tier with .

Cerbos has moderate switching cost. Stack Auth has drop-in switching cost. Stack Auth is easier to switch away from.

Auth

Cerbos

← More affordable

Policy-as-code authorization engine with YAML policies, audit logs, and managed PDP deployment

Switching Cost: moderate

Stack Auth

Open-source Auth0/Clerk alternative with managed hosting or free self-hosting, built for Next.js

Switching Cost: drop-in

Price sensitivity favors Cerbos, which costs about 2.0x less than Stack Auth.

Cost modeling varies: flat-rate drives Cerbos pricing, while Stack Auth uses per-seat.

If budget is your primary constraint, Cerbos is the clear winner with its more wallet-friendly pricing structure.

If budget is your primary constraint, Cerbos is the clear winner with its more wallet-friendly pricing structure.

Price Difference

2.0x

Cerbos is cheaper by $24/mo

Pricing Model

Different

Tools charge using different pricing philosophies

Switching Costs

Stack Auth

Lower switching costs for easier migration