Which is cheaper, Stack Auth or Zitadel?

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

Does Stack Auth have a free tier?

Yes, Stack Auth offers a free tier with users: 10000, dashboardAdmins: 1.

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

Auth

Stack Auth

← More affordable

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

Switching Cost: drop-in

Zitadel

Open-source identity management with DAU-based cloud pricing

Switching Cost: moderate

The cost difference is substantial — Zitadel runs about 2.0x what Stack Auth charges.

Pricing philosophy differs — Stack Auth charges per-seat, but Zitadel takes a flat-rate approach.

Price-conscious teams should choose Stack Auth — the cost advantage is hard to ignore, especially for growing workloads.

Price-conscious teams should choose Stack Auth — the cost advantage is hard to ignore, especially for growing workloads.

Price Difference

2.0x

Stack Auth is cheaper by $51/mo

Pricing Model

Different

Tools charge using different pricing philosophies

Switching Costs

Stack Auth

Lower switching costs for easier migration