Stytch
Passwordless authentication API focused on magic links, OTPs, and passkeys
Stytch is built around the idea that passwords are a liability. Instead of email/password as the default, it leads with magic links, one-time passcodes, passkeys, and biometric auth. The API is well-designed — you can have passwordless login working in under an hour. It also bundles device fingerprinting and bot detection, which most competitors charge extra for or do not offer.
The catch is pricing. The free tier covers 1,000 MAU or 25 organizations, but the jump to paid is $99/month — steep for a solo founder who just needs basic auth. If your product specifically benefits from passwordless (fewer support tickets, higher conversion on sign-up), Stytch pays for itself. If you just need standard social login and email/password, Clerk or Firebase Auth give you more MAU for less money.
What's good
- Purpose-built for passwordless — magic links, OTPs, passkeys, and biometrics
- Fraud detection (device fingerprinting, bot detection) included in the platform
- Clean API design with SDKs for React, Next.js, Python, Go, and more
Watch out for
- Paid plans start at $99/mo — expensive compared to Clerk ($25/mo) and Auth0 ($23/mo)
- Smaller ecosystem and community than established auth providers
- Traditional email/password auth feels like an afterthought
Alternatives
Clerk
Drop-in auth with pre-built UI components — sign-up, sign-in, and user management in minutes
Auth0
Enterprise-grade auth that handles every login method — from social login to SAML SSO
Firebase Auth
Google's authentication service with generous free limits and tight integration across the Firebase ecosystem
More in Authentication
Auth0
Enterprise-grade auth that handles every login method — from social login to SAML SSO
Clerk
Drop-in auth with pre-built UI components — sign-up, sign-in, and user management in minutes
Firebase Auth
Google's authentication service with generous free limits and tight integration across the Firebase ecosystem