gallery

Auth library for the new dashboard

Three real candidates. Pick on what you optimize for. All would work.

ClerkRecommended

Managed service on the Vercel marketplace. Drop-in middleware, pre-built sign-in UI.

  • Drop-in middleware, under an hour to wire up

  • Best DX of the three by a wide margin

  • Free up to 10k MAU

  • Vendor lock-in if you outgrow it

  • Pricing scales with MAU past the free tier

Recommended for speed.

Pros
  • Drop-in middleware, under an hour to wire up
  • Best DX of the three by a wide margin
  • Free up to 10k MAU
Cons
  • Vendor lock-in if you outgrow it
  • Pricing scales with MAU past the free tier
Effort1 day

Auth0

Industry standard. More flexible than Clerk, more setup overhead.

  • Mature, well-documented

  • Configurable to any auth flow

  • Heavier to integrate

  • More config surface area to learn

Pros
  • Mature, well-documented
  • Configurable to any auth flow
Cons
  • Heavier to integrate
  • More config surface area to learn
Effort3 days

NextAuth (self-hosted)

Fully owned, open-source, no SaaS in the loop.

  • No vendor lock-in ever

  • Free, forever

  • Maintenance burden lands on you

  • Security responsibility on the team

Pros
  • No vendor lock-in ever
  • Free, forever
Cons
  • Maintenance burden lands on you
  • Security responsibility on the team
Effort1-2 weeks