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WorkOS is listed from $65, with a free plan, and is built for B2B apps adding enterprise SSO and syncing directories. The catch is that per-connection SSO and Directory Sync need careful budgeting. If your priority is broader authentication tooling, open-source options or a different pricing model, these six alternatives are worth comparing. The listed prices and summaries below are starting points, not a like-for-like quote: check each vendor’s current plan details against your users, connections and required features.
01Why people leave WorkOS
Per-connection costs need modeling
WorkOS is listed from $65, but its summary flags per-connection SSO and Directory Sync as costs to budget carefully.
You want a different auth toolkit
The alternatives cover hosted authentication, multi-tenant identity and customizable auth journeys, rather than only enterprise SSO and directory needs.
Pricing transparency matters
A Reddit discussion about SSO for mid-sized companies focused on transparent, scalable pricing; commenters also weighed existing identity tools and open-source options.
02The alternatives, ranked by fit
- SaaS auth UI
ClerkClerkClerk is a fit if you need multi-tenant app controls and ready-made authentication UI, rather than centering the stack on enterprise SSO and directory sync. It has a free plan and is listed from $20. A Reddit commenter described WorkOS as their go-to for SaaS startups, but Clerk is also discussed as an option when prebuilt components and developer experience matter.
Trade-off: Clerk’s listed starting price does not show what your usage will cost as it grows.
7.8/10from
$20/mofree plan - Self-hosted identity
FusionAuthFusionAuthFusionAuth is worth considering if you want a self-hosted identity option and API-based authentication and authorization. Its listed summary also covers B2B and multi-tenant products. It has a free plan and is listed from $162; the summary flags hosted caps and annual-only listed pricing, so check those details before comparing it with WorkOS’s $65 starting point.
Trade-off: The listed starting price is higher, and hosted caps and annual billing need checking.
7.7/10from
$162/mofree plan - B2B authentication
StytchStytchStytch is positioned for B2B authentication, multi-tenant identity and agent identity controls. That makes it a closer fit if you want an identity platform covering more than enterprise SSO and directory sync. It has a free plan, but its starting price is not published on the vendor's site. Check B2B versus B2C fit and request costs before choosing.
Trade-off: Pricing is not published on the vendor's site, so comparisons need a quote.
7.6/10from
Freefree plan - Custom auth journeys
DescopeDescopeDescope suits teams building custom authentication journeys for multi-tenant SaaS or AI agents. Its free plan gives you a way to assess fit before moving to Pro, which is listed from $249 per month with annual billing. That is a substantial listed starting point beside WorkOS’s $65, so compare the required features and plan costs first.
Trade-off: Pro starts at $249 per month with annual billing.
7.6/10from
$249/mofree plan - Open-source authentication
LogtoLogtoLogto is a candidate if open-source authentication and OIDC or SAML support are central to your decision. It has a free plan and is listed from $24, below WorkOS’s $65 starting price. That gap is not a complete cost comparison: the published summary specifically says to price Logto’s add-ons before committing.
Trade-off: Add-on costs can change the comparison; price them before switching.
7.5/10from
$24/mofree plan - Managed cloud IAM
Ory NetworkOry NetworkOry Network is aimed at teams that need managed cloud IAM across customer, B2B and machine-to-machine identity. It has a free plan and is listed from $64.17, close to WorkOS’s $65 starting point. The important distinction is that Ory’s free plan cannot run production and paid usage is metered, so model expected usage before migrating.
Trade-off: The free plan is not for production, and paid usage is metered.
6.7/10from
$64.17/mofree plan
03Side by side
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 WorkOS WorkOS (current) | 7.3 | $65/mo | Yes | B2B apps adding enterprise SSO |
| Clerk Clerk | 7.8 | $20/mo | Yes | SaaS teams building multi-tenant apps |
| FusionAuth FusionAuth | 7.7 | $162/mo | Yes | Teams needing self-hosted identity |
| Stytch Stytch | 7.6 | Free | Yes | Apps needing B2B authentication |
| Descope Descope | 7.6 | $249/mo | Yes | Teams building custom authentication journeys |
| Logto Logto | 7.5 | $24/mo | Yes | Teams wanting open-source authentication |
| Ory Network Ory Network | 6.7 | $64.17/mo | Yes | Teams needing managed cloud IAM |
Questions people ask
Which WorkOS alternative is cheapest?
Among these options, Logto has the lowest listed starting price at $24 and a free plan. Clerk is listed from $20 with a free plan, making it lower still by the published starting-price figures. Those prices are not a full cost comparison: Logto’s add-ons and each product’s usage or plan limits need checking.
Which alternative fits a B2B app?
Clerk is listed for SaaS teams building multi-tenant apps, while Stytch and FusionAuth are positioned for B2B or multi-tenant identity. Ory Network also covers customer and B2B identity. The right fit depends on the features and costs you need; the published summaries do not give enough plan detail to confirm feature parity with WorkOS.
Can I replace WorkOS without losing enterprise SSO?
Possibly, but do not assume every alternative includes the same enterprise SSO and Directory Sync setup. Logto’s summary lists OIDC or SAML, while the other summaries emphasize different identity needs. Check each vendor’s current documentation and pricing for your required connections, protocols and provisioning features before planning a migration.