Clerk vs SuperTokens vs Hanko (2026)

Authentication is a solved problem — don't build it yourself. But which provider? Here's how Clerk, SuperTokens, and Hanko compare.

Quick Comparison

Feature	Clerk	SuperTokens	Hanko
Type	Managed	Self-host + managed	Self-host + cloud
Open Source	❌	✅ Apache 2.0	✅ AGPL
Self-Hostable	❌	✅	✅
Passkeys	✅	⚠️ Beta	✅ Native
Social Login	✅ 20+ providers	✅	✅
MFA	✅	✅	✅ (passkeys)
Organizations	✅ Excellent	✅ Basic	❌
Pre-built UI	✅ Beautiful	✅ Good	✅ Web Components
Pricing	Free (10K MAU)	Free (self-host)	Free (self-host)
Best For	Best DX, fast	Self-hosting, control	Passkey-first

Clerk — Best Developer Experience

Best for: Teams that want the fastest setup and best UI components.

// That's it. Auth in your Next.js app.
import { ClerkProvider, SignIn, UserButton } from '@clerk/nextjs'

function App() {
  return (
    <ClerkProvider>
      <SignIn />
      <UserButton />
    </ClerkProvider>
  )
}

Key strengths:

• Pre-built UI components (SignIn, SignUp, UserButton, OrgSwitcher)
• Organizations with roles and permissions
• Webhooks for user events
• Session management
• Bot protection

Pricing: Free (10K MAU) → Pro: $25/mo + $0.02/MAU

Pros: Fastest setup, best UI, organizations, excellent docs. Cons: Not self-hostable, gets expensive at scale, vendor lock-in.

SuperTokens — The Self-Hosted Option

Best for: Teams that want open-source auth they can self-host.

import SuperTokens from 'supertokens-node'
import EmailPassword from 'supertokens-node/recipe/emailpassword'
import Session from 'supertokens-node/recipe/session'

SuperTokens.init({
  appInfo: {
    appName: 'MyApp',
    apiDomain: 'http://localhost:3000',
    websiteDomain: 'http://localhost:3000',
  },
  recipeList: [
    EmailPassword.init(),
    Session.init(),
  ],
})

Key strengths:

• Fully open source (Apache 2.0)
• Self-host on your infrastructure
• Pre-built UI for login flows
• Multi-tenancy support
• Override any behavior

Pricing: Free (self-host unlimited), Managed from $0.02/MAU

Pros: Self-hostable, open source, no MAU limits (self-host), customizable. Cons: More setup than Clerk, UI less polished, organizations less mature.

Hanko — The Passkey-First Option

Best for: Teams that want passwordless/passkey authentication.

<!-- Web Component approach -->
<hanko-auth api="https://your-hanko-api"></hanko-auth>
<hanko-profile api="https://your-hanko-api"></hanko-profile>

Key strengths:

• Passkey-first (WebAuthn native)
• Web Components (framework agnostic)
• Self-hostable
• GDPR-friendly (EU company)
• Minimal setup

Pricing: Free (self-host), Cloud from $0/mo

Pros: Best passkey support, framework agnostic, privacy-focused, EU hosted. Cons: No organizations, smaller ecosystem, newer platform.

Decision Guide

Need	Choose
Fastest setup	Clerk
Self-hosting required	SuperTokens or Hanko
Organizations/teams	Clerk
Passkey-first	Hanko
Open source (Apache)	SuperTokens
Budget-sensitive (large scale)	SuperTokens (self-host)
Best UI out of box	Clerk
GDPR/privacy priority	Hanko

Cost at Scale (100K MAU)

Provider	Monthly Cost
Clerk	~$2,000+
SuperTokens (managed)	~$2,000
SuperTokens (self-host)	$0 (infra only)
Hanko (self-host)	$0 (infra only)

Self-hosting saves significantly at scale.

FAQ

Should I build auth myself?

No. Auth has edge cases (token rotation, session management, CSRF) that are easy to get wrong. Use a provider.

Clerk vs NextAuth?

NextAuth (Auth.js) is a library, not a service. You manage the database and UI. Clerk is fully managed with pre-built UI. NextAuth for maximum control, Clerk for speed.

Can I migrate between auth providers?

Possible but painful. User passwords can't be exported (hashed). Plan for migration by abstracting your auth layer.

Bottom Line

Clerk for the best experience and fastest setup. SuperTokens for self-hosting and open source. Hanko for passkey-first authentication. Start with Clerk unless you need self-hosting or have budget constraints at scale.