Authentication Data v1.2.0 Updated 2025-12-28

Better Auth

The most comprehensive authentication framework for TypeScript

25.6k 934k/week Unknown N/A
84 /100
Strong pick Good confidence (80%)

Quick Verdict

Best For

  • Teams wanting full control over auth
  • Self-hosted applications
  • Cost-sensitive projects
  • TypeScript-first development

Consider Alternatives If

  • Teams needing enterprise compliance guarantees
  • Projects requiring managed auth service
  • Teams without security expertise

Top Alternatives

Clerk 83

Score Breakdown

6 dimensions evaluated with transparent methodology

Performance
90 −10

Lightweight with minimal overhead

  • No external service calls for auth
  • Database-direct session validation
  • Efficient JWT handling
Why not 100%:
  • −5 Social providers add network latency
  • −5 Session storage requires database access
Developer Experience
92 −8

Excellent TypeScript-first DX with comprehensive features

  • Full TypeScript with type inference
  • Simple API surface
  • Built-in plugins for common features
Why not 100%:
  • −4 Newer library, fewer community examples
  • −4 Some advanced features still developing
Ecosystem
55 −45

Growing ecosystem with active development

  • Plugin system for extensibility
  • Database adapter support
  • Framework adapters available
Why not 100%:
  • −15 Much smaller than Auth.js ecosystem
  • −15 Fewer third-party plugins
  • −15 Limited enterprise integrations
Maintainability
88 −12

Active development with clear ownership

  • Dedicated maintainers
  • Regular releases
  • Clear versioning
Why not 100%:
  • −6 Young project (started 2024)
  • −6 Long-term stability uncertain
Cost Efficiency
98 −2

Fully open-source with no per-user pricing

  • MIT licensed
  • Self-hosted, no SaaS fees
  • No per-MAU pricing
Why not 100%:
  • −1 Self-managed infrastructure required
  • −1 No managed service option
Compliance
85 −15

Solid security foundations with modern practices

  • Secure session handling
  • Password hashing with Argon2
  • CSRF protection built-in
Why not 100%:
  • −5 No SOC 2 certification
  • −5 Fewer enterprise security audits
  • −5 Compliance is your responsibility

Compare Alternatives

How Better Auth stacks up against similar technologies

TechnologyOverallPerfDXEcosystem
Current Better Auth84909255
Clerk Managed service, more features, costs money83———Compare →
Full comparison with Clerk

Sources & Methodology

How we calculate these scores: transparent and reproducible

Deterministic Scoring

Same inputs always produce the same outputs. We use versioned lookup tables, not LLM opinions. Every score is explainable and reproducible.

Learn how it works →
primary

GitHub

Repository activity, stars, contributors, issue resolution time

primary

NPM Registry

Weekly downloads, package dependencies, version history

secondary

Bundlephobia

Bundle size, tree-shaking efficiency, dependency weight

secondary

OSV Database

Known vulnerabilities, security advisories, CVE tracking

contextual

Community Signals

Stack Overflow activity, Discord engagement, developer surveys

Data version: 1.2.0 Last updated: 2025-12-28 Confidence: 80% Metrics: 26/01/2026

Frequently Asked