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    "result": {"data":{"markdownRemark":{"html":"<p>WorkOS gets you SSO and SCIM fast, but the pricing model and hosting choice often decide your real cost, control, and support load. If you’re running a multi-tenant SaaS or selling enterprise plans, those trade-offs matter more than the feature matrix. When that’s the case, it’s worth weighing alternatives to WorkOS.</p>\n<p>We’ll compare alternatives on three axes: pricing (how costs scale with tenants and usage), hosting (fully managed vs self-host/VPC for residency and extensibility), and admin UX (setup links/portal to reduce integration support). That lens keeps the evaluation practical and testable.</p>\n<p>By the end, you’ll have a metric to verify SSO/SCIM/audit parity, surface hidden costs like audit retention/streaming, and see where <a href=\"https://supertokens.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">SuperTokens</a> fits — especially if you want per-MAU pricing or an OSS/VPC path — with <a href=\"https://www.ory.sh/polis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Ory Polis</a> as a bridge when you need SAML/OIDC setup-link parity.</p>\n<h2 id=\"when-to-look-beyond-workos\" style=\"position:relative;\"><a href=\"#when-to-look-beyond-workos\" aria-label=\"when to look beyond workos permalink\" class=\"anchor before\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" height=\"16\" version=\"1.1\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" width=\"16\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z\"></path></svg></a>When to Look Beyond WorkOS</h2>\n<p>If any of the points below describe your situation, it’s a strong signal to compare alternatives.</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Cost Model Mismatch</strong>: You want lower SSO/SCIM connection costs or a per-MAU/flat model because your tenant count is growing and per-connection fees are stacking up.</li>\n<li><strong>Control and Extensibility Needs</strong>: You need self-hosting/VPC, tighter data residency, or deeper extensibility than a point solution comfortably supports.</li>\n<li><strong>Prefer an All-In CIAM Bundle</strong>: You want users/sessions, SSO, SCIM, audit logs, and RBAC in one package — rather than piecemeal add-ons.</li>\n</ul>\n<p><strong>Context</strong>: WorkOS typically bills SSO and Directory Sync per connection ($125/connection/month); Audit Logs are $125/month per SIEM connection for log streaming and $99/month per million events stored for retention; User Management is free up to 1M MAU.</p>\n<h2 id=\"what-to-compare-use-this-checklist\" style=\"position:relative;\"><a href=\"#what-to-compare-use-this-checklist\" aria-label=\"what to compare use this checklist permalink\" class=\"anchor before\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" height=\"16\" version=\"1.1\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" width=\"16\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z\"></path></svg></a>What to Compare (Use This Checklist)</h2>\n<p>Use this checklist to compare vendors consistently.</p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Category</th>\n<th>What to Check</th>\n<th>Pass Threshold</th>\n</tr>\n</thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Pricing Model</td>\n<td>Per-connection vs per-MAU vs flat</td>\n<td>Matches your growth (tenants vs MAU)</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Hosting</td>\n<td>SaaS vs self-host/VPC</td>\n<td>Meets residency, latency, and ops requirements</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Feature Coverage</td>\n<td>SSO, SCIM, Audit, admin setup links</td>\n<td>All present and stable</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Multi-Tenant/RBAC and SDKs</td>\n<td>Orgs/roles mapping; SDKs for your stack</td>\n<td>Clean mapping + mature SDKs</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Migration/lock-In</td>\n<td>JWKS, exports, contract terms</td>\n<td>Keys and data portable; reasonable contract terms</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<p>Close the checklist by running a short bake-off against these items — cost unit, hosting fit, parity, depth/SDK fit, and portability — then decide.</p>\n<h2 id=\"open-source-and-self-hosted-alternatives\" style=\"position:relative;\"><a href=\"#open-source-and-self-hosted-alternatives\" aria-label=\"open source and self hosted alternatives permalink\" class=\"anchor before\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" height=\"16\" version=\"1.1\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" width=\"16\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z\"></path></svg></a>Open-Source and Self-Hosted Alternatives</h2>\n<p><span\n      class=\"gatsby-resp-image-wrapper\"\n      style=\"position: relative; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 630px; \"\n    >\n      <a\n    class=\"gatsby-resp-image-link\"\n    href=\"/static/bd8d0630e0cbfb28c32fcd169f5948fc/c2d13/Supertokens.png\"\n    style=\"display: block\"\n    target=\"_blank\"\n    rel=\"noopener\"\n  >\n    <span\n    class=\"gatsby-resp-image-background-image\"\n    style=\"padding-bottom: 53.16455696202532%; position: relative; bottom: 0; left: 0; background-image: url('data:image/png;base64,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'); background-size: cover; display: block;\"\n  ></span>\n  <img\n        class=\"gatsby-resp-image-image\"\n        alt=\"Supertokens\"\n        title=\"Supertokens\"\n        src=\"/static/bd8d0630e0cbfb28c32fcd169f5948fc/f058b/Supertokens.png\"\n        srcset=\"/static/bd8d0630e0cbfb28c32fcd169f5948fc/c26ae/Supertokens.png 158w,\n/static/bd8d0630e0cbfb28c32fcd169f5948fc/6bdcf/Supertokens.png 315w,\n/static/bd8d0630e0cbfb28c32fcd169f5948fc/f058b/Supertokens.png 630w,\n/static/bd8d0630e0cbfb28c32fcd169f5948fc/40601/Supertokens.png 945w,\n/static/bd8d0630e0cbfb28c32fcd169f5948fc/78612/Supertokens.png 1260w,\n/static/bd8d0630e0cbfb28c32fcd169f5948fc/c2d13/Supertokens.png 2560w\"\n        sizes=\"(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\"\n        style=\"width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;vertical-align:middle;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;\"\n        loading=\"lazy\"\n        decoding=\"async\"\n      />\n  </a>\n    </span></p>\n<p>If you want VPC/self-host control or to avoid per-connection fees, these OSS-first options are worth a close look.</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>SuperTokens (OSS or Cloud)</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>What It Is</strong>: Dev-first authentication with modern SDKs, session management, and multi-tenant/organization primitives. Run it self-hosted or use the Cloud (per MAU).</li>\n<li><strong>Why It Fits Here</strong>: No SSO/SCIM per-connection tax; clean path to VPC/OSS; good migration posture (portable keys/data).</li>\n<li><strong>How To Reach SAML/OIDC SSO</strong>: Pair with a SAML/OIDC bridge (see Ory Polis) to deliver enterprise SSO plus setup links for admin self-serve.</li>\n<li><strong>What To Verify</strong>: Org/tenant model maps to your app; SDK coverage for your stack; token/session flows meet your threat model.</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Ory Network / Ory Polis</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>What It Is</strong>: Composable IAM (Kratos/Hydra/Keto/Oathkeeper) with a managed Network offering; Polis adds a SAML/OIDC bridge and setup-link flows similar to an admin portal. Pricing starts at $70/mo (Production plan).</li>\n<li><strong>Why It Fits Here</strong>: Lets you add standards-compliant SSO to an existing user system (e.g., SuperTokens) while keeping IdP setup self-service for customer admins.</li>\n<li><strong>What To Verify</strong>: Required protocols (SAML/OIDC) and IdP catalog, setup-link UX, hosting mode (Network vs self-host), and how SCIM/user provisioning is handled in your architecture.</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p><strong>Bottom Line</strong>: For OSS/VPC control with modern DX, use SuperTokens for sessions and tenant primitives, and add Ory Polis for SAML/OIDC and setup-link parity. Run a small bake-off to confirm SSO coverage, admin UX, and total cost.</p>\n<h2 id=\"feature-parity-vs-workos-what-to-verify\" style=\"position:relative;\"><a href=\"#feature-parity-vs-workos-what-to-verify\" aria-label=\"feature parity vs workos what to verify permalink\" class=\"anchor before\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" height=\"16\" version=\"1.1\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" width=\"16\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z\"></path></svg></a>Feature Parity vs WorkOS (What to Verify)</h2>\n<p>Before price comparisons, confirm that any alternative matches the <strong>capabilities and admin UX</strong> your customers expect.</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>SSO (SAML/OIDC)</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Verify</strong>: Support for both SAML and OIDC, breadth of IdP catalog (Okta, Azure AD, Google, Ping, OneLogin, etc.), setup links/admin portal so customer admins can self-configure.</li>\n<li><strong>Pricing Anchor</strong>: WorkOS SSO baseline is $125 per connection/month.</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Directory Sync (SCIM)</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Verify</strong>: User and group provision/deprovision, group→role mapping in your app, sync status/error visibility, and whether SCIM is per-connection or included.</li>\n<li><strong>Pricing Anchor</strong>: WorkOS Directory Sync is $125 per connection/month.</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Audit Logs</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Verify</strong>: Event coverage (auth, org, admin actions), retention options, export/streaming to SIEM, searchability, and throughput limits.</li>\n<li><strong>Pricing Anchor</strong>: WorkOS Audit Logs — $125/month per SIEM connection for log streaming, and $99/month per million events stored for retention.</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p><strong>Close The Loop</strong>: Run a mini bake-off: configure SSO with two IdPs, sync a sample SCIM directory with groups→roles, and ship logs to your SIEM. If an alternative passes these with a clean admin UX, then compare the total cost.</p>\n<h2 id=\"pricing-signals-and-gotchas\" style=\"position:relative;\"><a href=\"#pricing-signals-and-gotchas\" aria-label=\"pricing signals and gotchas permalink\" class=\"anchor before\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" height=\"16\" version=\"1.1\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" width=\"16\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z\"></path></svg></a>Pricing Signals and Gotchas</h2>\n<p>Use these patterns to predict total cost and avoid surprises.</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Per-Connection vs Per MAU</strong>: WorkOS prices SSO/SCIM per connection; SuperTokens Cloud is per MAU. If you have many tenant orgs with modest usage, per-connection costs can add up quickly; with few orgs and large user counts, per-connection may be cheaper. Model both to find your break-even.</li>\n<li><strong>Add-On Gates</strong>: Watch for paid audit log retention/streaming, MFA, or organization features that sit behind higher tiers. For WorkOS, longer audit retention and SIEM streaming add cost; include them in your forecast from day one.</li>\n<li><strong>Admin-Portal Parity</strong>: Missing setup links / tenant self-service shifts work to your team and slows deals. Verify that admins can self-configure SSO/SCIM. Ory Polis supports setup-link flows.</li>\n</ul>\n<p><strong>Bottom Line</strong>: Choose the pricing unit that matches your growth shape, account for paid add-ons upfront, and demand self-serve admin flows to keep support costs in check.</p>\n<h2 id=\"conclusion\" style=\"position:relative;\"><a href=\"#conclusion\" aria-label=\"conclusion permalink\" class=\"anchor before\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" height=\"16\" version=\"1.1\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" width=\"16\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z\"></path></svg></a>Conclusion</h2>\n<p>WorkOS is great for fast enterprise readiness, but pricing and hosting modelS push some teams to look elsewhere. If you want no per-connection tax and OSS/VPC control, shortlist SuperTokens (OSS/Cloud) with Ory Polis for SAML. If you want a managed bundle, compare Stytch (included connections), Clerk (no SSO connection fees), Auth0/Frontegg (ecosystem depth), and FusionAuth (self-host path). Run a two-week bake-off focused on SSO/SCIM parity, admin UX, and total cost before you commit.</p>","frontmatter":{"date":"October 05, 2025","title":"WorkOS Alternatives (2025): SSO, SCIM, and Pricing Compared","cover":"workos-alternatives.png","author":"Mostafa Ibrahim","description":"Discover the best WorkOS alternatives for SSO, SCIM, and audit logs — open-source and managed options, pricing signals, and when SuperTokens fits."},"fields":{"slug":"/workos-alternatives/"}},"site":{"siteMetadata":{"title":"SuperTokens Blog"}}},"pageContext":{"id":"d188eb99-ccbe-5268-831f-c6e4a529d8a2","fields__slug":"/workos-alternatives/","__params":{"fields__slug":"workos-alternatives"}}},
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