Own Auth vs. Clerk
Clerk gives you pre-built UI components and a hosted backend. Own Auth gives you a library that runs in your backend on your database. Different trade-offs, different control.
| Feature | Own Auth | Clerk |
|---|---|---|
| Data ownership | Your database | Their cloud |
| Open source | Core is open source | Proprietary |
| Framework lock-in | None | React-focused |
| Self-hostable | Runs in your backend | Hosted only |
| Passwords | Built in | Built in |
| Magic links | Built in | Built in |
| Phone / SMS login | Built in | Built in |
| Sessions | Database-backed | JWT-based |
| Organisations | Built in | Built in |
| API keys | Built in | Not available |
| Audit logs | Built in | Enterprise plan |
| Rate limiting | Built in | Built in |
| Pricing | Free (core) | Free tier, then per-MAU |
Feature
Data ownership
Own Auth
Your databaseClerk
Their cloudFeature
Open source
Own Auth
Core is open sourceClerk
ProprietaryFeature
Framework lock-in
Own Auth
NoneClerk
React-focusedFeature
Self-hostable
Own Auth
Runs in your backendClerk
Hosted onlyFeature
Passwords
Own Auth
Built inClerk
Built inFeature
Magic links
Own Auth
Built inClerk
Built inFeature
Phone / SMS login
Own Auth
Built inClerk
Built inFeature
Sessions
Own Auth
Database-backedClerk
JWT-basedFeature
Organisations
Own Auth
Built inClerk
Built inFeature
API keys
Own Auth
Built inClerk
Not availableFeature
Audit logs
Own Auth
Built inClerk
Enterprise planFeature
Rate limiting
Own Auth
Built inClerk
Built inFeature
Pricing
Own Auth
Free (core)Clerk
Free tier, then per-MAUData ownership
With Clerk, your user data lives in their cloud. You interact with it through their API. If you leave, you export what they allow. With Own Auth, every row is in your Postgres database from day one. There is no migration because the data never left.
Pricing model
Clerk charges per monthly active user. At small scale the free tier covers you. At scale, costs grow linearly with your user base. Own Auth's core is free and open source. You pay for infrastructure you already control.
Developer experience
Clerk's strength is speed-to-launch: drop in a component, auth works. Own Auth asks you to write a few more lines, but you get full control over every flow. If you want pixel-perfect custom auth screens or non-standard flows, Own Auth won't fight you.
Lock-in and migration
Clerk's components and API surface are proprietary. Moving away means rewriting auth UI and backend logic. Own Auth is a library. Swap it out, and your data stays in your database untouched.
Choose Clerk if...
You want pre-built UI components, don't mind a hosted dependency, and need to ship auth this afternoon without touching your database.
Choose Own Auth if...
You want your user data in your own database, need full control over your auth flows, and prefer open-source dependencies you can audit and fork.