SuperTokens
Open-source self-hosted auth library. SDK-style integration, app-database-aware.
VISIT SUPERTOKENSQuick facts
- CategorySelf-hosted
- LanguageTypeScript
- PricingOpen source
- LicenseApache-2.0
- Created2020
- GitHub stars14.6k
- HIPAA-eligibleNo
- SSO / SAMLOut of box
What it is
SuperTokens is open-source auth designed for self-hosting in the same database your app uses. SDK + core service, multiple recipes (email-password, passwordless, social, MFA). Lighter than Keycloak, integrates more like a library than a separate IDP.
Best for
- Apps that want auth state in the same database as application data
- Self-hosted needs without IDP-level complexity
- TypeScript / Node teams
When not to pick it
Skip SuperTokens for enterprise SSO at scale — Keycloak / Authentik fit that brief better. Skip if your team prefers SaaS auth.
My take
SuperTokens is good for self-hosted auth at the small-to-mid scale. The same-database story is genuinely useful.
Links
Similar tools you should also consider
Authentik
Modern open-source self-hosted IDP. Python-based, lighter than Keycloak.
Read the take →FusionAuth
Self-hosted auth from a US team. Lighter than Keycloak, paid for support, free for self-hosting.
Read the take →Better Auth
Newer TypeScript-first OSS auth library. Designed as the modern Auth.js alternative.
Read the take →If SuperTokens is your pick — the next conversation is short
The 30-min call is where your auth choice becomes a real architecture, a migration plan if you are switching, and a price range you can take to your stakeholders. Describe your stack, your scale, your compliance constraints. I tell you whether SuperTokens is genuinely your fit.