WorkOS Alternatives: A Guide for B2B/SaaS Apps Scaling to Enterprise

The Best WorkOS Alternatives for SaaS Apps

Need enterprise-ready authentication for your B2B/SaaS app? This guide explores WorkOS alternatives that deliver enterprise capabilities like SSO, SCIM provisioning; comprehensive developer testing environments; and flexible pricing models.

Why do SaaS teams look for WorkOS Alternatives?

WorkOS is an authentication platform for developers building B2B SaaS applications. It provides enterprise-readiness features including Single Sign-On (SSO), Directory Sync, Audit Log, and Fine-grained Access Controls. Its unified API, ready-to-use integrations with popular identity providers, administrative interface, and documentation simplify engineering efforts.

However, as organizations grow, certain challenges arise, including limited support for development and QA environments, constraints in user attribute mapping, and rising costs, affecting extensive customization and cost-effective scaling. This guide presents alternative options that may better align with the evolving needs of growing B2B SaaS companies.

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Top WorkOS Alternatives for B2B SaaS

1. Scalekit

Scalekit is an authentication platform tailored for B2B SaaS applications, providing Single Sign-On (SSO), SCIM provisioning, and Social Logins for quick enterprise onboarding. Its native multi-tenant architecture offers flexible controls and built-in enterprise workflows, allowing developers to focus on core product development. Scalekit integrates seamlessly with major identity providers like Okta, Microsoft Entra ID, OneLogin, and Google, and includes intuitive REST APIs, comprehensive SDKs, and pre-built UI components to simplify implementation.

• Scalekit’s centralized admin portal allows customer IT teams to independently configure and manage authentication settings, including directory synchronization, user attribute mapping, and granular role assignments
• Developers benefit from features like bearer token rotation, robust error simulation, multi-environment testing, and compatibility with existing authentication stacks, enhancing ease-of-use
• Scalekit’s native multi-tenancy and transparent pricing—free for the first 3 SSO or SCIM connections, unlimited social logins, and volume discounts—ensure predictable scalability
• Scalekit is ideal for startups and scale-ups looking to securely expand within enterprise markets

2. Descope

Descope is an authentication platform designed to simplify customer onboarding for B2B applications. It offers low-code, no-code tools—such as a drag-and-drop interface—to customize authentication flows and quickly implement federated SSO, passwordless logins, SCIM provisioning, MFA, and risk-based authentication. The platform supports fine-grained access control, integrates with multiple identity providers, and includes an admin portal for streamlined SSO management and error simulation.

• Users appreciate Descope’s user-friendly, plug-and-play approach, enabling rapid deployment of customized authentication experiences
• Some users report challenges with documentation clarity, including gaps and complexities around integrations like Google one-tap login and native multi-tenancy
• New users face a learning curve, especially when initially setting up advanced authentication workflows
• Descope offers a free plan supporting up to 3 SSO connections and 7,500 monthly active users (MAUs)
• Additional connections, tenants, or customizations require upgrading to paid plans starting at $249 per month, potentially increasing costs significantly as usage grows
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3. Frontegg

Frontegg is an authentication and user management platform tailored for B2B SaaS. It supports holistic SaaS user lifecycle—from onboarding to subscription management—with comprehensive SSO via SAML and OIDC, fine-grained authorization controls, API integrations, and advanced authentication methods like MFA. Frontegg’s admin portal allows end-users to independently manage SSO setups, roles, and permissions.

• Users generally appreciate Frontegg’s ease of integration, customizable UI, and responsive customer support, making it suitable for mid-market and enterprise SaaS businesses
• Challenges include occasional documentation gaps, complexity in certain custom integrations, and a pricing model that becomes costly as monthly active users (MAUs) increase
• Frontegg provides a free entry tier limited to 5 SSO connections and 7,500 MAUs
• Unlocking key enterprise features like domain customization, admin portal access, and multi-environment support typically requires enterprise-level engagements
• Smaller-scale teams sometimes seek more flexible or affordable alternatives due to Frontegg’s pricing structure

4. Clerk

Clerk is an authentication and user management platform offering developers ready-to-use UI components and flexible APIs, simplifying the integration of authentication features like SSO, SCIM provisioning, MFA, and passwordless logins. It provides straightforward integration, particularly suited to B2C applications and smaller-scale web apps requiring minimal authentication complexity. Clerk has recently expanded its offerings to include native multi-tenancy, basic tenant management, and essential B2B functionality, but it remains primarily geared toward consumer-focused use cases.

• Users appreciate Clerk’s intuitive UI, ease of use, extensive front-end and back-end integrations, and robust support for various authentication methods, including social logins and custom passwordless flows
• Clerk’s hybrid positioning can cause friction in purely B2B scenarios
• Customers highlight slow feature rollouts for business-focused functionality, limited administrative portal features, and occasional support delays
• Pricing begins with a generous free plan supporting up to 10,000 MAUs and 100 organizations
• Costs escalate significantly with increased usage, especially when activating advanced enterprise features, which add an additional $100 on top of monthly active user (MAU) and monthly active organization (MAO) charges

5. Stytch

Stytch is a developer-oriented authentication platform known for passwordless login solutions, utilizing email magic links, SMS OTPs, and biometrics to enhance user experience and streamline onboarding. Its straightforward APIs and SDKs facilitate seamless integration, helping teams quickly implement frictionless authentication methods. Stytch supports standard protocols like SAML and OIDC, offers SCIM provisioning, fraud detection, customized branding, and basic domain control, making it suitable for modern SaaS applications.

• Users frequently highlight Stytch’s strength in passwordless authentication flows, intuitive developer experience, and responsive support team
• Some customers experience challenges with limited advanced customization options, such as detailed email templating and deeper user-data management
• Occasional gaps in documentation have been noted by users
• Pricing can be restrictive: the free tier includes five enterprise connections and 1,000 monthly active users (MAUs)
• Costs quickly escalate beyond the free tier, with charges of $125 per additional connection and $200 per extra 1,000 MAUs, along with further expenses for white-labeling and customizations
• Larger businesses or those with specialized requirements may explore alternative platforms despite Stytch’s strengths in user-friendly, passwordless authentication

6.Auth0

Auth0 is a versatile identity platform offering authentication and authorization services tailored to developers. It enables user identity management, API security, and SSO across applications, and is widely recognized in the developer community for compliance with global security standards. Auth0 supports enterprise-level SSO via SAML and OIDC but typically requires custom coding for IdP-initiated or complex branding customizations.

• Users appreciate Auth0’s robust security framework, extensive integration capabilities, and adaptability for diverse use cases, particularly in B2C and smaller B2B scenarios
• Pricing is frequently highlighted as a significant drawback, as costs scale rapidly—enterprise plans start at $150/month for three connections and double with increments of 500 monthly active users (MAUs)
• Advanced branding or complex SSO workflows often require extensive custom development, increasing overhead for rapidly scaling startups or resource-limited organizations
• Real-time support responsiveness and clarity of documentation have been identified as areas needing improvement

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Why B2B SaaS Developers Look for WorkOS Alternatives?

While WorkOS offers several enterprise authentication features, certain limitations prompt B2B SaaS teams to explore alternatives.

Limited Environments for Dev and Testing

WorkOS supports only one development and one production environment, which can be restrictive for teams needing additional UAT or QA environments to validate authentication workflows.

These restrictions create bottlenecks for SaaS teams managing multiple products or requiring additional environments for comprehensive testing across UAT, QA, and production.

Testing Edge Cases and Negative Scenarios

WorkOS provides a test SSO feature, but its support for testing edge cases and negative scenarios is limited. Enterprise-grade testing requires extensive simulation and flexible domain configurations. But, WorkOS’s restrictions limit such capabilities, creating challenges for robust validation.

Restrictions for User Attributes

WorkOS supports only default user attributes like email, first name, and last name. It lacks support for custom user attributes (such as manager, location) in the authentication flows. This limitation reduces flexibility for enterprise requirements.

High Pricing

WorkOS pricing is steep, starting at $125 per connection per month. While volume discounts are available, total costs can still add up significantly—for example, 10 SSO connections would cost $15,000 annually.

Additionally, features like custom branding incurs additional cost starting at $499/month, making WorkOS less affordable for early-stage and growing SaaS startups.

Unified Configuration

Scalekit's centralized admin portal enables convenient management of both SCIM and SSO settings in a single location, unlike platforms like WorkOS

Developer and Security Friendly

Thoughtful touches, such as easy bearer token rotation and improved workflows, enhance the developer experience

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How to Evaluate WorkOS Alternatives for Your B2B SaaS App?

Selecting the best authentication platform is crucial for scaling your application. Here’s a quick guide to the key factors and features to evaluate when considering alternatives:

Why Choose Scalekit over WorkOS?

Here is why Scalekit is better suited for busy SaaS developers looking to offload auth

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Conclusion

For B2B SaaS teams scaling into enterprise markets, choosing the right authentication platform requires careful evaluation. Key factors include multi-tenancy, enterprise-grade features like SSO and SCIM, developer ease of use, and transparent pricing. Prioritizing solutions that align with your architecture and simplify workflows for both developers and IT admins can make the decision process clearer.

Scalekit is one such option, designed with B2B SaaS needs in mind. With features like multi-tenant architecture and self-service admin portals, it empowers enterprise customers while reducing complexity for your team. By focusing on solutions that streamline processes and support long-term growth, teams can confidently scale their applications for enterprise readiness.

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