Better Auth
TypeScript-first auth. Email, OAuth, magic links, 2FA. No vendor lock-in.
In plain English
Like installing your own lock and key system on your front door instead of hiring a security company. You own the keys, you control who gets in, and there's no monthly fee.
Real-world example
You're building a freelancer marketplace. Users need to sign up with email, verify their identity, and log in with Google. Better Auth handles all of that — and you don't pay per user like you would with hosted services.
Where this fits in your project
This handles who can log in and what they can access. It's the security layer of your app.
When to use this
When you want auth that you own and control. Email, OAuth, magic links, 2FA — all built in, no monthly bill, no vendor lock-in.
The situation
You're adding login to your app and want a self-hosted solution that won't charge you per user.
Good for
- + Apps where you want to own the user data
- + Projects that might scale beyond free tiers
- + Privacy-conscious apps
Not ideal for
- - Quick prototypes where Clerk's UI is faster
- - When you don't want to manage auth infrastructure
Getting started
Install `npm install better-auth`, add the auth handler to your API routes, configure providers.