Limen vs Auth0
Auth0 is a managed authentication platform with per-user pricing. Limen is a self-hosted Go library with no usage fees.
| Feature | Limen | Auth0 |
|---|
| License | MIT | Proprietary |
| Self-hosting | Yes | No |
| Cost model | Server hosting only | Subscription with per-user pricing |
| OAuth providers | Google, GitHub, Apple, custom OIDC | 30+ social providers |
| Two-factor auth | TOTP, backup codes | SMS, TOTP, push, WebAuthn |
| Deployment | Runs in your Go app | Managed SaaS |
Limen is the better choice when you need full control over authentication data, want to avoid per-user pricing that scales with growth, or require running authentication logic inside your application process for low latency. Self-hosting means your auth data never leaves your infrastructure, satisfying data residency and compliance requirements without vendor agreements.
Auth0 wins when you need enterprise SSO (SAML, WS-Federation), advanced bot detection, breached password databases, or turnkey integrations with 30+ social providers without writing OAuth configuration code. Auth0's managed infrastructure removes deployment and maintenance burden, which matters for teams without Go expertise or server operations capacity.
Limen vs Ory Kratos
Ory Kratos is a standalone identity server written in Go. Limen is a library you import into your existing Go application.
| Feature | Limen | Ory Kratos |
|---|
| License | MIT | Apache 2.0 |
| Architecture | Library (imported) | Standalone service |
| Deployment | Runs in your app | Separate Docker container |
| Database | Any via adapters | PostgreSQL, MySQL, CockroachDB |
| Framework | Any net/http compatible | Framework-agnostic (REST API) |
| Configuration | Go structs | JSON/YAML identity schema |
Limen fits Go projects that want authentication as a library dependency, not a separate service. You avoid the operational complexity of deploying, scaling, and monitoring a standalone identity server. Database migrations happen in your existing migration tooling. Session validation is a function call, not a network request to a sidecar.
Ory Kratos is better when you need a language-agnostic authentication service that multiple applications (Go, Node.js, Python) can share. Kratos exposes a REST API, so polyglot backends integrate without language-specific SDKs. If you are building a microservices architecture with mixed languages, Kratos's service-oriented design avoids duplicating auth logic per language.
Limen vs Supabase Auth
Supabase Auth is PostgreSQL-specific and tightly integrated with Supabase's ecosystem. Limen is database-agnostic and framework-agnostic.
| Feature | Limen | Supabase Auth |
|---|
| License | MIT | MIT (part of Supabase) |
| Database support | PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite | PostgreSQL only |
| Ecosystem | Standalone Go library | Requires Supabase stack |
| Self-hosting | Runs in your app | Requires full Supabase self-host |
| TypeScript client | Yes (npm package) | Yes (part of Supabase SDK) |
Limen is better when you are building a Go backend and want authentication without adopting the full Supabase stack (PostgREST, Realtime, Storage). You bring your own database, your own ORM, and your own API design. Limen imposes no architectural constraints beyond net/http compatibility.
Supabase Auth wins when you are already using PostgreSQL and want a turnkey backend (database, auth, storage, realtime subscriptions) with minimal setup. If you are building a frontend-heavy application and want a batteries-included BaaS, Supabase's integrated auth is faster than assembling components yourself. Self-hosting Supabase Auth in isolation is possible but requires running the full Supabase Docker stack, which is heavier than a single Go binary.
