Pricing overview

WorkOS primarily offers a usage-based pricing model, beginning with a substantial free tier before transitioning to custom enterprise contracts for higher volumes and specialized features. This structure aims to support B2B SaaS companies from initial development through scaling to enterprise-level requirements. The core of WorkOS's offering involves solutions for enterprise identity, including Single Sign-On (SSO), Directory Sync (SCIM), Audit Logs, and a hosted login experience called AuthKit [1].

The free tier is designed to allow developers to integrate and deploy enterprise features without upfront costs, supporting a significant user base. Once usage exceeds the free limits, organizations engage with WorkOS for a tailored pricing plan. These custom plans typically factor in monthly active users (MAUs), specific product usage (e.g., SSO connections, Directory Sync integrations), and any advanced support or compliance needs [1].

WorkOS generally includes all its core products within the same pricing structure, meaning features like AuthKit, SSO, and Directory Sync are often bundled, simplifying the decision-making process for companies adopting the platform. This approach differs from some identity providers that unbundle features into separate add-ons or tiers [1].

Plans and tiers

WorkOS provides a straightforward two-tier structure: a generous free tier and a custom enterprise plan. There are no predefined mid-range plans with fixed pricing points; instead, once an organization exceeds the free limits, pricing is negotiated based on individual requirements.

The following table outlines the primary tiers and their general characteristics:

Plan Name Price Key Limits / Features Best For
Free Tier $0
  • Up to 1,000,000 MAUs for AuthKit
  • Up to 1,000,000 MAUs for SSO & Directory Sync
  • All core products included (AuthKit, SSO, Directory Sync, Audit Logs, Magic Link, Admin Portal)
  • Standard support
  • Startups and SMBs implementing enterprise features
  • Product-led growth (PLG) companies needing to offer SSO without upfront cost
  • Initial development and testing of WorkOS integrations
Enterprise Plan Custom
  • Scales beyond free tier MAU limits
  • Tailored pricing based on MAU volume and specific product usage
  • Access to enterprise-grade support and SLAs
  • Advanced compliance and security features (e.g., dedicated infrastructure upon request)
  • Priority access to new features
  • Growing B2B SaaS companies with significant enterprise customers
  • Organizations requiring custom agreements and dedicated support
  • Companies with stringent compliance and security requirements (e.g., HIPAA-eligible, PCI DSS) [2]

Free tier and limits

The WorkOS free tier is designed to be comprehensive, allowing developers to implement enterprise-grade features without incurring costs until their application scales significantly. The limits for the free tier are:

  • AuthKit (Hosted Login): Up to 1,000,000 monthly active users (MAUs) [1]. This includes features like passwordless login via Magic Link and social logins.
  • SSO (SAML, OIDC) & Directory Sync (SCIM): Up to 1,000,000 monthly active users (MAUs) [1]. This covers the usage of enterprise SSO connections (e.g., Okta, Azure AD, OneLogin) and SCIM-based directory integrations (e.g., Okta, Azure AD, Google Workspace).

All core WorkOS products, including Audit Logs and the Admin Portal, are available within the free tier. This approach provides a full-featured environment for development and initial deployment, enabling companies to offer enterprise capabilities to their customers from day one without immediate financial commitment.

It is important to note that MAUs are typically counted uniquely within a billing period. If a user authenticates multiple times or uses multiple WorkOS products (e.g., SSO and AuthKit) within the same month, they generally count as one MAU for that month across the relevant product lines. Specifics on MAU calculation are detailed in the WorkOS documentation.

Real-world cost examples

Given the custom nature of WorkOS's enterprise pricing, specific public cost examples beyond the free tier are not available. However, based on the free tier limits and the transition to custom plans, we can outline illustrative scenarios:

  1. Early-Stage B2B SaaS (Free Tier User):

    • Scenario: A new B2B SaaS application launches with an enterprise plan option. They acquire 50 customers, each with an average of 1,000 users, totaling 50,000 MAUs. These customers require SAML SSO and SCIM Directory Sync.
    • WorkOS Cost: $0. The total MAUs (50,000) are well within the 1,000,000 MAU limit for both SSO/SCIM and AuthKit. The company can offer critical enterprise features without any direct cost from WorkOS.
  2. Scaling B2B SaaS (Transition to Enterprise):

    • Scenario: A growing B2B SaaS platform reaches 1.2 million MAUs who utilize SSO and Directory Sync features. Their AuthKit usage is 800,000 MAUs.
    • WorkOS Cost: Custom Enterprise Plan. Since the SSO/Directory Sync MAUs exceed the 1 million free limit, the company would transition to a custom plan. The pricing would be negotiated based on their total MAU volume for the exceeded service, the number of enterprise connections, and any additional features or support they require.
  3. Large Enterprise Application (Custom Plan):

    • Scenario: An established enterprise application with 5 million MAUs relying on WorkOS for SSO, Directory Sync, and Audit Logs across hundreds of enterprise customers. They also require dedicated support and specific compliance assurances.
    • WorkOS Cost: Custom Enterprise Plan. The cost would be determined through direct consultation with WorkOS, factoring in the high MAU volume, the breadth of product usage, and the need for enterprise-level SLAs and compliance. Pricing at this scale is typically optimized for volume and long-term commitments.

These examples illustrate that the free tier provides significant runway, but once organizations exceed the million-MAU threshold for a given product line, they move to a bespoke pricing model. This approach ensures that larger organizations receive pricing and support tailored to their specific, often complex, needs.

How the pricing compares

WorkOS's pricing model, particularly its free tier, presents a competitive offering when compared to other identity and access management (IAM) providers in the B2B SaaS space. While direct price comparisons for custom enterprise plans are challenging due to their bespoke nature, the free tier provides a clear point of differentiation.

  • WorkOS vs. Auth0:

    • WorkOS offers a free tier up to 1 million MAUs for both AuthKit (hosted login) and enterprise features like SSO and Directory Sync [1].
    • Auth0, now part of Okta, generally has a more granular pricing structure. Its free tier typically supports up to 7,000 MAUs for the Universal Login and basic authentication features, with enterprise features like SAML SSO and SCIM often requiring higher-tier paid plans or add-ons [3]. For example, enterprise SSO can be an additional charge per connection or part of higher-priced plans. This means WorkOS's free tier provides a significantly larger runway for companies needing to implement enterprise features from the outset.
  • WorkOS vs. Stytch:

    • WorkOS includes enterprise SSO and Directory Sync within its 1 million MAU free tier [1].
    • Stytch focuses on passwordless authentication. While Stytch offers a free tier for its core authentication APIs, enterprise features like SAML SSO and SCIM are typically available on its Growth or Enterprise plans, which are paid tiers [4]. Stytch's free MAU limits are also generally lower than WorkOS's for core authentication.
  • WorkOS vs. Frontegg:

    • WorkOS provides its full suite of enterprise features, including SSO and SCIM, free up to 1 million MAUs [1].
    • Frontegg offers a free tier and various paid plans (e.g., Growth, Enterprise). Its free tier usually includes basic authentication, but advanced features like SAML SSO and SCIM are generally part of its paid Growth or Enterprise tiers [5]. The MAU limits on Frontegg's free tier are also typically lower than WorkOS's, particularly for enterprise features.

In summary, WorkOS differentiates itself by offering a robust free tier that encompasses high MAU limits and includes core enterprise features like SSO and Directory Sync without cost. This makes it particularly appealing for B2B SaaS companies that need to offer these capabilities to attract and retain enterprise customers from an early stage, or for product-led growth (PLG) companies looking to upgrade users to enterprise tiers with minimal friction. Other providers often gate these advanced features behind paid plans or offer lower MAU limits on their free tiers for comparable services [6].