For a consumer app, “passwordless-style social sign-in” usually means using a social provider as the primary login and avoiding app-specific passwords. Your main options are:

1) Social login with OAuth/OIDC

Users sign in with an existing account from:

• Google
• Apple
• Facebook
• Microsoft
• GitHub
• X/Twitter
• others depending on audience

How it works

• You redirect the user to the provider
• They approve access
• You get an identity token / authorization code
• You create or link a local app account

Pros

• Familiar, low-friction
• No passwords for your app
• Good conversion on consumer apps
• Can piggyback on provider MFA/security

Cons

• Users may not want to use a social account
• Provider policy/API changes can affect you
• Account linking and edge cases add complexity

2) “Sign in with Apple” / one-tap identity providers

These are still OAuth/OIDC, but optimized for consumer UX.

Best for

• iOS-heavy audiences
• Apps needing a very smooth mobile flow
• Users who prefer privacy-preserving login

Notes

• Apple is often mandatory if you offer other third-party social login in iOS apps
• Apple can provide email relay and hide the user’s real email

3) Passwordless email magic links

Users enter an email address and receive a one-time sign-in link.

Pros

• No passwords
• Universal fallback when social sign-in isn’t available
• Simple UX on web

Cons

• Email deliverability can be a pain
• Slower than social sign-in
• Susceptible to email-account compromise

4) Passwordless email OTP / code

Users get a short code via email and enter it in-app.

Pros

• Same no-password benefit
• Often easier than magic links in native apps

Cons

• More typing
• Still depends on email delivery

5) SMS OTP / phone-based login

A code is sent by text message.

Pros

• Very easy to understand
• Works without a social account

Cons

• SIM swap risk
• SMS deliverability/costs
• Regulatory and anti-fraud concerns
• Usually weaker than social/OIDC or passkeys

6) Passkeys

Users sign in with Face ID, Touch ID, Windows Hello, Android biometrics, etc.

Pros

• Strong security
• Great UX
• Truly passwordless
• No provider dependency

Cons

• Some users may not understand them yet
• Cross-device/account recovery needs good design

Best practice

For many consumer apps, passkeys + social login is an excellent combo.

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What’s usually best in practice?

A common consumer-app stack is:

1. Google + Apple sign-in
2. Passkeys as a passwordless native option
3. Email magic link as fallback
4. Optional email OTP for tighter control

If you want the smoothest mobile-first UX, consider:

• Apple Sign In
• Google Sign-In
• Passkeys
• Keep email as backup for account recovery

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Important product decisions

Before choosing, decide:

• Do you need account portability? Social sign-in can tie users to providers; passkeys/email can reduce that dependency.
• Are you mobile-first or web-first? Apple/Google are especially strong on mobile.
• Do you need enterprise users too? Then add SSO later (SAML/OIDC).
• How will account recovery work? This is critical in passwordless systems.
• Do you need anonymous-to-registered upgrade? Useful for reducing signup friction.

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My recommendation

For a consumer app starting from scratch:

• Primary: Google + Apple sign-in
• Secondary: Passkeys
• Fallback/recovery: Email magic link or email OTP

That gives you:

• Low friction
• Good security
• Good coverage across devices
• Less dependence on a single identity provider

If you want, I can also help you choose based on your app type:

• iOS/Android/web?
• US or international audience?
• B2C marketplace, SaaS, community, or content app?
• Do you want to avoid passwords entirely?