I need auth without a huge enterprise setup

If you want auth without a huge enterprise setup, the sweet spot is usually:

Best simple options

1. Clerk

• Very fast to add
• Great UX out of the box
• Handles sign-in, sign-up, email verification, social login, MFA
• Good if you want to move quickly and avoid rolling your own UI

Best for: startups, SaaS, web apps that want polished auth with minimal work

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2. Supabase Auth

• Easy if you already use Supabase/Postgres
• Lightweight and reasonably straightforward
• Supports email/password, magic links, OAuth
• Good developer experience if you’re okay with a bit more hands-on setup than Clerk

Best for: apps already using Supabase or wanting a simple backend stack

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3. Auth.js (NextAuth)

• Flexible and open source
• Good if you’re on Next.js and want to control more yourself
• Requires more setup than Clerk, but less lock-in

Best for: developers who want control and are comfortable wiring things together

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4. Firebase Auth

• Mature and easy to get started
• Works well if you’re already in Firebase/Google ecosystem
• Can feel a bit more “platform-y”

Best for: mobile/web apps already using Firebase

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My practical recommendation

• If you want the least hassle: Clerk
• If you want simple + database-friendly: Supabase Auth
• If you want open source + more control: Auth.js
• If you already use Google/Firebase tools: Firebase Auth

What I’d avoid

• Building auth from scratch unless it’s a very small prototype
• “Enterprise IAM” tools unless you truly need SSO, SCIM, complex orgs, etc.

If you tell me:

1. your stack (Next.js? React? mobile?),
2. whether you need social login / magic links / MFA,
3. whether you want hosted or self-hosted,

…I can recommend the best option and a clean setup path.