SuperTokens
Swell
| Feature | SuperTokens | Swell |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $0.02/mo | Free / from $299/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | saas-developers, startups, privacy-focused-apps, self-hosters | developers, subscription-businesses, custom-ecommerce, b2b-commerce |
| Founded | 2019 | 2016 |
| Email Password | ✓ | ✗ |
| Social Login | ✓ | ✗ |
| Passwordless | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mfa | ✓ | ✗ |
| Session Management | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pre Built Ui | ✓ | ✗ |
| Self Hostable | ✓ | ✗ |
| Headless Api | ✗ | ✓ |
| Subscriptions | ✗ | ✓ |
| Multi Currency | ✗ | ✓ |
| Custom Models | ✗ | ✓ |
| Webhooks | ✗ | ✓ |
| Admin Dashboard | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ SuperTokens Pros
- Open-source with free self-hosting
- Pre-built UI components for quick integration
- Session management with anti-CSRF protection
- Multiple auth methods (email, social, passwordless, MFA)
✗ SuperTokens Cons
- Smaller ecosystem than Auth0 or Firebase Auth
- Documentation has gaps for complex setups
- Limited admin dashboard features
✓ Swell Pros
- Extremely flexible API
- Built-in subscription support
- Good for unique business models
- Developer-friendly
✗ Swell Cons
- Requires development resources
- Expensive for small stores
- Smaller ecosystem
The Verdict
SuperTokens is built for saas developers and startups, with a focus on email-password and social-login. Swell targets developers and subscription businesses and leads with headless-api and subscriptions.
On pricing, SuperTokens is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $0.02/mo compared to $299/mo for Swell. That $298.98/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Feature-wise, SuperTokens offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Swell takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.