Own Auth vs. Firebase Auth
Firebase Auth is Google's managed authentication service, tightly integrated with the Firebase ecosystem. Own Auth is a standalone library that runs on your infrastructure with no platform dependency.
| Feature | Own Auth | Firebase Auth |
|---|---|---|
| Data ownership | Your database | Google's cloud |
| Open source | Core is open source | SDKs are open source |
| Framework lock-in | None | Firebase ecosystem |
| Self-hostable | Runs in your backend | Hosted only |
| Passwords | Built in | Built in |
| Magic links | Built in | Built in |
| Phone / SMS login | Built in | Built in |
| Sessions | Database-backed | JWT-based |
| Organisations | Built in | Not available |
| API keys | Built in | Not available |
| Audit logs | Built in | Via Cloud Logging |
| Rate limiting | Built in | Built in |
| Pricing | Free (core) | Free tier, then per-verification |
Feature
Data ownership
Own Auth
Your databaseFirebase Auth
Google's cloudFeature
Open source
Own Auth
Core is open sourceFirebase Auth
SDKs are open sourceFeature
Framework lock-in
Own Auth
NoneFirebase Auth
Firebase ecosystemFeature
Self-hostable
Own Auth
Runs in your backendFirebase Auth
Hosted onlyFeature
Passwords
Own Auth
Built inFirebase Auth
Built inFeature
Magic links
Own Auth
Built inFirebase Auth
Built inFeature
Phone / SMS login
Own Auth
Built inFirebase Auth
Built inFeature
Sessions
Own Auth
Database-backedFirebase Auth
JWT-basedFeature
Organisations
Own Auth
Built inFirebase Auth
Not availableFeature
API keys
Own Auth
Built inFirebase Auth
Not availableFeature
Audit logs
Own Auth
Built inFirebase Auth
Via Cloud LoggingFeature
Rate limiting
Own Auth
Built inFirebase Auth
Built inFeature
Pricing
Own Auth
Free (core)Firebase Auth
Free tier, then per-verificationPlatform dependency
Firebase Auth is part of Google's Firebase platform. It works best when you're also using Firestore, Cloud Functions, and Firebase Hosting. Using it outside that ecosystem is possible but awkward. Own Auth has no platform dependency. It's a library you import.
Data portability
Exporting users from Firebase Auth is possible but limited. You get basic profile data, not password hashes in a reusable format. With Own Auth, your data is in your Postgres database. Moving to a different auth solution means pointing at the same tables.
Organisations and teams
Firebase Auth doesn't include multi-tenancy or team management. You'd build that yourself on top of Firestore or another database. Own Auth includes organisations, roles, members, and invites as first-class features.
Choose Firebase Auth if...
You're already in the Firebase ecosystem, want tight integration with Google Cloud, and don't need organisations or API key management.
Choose Own Auth if...
You want portable auth that isn't tied to any cloud platform, need built-in organisation support, and want your data in a standard Postgres database.