HowToBuildBackend · Authentication
Better Auth
A TypeScript authentication framework with a plugin-oriented server API.
- License
- MIT
- Cost
- Open Source
- Self-host
- Yes
Overview
Better Auth provides sessions, social sign-in, account flows, and database adapters while keeping authentication logic inside the application boundary.
Why it is interesting
Why pay attention
It gives TypeScript teams a self-hosted alternative to fully managed identity products without starting from primitives.
Editorial status
Recommended for active evaluation.
Best for
- TypeScript applications that want to own authentication data
Not ideal for
- Teams that require a fully managed enterprise identity service
Open source & pricing
Open Source
The framework is free and self-hostable; email, database, and OAuth infrastructure may cost money.
GitHub momentum
★ 29,979
- Last 7 days
- +87
- Last 30 days
- Window incomplete
- Evidence
- 9/10/2026–9/17/2026 · weekly window
Included in stacks
See it in context.
Sources checked
Official documentation, repository, license, and product factsmaintainer · Sep 4, 2026