Overview
Hanko is an open-source authentication and user management platform from a German company. It treats passkeys as a first-class login method while still supporting passwords, email passcodes, social sign-in and MFA with TOTP apps or security keys, so you can migrate users toward passwordless gradually. Hanko Elements are customizable Web Components for login, registration and profile screens that work in any front-end framework, or you can build your own UI on the flow API.
Deployment options are Hanko Cloud (with EU hosting available), a managed private cloud with a provider of your choice, or self-hosting. The free Starter plan covers 10,000 monthly active users, two projects, MFA and a custom domain, with no credit card.
Pro costs $29 a month plus $0.01 per MAU above 10,000 and adds webhooks, the admin API, custom SMTP, team invites and direct support. SAML SSO costs $49 a month per connection. Hanko also offers a FIDO2-certified Passkey API if you only want to add passkeys to an existing auth system.
Pricing and plans
Free tier · no card
Starter: 10,000 MAU, 2 projects, passkeys, passwords, passcodes, social SSO, MFA, custom domain, admin dashboard; community support; no card required
At the limit Not stated The vendor does not say what happens at the limit, or we have not found it yet.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted | Free | Open source |
| Starter | Free | 10,000 MAU, 2 projects, MFA, custom domain |
| Pro | $29/mo | 10,000 MAU then $0.01 each, 5 projects, webhooks, admin API, custom SMTP, email/Slack support |
| Enterprise | Custom | 99.99% SLA, private cloud, commercial license, volume discounts |
What it does
- Passkey-first login
- FIDO2-certified passkey infrastructure alongside passwords and passcodes.
- Hanko Elements
- Customizable Web Components for sign-up, login and account management in any framework.
- MFA
- Security keys and TOTP authenticator apps as second factors, included free.
- EU hosting
- Cloud hosting in the EU, or self-hosted and private-cloud options.
- SAML SSO
- Enterprise SSO connections on Pro at $49/mo each.
- Passkey API
- Add passkeys to an existing auth stack without replacing it.
Strengths and limitations
Strengths
- MFA and custom domain on the free plan
- Open source with EU-based company and hosting
- Simple pricing: $29 base and $0.01 per extra MAU
- Strong passkey focus
Limitations
- Only 2 projects on the free plan
- Webhooks and admin API require Pro
- SAML SSO costs $49/mo per connection
- Smaller ecosystem than Auth0 or Clerk
Who it suits
Good for
- Apps moving users to passkeys
- European teams wanting EU-hosted or self-hosted auth
- Side projects needing MFA for free
Look elsewhere if
- B2B apps with complex multi-tenant organization needs
- Teams wanting many enterprise SSO connections cheaply
Alternatives to Hanko
| Tool | From | Free option | Stages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nhost Postgres + GraphQL backend platform | $25/mo | Free tier | |
| Supabase Managed Postgres backend platform | $25/mo | Free tier | |
| Kinde Hosted auth with billing and feature flags | $25/mo | Free tier | |
| Clerk Hosted auth and user management | $25/mo | Free tier | |
| Logto Open-source OIDC auth (cloud or self-hosted) | $24/mo | Free tier | |
| Asgardeo Hosted CIAM (with open-source self-hosted option) | $20/mo | Free tier |
Questions
Is Hanko free?
Hanko Cloud Starter is free for 10,000 MAU with no card, and the open-source version can be self-hosted.
How much does Hanko Pro cost?
$29 a month plus $0.01 per monthly active user above 10,000.
Can Hanko host data in the EU?
Yes. Hanko is developed in Germany and offers EU hosting as well as self-hosting.
Does Hanko support SAML?
Yes, on Pro at $49 a month per SAML connection.
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