Amazon Cognito
AWS's managed user directory and sign-in service for web and mobile apps.
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About Amazon Cognito
Amazon Cognito provides user pools for sign-up and sign-in, plus identity pools that exchange logins for temporary AWS credentials. It supports passwords, social providers, SAML and OIDC federation, MFA and, on newer tiers, passkeys and passwordless email or SMS codes through its Managed Login pages. User pools now come in three tiers, Lite, Essentials and Plus, with Plus adding threat protection such as compromised-credential detection. Its main appeal is integration with the rest of AWS: API Gateway, AppSync, Lambda triggers for custom logic and Amplify libraries for front ends. Pricing is per monthly active user with a free tier, which can be very cheap at scale compared with dedicated auth vendors. The trade-offs are a developer experience many find awkward, limited customisation of hosted pages, and the difficulty of migrating users out later because password hashes cannot be exported.
Best for: Teams building on AWS that want cheap, integrated user sign-in.
Pros and cons
What works
- Low per-user cost with a free tier
- Tight integration with API Gateway, Lambda and Amplify
- Identity pools issue temporary AWS credentials
Why people leave
- Developer experience and docs are often described as clunky
- Password hashes cannot be exported, making migration hard
- Limited customisation of hosted login pages
Top Amazon Cognito alternatives
See all 6- 1
Auth066.5Far better developer experience and login customisation, at a higher per-user price.
- 2ClClerk62.6
Drop-in components and a smoother setup for web apps.
- 3
SuperTokens59.6Open-source and self-hostable, so you keep user data and can migrate freely.
- 4
Keycloak57.2Run your own identity server, including on AWS, with no per-user fees.
- 5
FusionAuth55.3Self-hostable on AWS with full API control and exportable users.
Why people left Amazon Cognito
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Amazon Cognito: common questions
Is Amazon Cognito free?
Amazon Cognito has a free plan and paid plans. Free tier: 10,000 MAU per month (checked on Amazon Cognito's own site).
Is Amazon Cognito open source?
No, Amazon Cognito is not open source. Open-source alternatives include SuperTokens and Keycloak.
What platforms does Amazon Cognito run on?
Amazon Cognito is available for Web, iOS and Android.
What are the best alternatives to Amazon Cognito?
The highest-ranked Amazon Cognito alternatives right now are Auth0, Clerk and SuperTokens. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.