IAM ROI Calculator

Building authentication in-house seems cheaper at first, but hidden costs add up quickly:

• Initial Build: 3-6 months of senior engineering time for core features
• Ongoing Maintenance: Security patches, protocol updates, dependency upgrades
• Compliance: SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR requirements add overhead
• Opportunity Cost: Engineers building auth aren't building your product
• Security Incidents: One breach can cost millions in damages and reputation

Build In-House When:

• Authentication IS your core product (you're building an IdP)
• You have unique requirements no vendor can meet
• You have dedicated security engineering resources

Buy When:

• Authentication is a means to an end, not your core product
• You need enterprise features (SSO, SCIM, audit logs) quickly
• You want to focus engineering on product differentiation

At 10,000 MAU with SSO, MFA, and Social Login:

• Auth0: ~$3,000/month (Professional plan, enterprise SSO add-on)
• Okta: ~$2,500/month (Workforce Identity, SSO + MFA)
• Stytch: ~$1,500/month (Growth plan, per-feature pricing)
• Skycloak: $149/month (Launch plan - unlimited users, all features)

Skycloak pricing is flat per cluster, not per user. Whether you have 100 or 100,000 users, the price stays the same. Pricing as of January 2025.

Compliance adds significant cost to DIY authentication:

• SOC 2 Type II: $30,000-$100,000+ for audit, plus ongoing compliance work
• HIPAA: Risk assessments, BAAs, breach notification procedures
• GDPR: Data protection impact assessments, consent management

With Skycloak, you inherit our compliance certifications and security practices.