Why Auth
Authentication has never been easier to add — but it’s never been harder to own.
In recent years, hosted auth providers made sign-in buttons simple.
But simplicity came at a cost: your data, your design, and your freedom.
💡 The problem
If you’ve used a hosted auth service, you probably know the pattern:
- You paste a code snippet, create a dashboard, and it works — for now.
- Then you want to change a flow, restyle a dialog, or add organizations.
- Suddenly, you’re locked into someone else’s logic, API, and roadmap.
Every improvement comes with a compromise: more vendor coupling, less control.
You didn’t own your auth — you merely rented it.
🔍 The trade-off behind the scenes
Hosted providers solved a real pain: building secure authentication is hard.
But they also created a new one: loss of ownership.
| Hosted approach | Auth approach |
|---|---|
| Works fast, but you depend on a platform | Works fast — and you own the platform |
| Data duplicated on third-party servers | Data lives only in your Convex backend |
| Locked UI and rigid API surface | Editable components and extensible flows |
| Per-user or per-org billing | Zero per-user costs — host it yourself |
| Quick start, long-term friction | Quick start, long-term freedom |
🔧 The alternative: self-owned, plug-and-play
Auth takes the same ease of use that hosted providers pioneered —
and gives it back to you in open source form.
It combines:
- Better Auth – secure, type-safe authentication API
- Convex – reactive backend and real-time database
- Skeleton + Ark UI – themeable, modern design system
Everything ships as real code, copied into your project.
No SDK black boxes. No remote dashboards.
If you can open a file, you can change it.
🧠 What self-ownership gives you
1. Full control of the user experience
Auth’s components live in your codebase — you can restyle, restructure, or extend them freely.
Dialogs, animations, and transitions are yours to refine.
2. Data that never leaves your stack
All user and organization data is stored in your Convex instance.
No duplication, no external syncing, no additional attack surface.
3. Freedom from usage pricing
No more per-user or per-organization billing.
Auth scales with your infrastructure, not your headcount.
4. Sustainable independence
Your product shouldn’t depend on a vendor’s uptime, roadmap, or policy changes.
Auth keeps your authentication future-proof — because you own it.
🌍 The outcome
Auth exists for builders who value ownership —
for teams who want convenience without compromise.
You start fast, stay flexible, and never lose control of your users, UI, or data.
You don’t just use Auth — you own it.
🚀 Next steps
Ready to start building?