Janssen Project vs SuperTokens
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted identity & sso options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Janssen Project | SuperTokens |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 80 · Excellent | 95 · Excellent |
| Category | Identity & SSO | Identity & SSO |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Java | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | kubernetes, helm | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 649 | ★ 15,320 |
| First released | 2020 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Okta, Auth0 | Auth0, Firebase Auth |
What are Janssen Project and SuperTokens?
Janssen Project
The Janssen Project is a Linux Foundation effort delivering a scalable, cloud-native identity and access management platform. It implements OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0, and FIDO standards for authentication and authorization.
- OpenID Connect provider
- OAuth 2.0 server
- FIDO2 and passkeys
- Cloud-native deployment
SuperTokens
SuperTokens is an open-source authentication solution that handles login, sessions, social login and more. It can be self-hosted and offers SDKs and prebuilt UI components for rapid integration.
- Email/password and passwordless login
- Social and enterprise SSO
- Secure session management
- Prebuilt frontend components
Janssen Project vs SuperTokens: key differences
Both projects are written in Java. SuperTokens is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 4,096 MB for Janssen Project. SuperTokens has the considerably larger community, at 15,320 GitHub stars versus 649. SuperTokens lists first-class Docker deployment; Janssen Project does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Janssen Project if…
- Standards complete
- Built for scale
Watch out for
- Complex to operate
- Heavy resource needs
Choose SuperTokens if…
- Easy framework integration
- Good free self-hosted tier
Watch out for
- Some advanced features are paid
Frequently asked questions
Is Janssen Project or SuperTokens better?
SuperTokens is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Janssen Project if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Janssen Project and SuperTokens free and open-source?
Yes. Janssen Project is licensed under Apache-2.0 and SuperTokens under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Janssen Project and SuperTokens with Docker?
Janssen Project: check the project docs for container support. SuperTokens: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Janssen Project or SuperTokens?
SuperTokens has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 4,096 MB for Janssen Project. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.