Auth & Backend · side by side
Amazon Cognito vs Descope
Compare Amazon Cognito, Descope by active-user allowances, social login, MFA, SSO, organizations and audit logs.
Auth & Backend pricing calculator
50K
Amazon Cognito
$220 / mo
Lite · 50K monthly active users
Descope
$2,049 / mo
Growth · 50K monthly active users
Listed USD plan fees and tracked usage only. Unlisted compute, transfer, extras, taxes and contract terms are excluded. Custom or unsupported plan usage is not estimated.
Auth & Backend overview & pricing
| Auth & Backend | Amazon Cognito | Descope |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Amazon Web Services | Descope |
| Billing unit | monthly active users | monthly active users |
| Plan at selected usage | Lite | Growth |
| Monthly estimate | $220/mo | $2,049/mo |
| Workload | 50K monthly active users | 50K monthly active users |
| Free access | 10K MAUs | 7.5K MAUs |
| Published plans | Lite, Essentials, Plus | Free Forever, Pro, Growth, Enterprise |
| Prices checked | 2026-10-08 | 2026-10-08 |
Provider
- Amazon Cognito
- Amazon Web Services
- Descope
- Descope
Billing unit
- Amazon Cognito
- monthly active users
- Descope
- monthly active users
Plan at selected usage
- Amazon Cognito
- Lite
- Descope
- Growth
Monthly estimate
- Amazon Cognito
- $220/mo
- Descope
- $2,049/mo
Workload
- Amazon Cognito
- 50K monthly active users
- Descope
- 50K monthly active users
Free access
- Amazon Cognito
- 10K MAUs
- Descope
- 7.5K MAUs
Published plans
- Amazon Cognito
- Lite, Essentials, Plus
- Descope
- Free Forever, Pro, Growth, Enterprise
Prices checked
- Amazon Cognito
- 2026-10-08
- Descope
- 2026-10-08
Auth & Backend monthly cost
Amazon Cognito: $220Descope: $2,049
Cost by monthly active users
Cost curve data
| monthly active users | Amazon Cognito | Descope |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | $0 | $0 |
| 12.5K | $14 | $374 |
| 25K | $83 | $799 |
| 50K | $220 | $2,049 |
| 100K | $495 | $4,549 |
| 250K | $1,320 | $12,049 |
| 500K | $2,695 | $24,549 |
0
- Amazon Cognito
- $0
- Descope
- $0
12.5K
- Amazon Cognito
- $14
- Descope
- $374
25K
- Amazon Cognito
- $83
- Descope
- $799
50K
- Amazon Cognito
- $220
- Descope
- $2,049
100K
- Amazon Cognito
- $495
- Descope
- $4,549
250K
- Amazon Cognito
- $1,320
- Descope
- $12,049
500K
- Amazon Cognito
- $2,695
- Descope
- $24,549
Auth & Backend feature comparison
| Auth & Backend | Amazon Cognito | Descope |
|---|---|---|
| Social login | Not listed | |
| 40 million users or more | Not listed | |
| Sign-in with social, SAML, or OIDC providers | Not listed | |
| Sign-in with username and password | Not listed | |
| MFA with authenticator apps and SMS one-time codes | Not listed | |
| Custom runtime action with Lambda triggers | Not listed | |
| Customize managed login page with CSS | Not listed | |
| 99.9% service level agreement | Not listed | |
| Customize managed login page with visual editor | Not listed | |
| MFA with email one-time codes | Not listed | |
| Passwordless sign-in with one-time codes | Not listed | |
| Passkeys sign-in with biometrics and hardware keys | Not listed | |
| Prevent reuse of previous passwords | Not listed | |
| Customize access token scopes and claims at runtime | Not listed | |
| Support for refresh token rotation | Not listed | |
| Protect against malicious sign-in attempts | Not listed | |
| Log and analyze threat profiles and user activity | Not listed | |
| Risk-based adaptive authentication | Not listed | |
| Compromised credentials detection to protect against unsafe passwords | Not listed | |
| Export threat profiles and user activity | Not listed | |
| Multi-Region replication | Not listed | |
| Machine-to-machine authorization | Add-on | Not listed |
| Higher API RPS quota | Add-on | Not listed |
| Base monthly price | Not listed | $799 |
| MAUs included / Additional MAU fee | Not listed | 25,000 ($0.05 additional) |
| Tenants included / Additional tenant fee | Not listed | 100 ($1 additional) |
| SSO connections included / Additional SSO conn. fee | Not listed | 10 ($50 additional) |
| Federated apps included | Not listed | Unlimited (SAML / OIDC) |
| M2M exchanges included / Additional M2M exchange fee | Not listed | 100,000 ($2 per 1000 exchanges) |
| Test users included | Not listed | 500 |
| MACs included / Additional MAC fee | Not listed | 10,000 ($0.05 additional) |
| MATKs included / Additional MATK fee | Not listed | 10,000 ($0.05 additional) |
| Biometrics / Passkeys | Not listed | |
| Email Magic Links | Not listed | |
| Email OTP | Not listed | |
| Authenticator Apps | Not listed | |
| SMS / voice call delivery with Descope | Not listed | Up to 100 per month |
| SMS / voice calls with your connector | Not listed | Unlimited |
| Email delivery with Descope | Not listed | Up to 10,000 per day |
| Email delivery with your connector | Not listed | Unlimited |
| Google One Tap | Not listed | |
| SAML / OIDC SSO | Not listed | Up to 10 connections (Add-on available) |
| Custom OIDC Provider | Not listed | |
| Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) | Not listed | |
| Fine-Grained Authorization (FGA) | Not listed | |
| User Provisioning (SCIM) | Not listed | |
| SSO Setup Suite - Widgets | Not listed | |
| SSO Setup Suite - Admin Portal | Not listed | |
| Localization | Not listed | |
| Audit Interface | Not listed | Descope UI + external connectors |
| Audit Retention | Not listed | 1 month (Add-on available) |
| Anonymous Users | Not listed | 1M |
| SSO Migration | Not listed | |
| Secure Session Management | Not listed | |
| Adaptive MFA | Not listed | |
| Step-up Authentication | Not listed | |
| Bot Protection | Not listed | |
| Custom Domain | Not listed | |
| SOC 2 Reports | Not listed | |
| HIPAA BAA | Not listed | |
| Scriptlets | Not listed | |
| Connectors | Not listed | |
| CI / CD Integration | Not listed | Up to 10 Projects |
| Multi-Region Deployments | Not listed |
Social login
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
40 million users or more
- Amazon Cognito
- Descope
- Not listed
Sign-in with social, SAML, or OIDC providers
- Amazon Cognito
- Descope
- Not listed
Sign-in with username and password
- Amazon Cognito
- Descope
- Not listed
MFA with authenticator apps and SMS one-time codes
- Amazon Cognito
- Descope
- Not listed
Custom runtime action with Lambda triggers
- Amazon Cognito
- Descope
- Not listed
Customize managed login page with CSS
- Amazon Cognito
- Descope
- Not listed
99.9% service level agreement
- Amazon Cognito
- Descope
- Not listed
Customize managed login page with visual editor
- Amazon Cognito
- Descope
- Not listed
MFA with email one-time codes
- Amazon Cognito
- Descope
- Not listed
Passwordless sign-in with one-time codes
- Amazon Cognito
- Descope
- Not listed
Passkeys sign-in with biometrics and hardware keys
- Amazon Cognito
- Descope
- Not listed
Prevent reuse of previous passwords
- Amazon Cognito
- Descope
- Not listed
Customize access token scopes and claims at runtime
- Amazon Cognito
- Descope
- Not listed
Support for refresh token rotation
- Amazon Cognito
- Descope
- Not listed
Protect against malicious sign-in attempts
- Amazon Cognito
- Descope
- Not listed
Log and analyze threat profiles and user activity
- Amazon Cognito
- Descope
- Not listed
Risk-based adaptive authentication
- Amazon Cognito
- Descope
- Not listed
Compromised credentials detection to protect against unsafe passwords
- Amazon Cognito
- Descope
- Not listed
Export threat profiles and user activity
- Amazon Cognito
- Descope
- Not listed
Multi-Region replication
- Amazon Cognito
- Descope
- Not listed
Machine-to-machine authorization
- Amazon Cognito
- Add-on
- Descope
- Not listed
Higher API RPS quota
- Amazon Cognito
- Add-on
- Descope
- Not listed
Base monthly price
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
- $799
MAUs included / Additional MAU fee
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
- 25,000 ($0.05 additional)
Tenants included / Additional tenant fee
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
- 100 ($1 additional)
SSO connections included / Additional SSO conn. fee
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
- 10 ($50 additional)
Federated apps included
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
- Unlimited (SAML / OIDC)
M2M exchanges included / Additional M2M exchange fee
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
- 100,000 ($2 per 1000 exchanges)
Test users included
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
- 500
MACs included / Additional MAC fee
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
- 10,000 ($0.05 additional)
MATKs included / Additional MATK fee
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
- 10,000 ($0.05 additional)
Biometrics / Passkeys
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
Email Magic Links
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
Email OTP
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
Authenticator Apps
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
SMS / voice call delivery with Descope
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
- Up to 100 per month
SMS / voice calls with your connector
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
- Unlimited
Email delivery with Descope
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
- Up to 10,000 per day
Email delivery with your connector
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
- Unlimited
Google One Tap
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
SAML / OIDC SSO
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
- Up to 10 connections (Add-on available)
Custom OIDC Provider
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
Fine-Grained Authorization (FGA)
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
User Provisioning (SCIM)
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
SSO Setup Suite - Widgets
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
SSO Setup Suite - Admin Portal
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
Localization
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
Audit Interface
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
- Descope UI + external connectors
Audit Retention
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
- 1 month (Add-on available)
Anonymous Users
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
- 1M
SSO Migration
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
Secure Session Management
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
Adaptive MFA
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
Step-up Authentication
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
Bot Protection
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
Custom Domain
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
SOC 2 Reports
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
HIPAA BAA
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
Scriptlets
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
Connectors
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
CI / CD Integration
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
- Up to 10 Projects
Multi-Region Deployments
- Amazon Cognito
- Not listed
- Descope
Showing 15 of 64
Which authentication & backend providers fit your needs?
Amazon Cognito features & plan notes
- AWS native
- Pay per MAU
- User pools
- 40 million users or more
- Sign-in with social, SAML, or OIDC providers
- Sign-in with username and password
- MFA with authenticator apps and SMS one-time codes
- Custom runtime action with Lambda triggers
- Customize managed login page with CSS
- 99.9% service level agreement
- Free tier of 10,000 MAUs per month (direct/social sign-in)
- Free tier of 50 MAUs per month for SAML/OIDC federation
- Available Advanced Security Features (ASF) add-on
Descope features & plan notes
- No-code flows
- Passwordless
- B2B SSO
- 25,000 Monthly active users (MAUs)
- 100 Monthly active tenants
- 10 SSO connections
- Unlimited Federated apps (SAML / OIDC)
- 500 Test users
- 100,000 M2M exchanges
- 10,000 Monthly active consents (MACs)
- 10,000 Monthly active tokens (MATKs)
- Everything in Pro, plus:
- Bot protection
- 1M Anonymous users
- Zero-downtime SSO migration
- SCIM provisioning
- Admin Portal
- Fine-grained authorization
- External audit connectors
- Multi-region data residency
- HIPAA BAA
- FedRAMP High add-on
How to compare authentication & backend providers
Check how each provider defines an active user and separates consumer identity from enterprise organizations. SAML, MFA, custom domains and audit logs can be gated behind higher plans. A backend platform can also charge separately for storage, functions and traffic.
Browse Auth & Backend pricing