Comparing Prefactor to Firebase
Apr 19, 2025
3 mins
Matt (Co-Founder and CEO)
Prefactor vs Firebase Authentication: Which Identity Platform is Right for You?
When building an app, choosing the right authentication platform is critical to your product's success. Firebase Authentication is a popular option, especially for teams already using Google Cloud or Firebase services. But if you need more flexibility, control, and B2B readiness, Prefactor offers an alternative worth considering. Here's how Prefactor compares to Firebase Authentication.
Quick Comparison
Feature | Prefactor | Firebase Authentication |
|---|---|---|
Hosting Options | Fully Cloud-hosted | Fully Cloud-hosted (Google Cloud) |
Pricing | Transparent, flat pricing | Free tier, then usage-based |
Customization | Full control, SDK & APIs | Limited, tied to Firebase |
Focus | Built for B2B & complex flows | B2C, Firebase-native apps |
Multi-Tenant Support | Native, fully customizable | No native multi-tenancy |
Vendor Lock-in | Minimal | High (Google/Firebase ecosystem) |
Key Differences
1. Flexibility vs Simplicity
Prefactor provides flexibility and control for teams building complex applications. You're not tied to Google Cloud or Firebase services, and you have full control over authentication flows.
Firebase Authentication is excellent for quick, simple B2C apps that are already within the Firebase ecosystem, but lacks the flexibility for complex B2B use cases.
2. Pricing Predictability
Prefactor offers transparent, flat-rate pricing.
Firebase starts free, but as usage grows, costs can rise unexpectedly due to usage-based pricing.
3. B2B and Multi-Tenant Support
Prefactor natively supports multi-tenancy and advanced access controls (ABAC).
Firebase Authentication does not support multi-tenancy out-of-the-box, which makes it less suited for B2B SaaS applications.
When to Choose Prefactor
You want flexibility and control over your authentication setup.
You’re building a B2B product that requires multi-tenancy and complex role-based access.
You prefer flat, predictable pricing.
You want to avoid vendor lock-in to Google Cloud.
When Firebase Authentication Might Work
You’re building a simple B2C app.
You're already fully invested in the Firebase ecosystem.
You want a fast, easy-to-implement authentication solution.
Conclusion
Firebase Authentication is a solid option for straightforward B2C apps, but if you need more power, flexibility, and B2B capabilities, Prefactor is designed for you. Want to see if Prefactor is a better fit? Email us at hello@prefactor.tech to get started.