# FusionAuth vs WorkOS: which do AI models recommend for CIAM, October 2026

IT AI Recommendation Index, October 2026 Edition, Customer identity and access management. Zero of fourteen models named FusionAuth first on the direct prompt; one named WorkOS. Page: https://it-ai-index.com/identity/customer-identity-and-access-management/fusionauth-vs-workos/

| | First-choice share | Rank | Negative rate | Labels | Models naming it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FusionAuth | 5% | #6 of 14 | 5% | 22 | 11 of 14 |
| WorkOS | 4% | #7 of 14 | 0% | 19 | 12 of 14 |

## The direct prompt, model by model

- Gemini 3.5 Flash: workos first (first choices: WorkOS) (alternatives: Clerk, Frontegg, Kinde)
- Claude Haiku 4.5: neither first, one named (first choices: Descope, Frontegg) (alternatives: OneWelcome Identity Platform, SSOJet, WorkOS)
- GPT-5.4 mini: neither first, one named (first choices: Frontegg) (alternatives: Auth0/Okta Customer Identity Cloud, FusionAuth, Okta)
- Grok 4.1 Fast: neither first, one named (first choices: Auth0) (alternatives: Clerk, Frontegg, FusionAuth, Microsoft Entra External ID, Stytch, WorkOS)
- Kimi K2: neither first, one named (first choices: Clerk, Frontegg) (alternatives: FusionAuth, WorkOS)
- Perplexity Sonar: neither named (first choices: LoginRadius) (alternatives: Clerk, Frontegg, Microsoft Entra External ID)
- Mistral Small: neither named (first choices: LoginRadius) (alternatives: Thales OneWelcome)
- DeepSeek V4 Flash: neither named (first choices: Auth0, Frontegg) (alternatives: Clerk, Microsoft Entra External ID, Stytch)
- Llama 4 Maverick: neither named (first choices: LoginRadius) (alternatives: Clerk, OneWelcome Identity Platform)
- Qwen 3.7 Flash: neither named (first choices: Auth0, Clerk) (alternatives: Microsoft Entra ID)
- GLM 4.7 FlashX: neither named (first choices: Auth0) (alternatives: Clerk, Descope, LoginRadius, Microsoft Entra External ID)
- MiniMax M2.5: neither named (first choices: Auth0, Clerk) (alternatives: Descope, LoginRadius)
- GPT-6 Luna: neither named (first choices: WorkOS AuthKit) (alternatives: Auth0, Microsoft Entra External ID, Stytch)
- Muse Glimmer 30B: neither named (first choices: Frontegg, LoginRadius) (alternatives: Auth0, Ping Identity)

## What the models said about FusionAuth

- "Lower ongoing costs but requires more ops" (Kimi K2, scale prompt, soft negative)
- "Prioritize platforms with strong mid-market fit like LoginRadius (simplicity) or FusionAuth (cost-effective self-hosting)." (Grok 4.1 Fast, scale prompt, first choice)
- "Lowest total cost (no per‑MAU fees): Keycloak or FusionAuth (self‑hosted)." (GLM 4.7 FlashX, budget prompt, first choice)
- "Best overall for tight budgets: FusionAuth" (GPT-5.4 mini, budget prompt, first choice)

## What the models said about WorkOS

- "I'd recommend WorkOS if your priority is getting B2B-specific identity features like SSO and enterprise readiness quickly" (Perplexity Sonar, paraphrase prompt, first choice)
- "Best Overall for Developer-First Enterprise Readiness" (Gemini 3.5 Flash, direct prompt, first choice)

Share is the count of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts over all fourteen models, for a mid-market B2B company; rank is within the category. Comparisons are drawn for the top eight products in each category. Published under CC BY 4.0; the output is the models' output, and nothing here is a recommendation by the index.