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Comparison guide

Next-auth vs Passport

Side-by-side NPM package comparison

Hero image for Next-auth vs Passport

Quick Verdict

Smallest Bundle

Passport

45.9 KB gzipped

Most Popular

Next-auth

0 weekly downloads

Best Maintained

Next-auth

100/100 maintenance score

Highest Quality

Next-auth

50/100 quality score

Overall Pick

Passport

Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality

Version 4.24.15

0
67
Good

Authentication for Next.js

Weekly Downloads
0

Trend data unavailable

Bundle (gzip)
242.1 KB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
100
Popularity
10
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70

Version 0.7.0

0
43
Fair

Simple, unobtrusive authentication for Node.js.

Weekly Downloads
0

Trend data unavailable

Bundle (gzip)
45.9 KB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
20
Popularity
10
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70

Choosing between Next-auth and Passport? Here's a data-driven comparison based on real npm data — downloads, bundle size, health scores, and more — to help you decide which package fits your project best.

Downloads & Popularity

Next-auth and Passport both have 0 weekly downloads, indicating equal adoption in the ecosystem.

Bundle Size

Passport has the smallest gzipped bundle at 45.9 KB. Next-auth comes in at 242.1 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.

Health Score Comparison

Next-auth has an overall health score of 67/100 (good), with strong maintenance, security scores. Passport has an overall health score of 43/100 (moderate), with strong security scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.

When to Choose Each

Choose Next-auth if you value actively maintained, strong security track record. Choose Passport if you value strong security track record.

Our Verdict

Both Next-auth and Passport are solid choices for JavaScript development. Next-auth has the edge in overall health score (67/100), while each package brings unique strengths to the table. Evaluate them based on your project's priorities — whether that's community size, bundle efficiency, or maintenance activity — and choose the one that aligns best with your requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is next-auth better than passport?
It depends on your needs. Next-auth has a health score of 67/100 while Passport scores 43/100. Next-auth has more weekly downloads (0), suggesting broader adoption. Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
Which has a smaller bundle size, next-auth or passport?
Passport has the smaller gzipped bundle at 45.9 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
How many developers use next-auth vs passport?
Based on npm download statistics, Next-auth has approximately 0 weekly downloads and Passport has approximately 0 weekly downloads. These numbers reflect package installations, not unique developers, but they indicate relative adoption levels.
Which is better maintained, next-auth or passport?
Next-auth currently has the higher overall health score at 67/100. Next-auth has a maintenance score of 100/100 and Passport scores 20/100 on maintenance.

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