AWS COgnito Alternative

Rownd vs AWS Cognito

Cognito may be sufficient for those looking to build simple authentication flows centered around passwords and social logins. In particular, Cognito may appeal to companies already using AWS and looking to get started quickly.

However, many companies may rapidly outgrow Cognito - Rownd may be a better solution if you’re looking for more advanced authentication features, maximum flexibility with your backend stack, and more hands-on support.

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Rownd vs Cognito

Detailed Breakdown

An indepth guide to choosing between Rownd and AWS Cognito

Product

One of the standout distinctions between Rownd and Cognito lies in the realm of product versatility and the elasticity of authentication techniques on offer. At its core, Cognito primarily leans on passwords and social OAuth logins, leaving the dream of a truly passwordless experience just that—a dream. While Cognito might be a snug fit for those already nestled in the AWS ecosystem and seeking foundational login functionalities, visionaries yearning for frictionless authentication methods—be it biometrics, email magic links, or a more eclectic mix of social OAuth providers —will discover that Rownd unfurls a more expansive tapestry of solutions.

Rownd's pioneering, end-user focused, SDK-centric philosophy paves the way for unparalleled flexibility, empowering you to architect intricate, tailor-made authentication narratives, including on-the-fly changes without having to write any code. Contrarily, Cognito's "Advanced Security" suite primarily champions MFA via SMS and TOTP, albeit with a smattering of customization through Challenge Lambda triggers. And while one might need to embellish Cognito with its "Advanced Security" to scout for vulnerable credentials, Rownd's inherently passwordless design boasts innate breach detection and potency evaluation.

Further, Rownd’s early adoption of Passkeys and the FIDO2 specification allows for greater security with less impact on users. Another stark difference is in the level of customization and the ability to quickly iterate. Cognito only allows top level customization. Rownd’s self-service platform empowers those closest to end users, the product and design teams, to have finite control over the branding and authentication experience.

UI and Flexibility

Cognito’s Hosted UI
The standard way to implement Cognito is using their “Hosted UI,” a Cognito-owned modal that handles password and OAuth-based logins with some customization available. Because the UI is Cognito-hosted, it requires redirecting users away from your page/app, authenticating them on Cognito or a custom domain, then returning them to your page/app, which will hurt conversion.

Rownd’s visual SDKs
The easiest way to implement Rownd is using a frontend SDK (JavaScript, React Native, iOS, etc) and using Rownd’s out-of-the-box UI components. Unlike Cognito’s Hosted UI, there is no redirect involved, and since you fully own the login page, there is a broader range of customization available. Customizations, including adding or hiding auth methods, are done primarily through the Rownd platform, empowering the product and design team to own the flow after it is implemented.

Gradual User Onboarding
Cognito has a static view of a user. They are either a user or not. This limits the opportunities to gradually introduce a user to an application, its features, and its value.Rownd believes that users should be onboarded over time. Instant users are created and then self-service tools are utlized to round out their profile over time, as they find more and more value in the underlying application. This leads to 2x-10x higher user conversion rates.

User profile and data gathering
‍Cognito does not have a self-service option for data gathering or a profile modal that is out of the box. This requires more development to meet the minimum standards of a profile and is often implemented poorly due to focus on more core features.  Rownd delivers a fully functional User profile and the ability to develop a deeper connection with users with automations that help round out the user’s data. Simply call the profile and we will slide up and give the user access to update their authentication methods, add data, change data, or even delete their account.

Why you might choose Cognito's approach
Cognito’s Hosted UI may work well for those looking for a simple login page offering passwords and social OAuth with basic customization options. Some additional (though limited) custom logic can be implemented via Lambda triggers. Some may choose Cognito for quick prototyping because of its coupling with AWS and Lambda.

Why you might choose Rownd’s approach
Rownd’s approach may be better for those hoping to scale and those seeking more flexibility and full control over the UX. The lack of a redirect also typically offers a more seamless, higher-converting user experience (Next Big Idea Club improved conversion by 90% after switching to Rownd).

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Easy migration from AWS Cognito to Rownd

Not only do we provide step-by-step guidance on how to migrate, we also provide seamless instructions on how to also migrate user data and how to keep users signed in throughout your migration.

SDKs and detailed guidance

We provide a step-by-step guide on how to seamlessly switch from Cognito to Rownd.

Keep users signed in

In switching to Rownd, your users will not be signed out if they're already signed in.

Migrated user profiles

We'll help you as needed to shift user profile data into Rownd.

Complete Cognito migration guide

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Rownd vs AWS Cognito

Detailed Breakdown

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Easy migration from AWS Cognito to Rownd

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