WorkOS API
Enterprise authentication infrastructure API providing SAML/OIDC SSO, SCIM Directory Sync, MFA, and a self-serve Admin Portal for B2B SaaS apps to add enterprise identity features without building them from scratch.
Score Breakdown
⚙ Agent Friendliness
🔒 Security
API key + PKCE OAuth for user-facing flows. Separate keys per environment (dev/prod). SOC2 Type II, ISO27001. Enterprise SSO (SAML), SCIM, and MFA capabilities. Security is WorkOS's core product — strong posture.
⚡ Reliability
Best When
A B2B SaaS product needs to add enterprise SSO, SCIM, and audit logs to close enterprise deals — WorkOS is purpose-built for this exact use case with a Stripe-quality developer experience.
Avoid When
Your users are consumers or SMBs who won't need SAML SSO or directory sync; the cost and complexity are not justified.
Use Cases
- • Adding SAML and OIDC enterprise SSO to a B2B SaaS product to close enterprise deals
- • Automating user provisioning and deprovisioning via SCIM Directory Sync from Okta, Azure AD, or Google Workspace
- • Embedding a self-serve Admin Portal so customers configure their own SSO connection
- • Querying synced directory users and groups programmatically in agent workflows
- • Streaming audit log events to SIEM systems for compliance and security monitoring
Not For
- • Consumer-facing apps that don't need enterprise SSO or SCIM
- • Teams that only need social login — Clerk or Auth0 are better fits
- • Applications requiring end-user self-registration UI (WorkOS is B2B identity infrastructure, not a consumer auth platform)
Interface
Authentication
Single Secret Key (sk_live_/sk_test_) for all backend API operations — clean and agent-friendly with no token rotation. No granular key scoping. Environment-separated keys for production vs. staging. WorkOS supports both SAML and OIDC for the SSO flows it enables in your product.
Pricing
Standard plan with 1M MAU free is a compelling deal for growing B2B SaaS. The jump to Enterprise pricing for SAML SSO is significant — typical enterprise SaaS customers are willing to pay this. WorkOS is known for startup-friendly terms and no long-term contracts.
Agent Metadata
Known Gotchas
- ⚠ Directory Sync events must be consumed via webhooks — polling is not supported; missed events require a full directory re-sync
- ⚠ SAML assertions are single-use and time-bounded (5 minutes typically) — agents handling SSO callbacks must process immediately
- ⚠ Admin Portal links expire after a configurable period (default 5 minutes) — generate fresh links on demand, never cache
- ⚠ Each enterprise customer requires a separately configured SSO connection — org-specific connection IDs must be fetched dynamically
- ⚠ SCIM provisioning events can arrive out of order during bulk imports — implement idempotent handlers keyed on externalId
- ⚠ Secret Key has full account access — no per-connection scoping; guard carefully in multi-tenant environments
- ⚠ Test environment uses sk_test_ keys with test IdP — do not mix test and production connection IDs
Alternatives
Full Evaluation Report
Detailed scoring breakdown, competitive positioning, security analysis, and improvement recommendations for WorkOS API.
Scores are editorial opinions as of 2026-03-06.