Choose Web3Auth when
- You need very broad chain coverage from a single social-login wallet layer.
- You want a key you can export and use in other tooling.
- Your users expect a familiar social-login wallet with a long track record.
Web3Auth vs Cavos: comparison, pricing, and custody
For Web3Auth alternatives, MetaMask Embedded Wallet alternatives, and Web3Auth competitors, see Web3Auth alternatives. Web3Auth provides social-login wallets using multi-party computation, splitting key shares across the user’s device, the provider’s network, and recovery factors.
This is the clearest architectural contrast in the category. Web3Auth reconstructs a private key from distributed shares; Cavos never reconstructs a key at all, because the device derives the account key and signs directly.
For the category itself (custody, key models, and what the SDK actually does) start with embedded wallets and the embedded wallet SDK. The embedded wallet guide is that page. The named-vendor table is embedded wallet providers. Platform parts and pricing models are in wallet-as-a-service. The method-level surface is the embedded wallet API. The React install is how to add an embedded wallet.
| Capability | Cavos | Web3Auth |
|---|---|---|
| Key architecture | No key reconstruction. The device derives the account key from a MasterDEK and signs. | MPC / threshold shares combined to reconstruct a private key. |
| Provider role in signing | None. Cavos cannot produce a valid signature for a user. | The provider network holds a share used in reconstruction. |
| Key export | Not exportable by design. | Export is supported. |
| Adding a new device | The new device restores the MasterDEK with a passkey or the enclave. | Reassembling shares on the new device. |
| Chain coverage | One SDK with chain-native adapters. Starknet, Solana, and Stellar available today. | Broad multi-chain coverage. |
| Gas sponsorship | Gas Sponsorship in Any Token. Chain-specific: Starknet paymaster, Solana relayer as fee payer, Stellar sponsored reserves and fee bumps. | Depends on the chain and any account abstraction layer you add. |
| Pricing | Free up to 1,000 wallets. Essential $59/mo. Complete $139/mo. | Free 1,000 monthly active wallets. Growth $69/mo. Scale $399/mo. |
Choose Cavos when
- Your threat model rules out any architecture where a provider holds a reconstructable key share.
- You want the account key derived on the user’s device rather than assembled from off-chain shares.
- You are targeting Starknet, Solana, or Stellar specifically.
Frequently asked
Is MPC insecure?
No. MPC is a legitimate and widely deployed design, and Web3Auth is a serious implementation of it. The difference is the trust surface: MPC requires trusting that shares are not combined improperly, while Cavos removes key reconstruction from the design entirely. Which trade-off is right depends on your threat model.
Can I export my key from Cavos?
No. The device key is non-exportable, which is the property that makes the model work. Portability is handled through passkey and enclave restore instead of key export.
How does Cavos pricing compare to Web3Auth?
Cavos is free up to 1,000 wallets, then Essential at $59/mo and Complete at $139/mo. Web3Auth lists a free 1,000 monthly active wallets, Growth at $69/mo, and Scale at $399/mo.
Which chains does each support?
Cavos ships one SDK with chain-native adapters for Starknet, Solana, and Stellar. Web3Auth documents broad multi-chain coverage.
How do Web3Auth and Dynamic embedded wallets compare?
They sit at different layers. Dynamic is strongest as a unified login and wallet-connection layer that also ships embedded wallets (TSS-MPC; public docs list native chains including EVM, Solana, Bitcoin, Sui, TON, Stellar, Tempo, and Arc). Web3Auth / MetaMask Embedded Wallets is a social-login MPC wallet layer with broad multi-chain coverage and key export. Dynamic vs Web3Auth is usually connect-and-configure versus social-login chain coverage. Cavos is neither: three native adapters and a device-native key.
Other comparisons
Evaluate it against your own requirements.
Start with the quickstart and reach a sponsored transaction on your target chain.