SSO vs OAuth – Understand the Key Difference

If you're building modern web or mobile apps, chances are you've come across terms like SSO, OAuth, and OpenID Connect (OIDC). While they often appear together, they serve different purposes. Here’s a quick breakdown: TL;DR Concept Purpose Deals With Example SSO One login for multiple apps Authentication Gmail + YouTube login OAuth Grant access to user data Authorization Access Google Drive OpenID Connect Verify user identity Authentication "Login with Google" button ✅ SSO (Single Sign-On) What it does: Lets users log in once and access multiple apps without re-entering their credentials. Use case: Login to Google once → access Gmail, Drive, YouTube. Powered by: Protocols like SAML, OIDC, or Kerberos. Purpose: Simplifies authentication.

Apr 20, 2025 - 15:36

SSO vs OAuth – Understand the Key Difference

If you're building modern web or mobile apps, chances are you've come across terms like SSO, OAuth, and OpenID Connect (OIDC). While they often appear together, they serve different purposes. Here’s a quick breakdown:

TL;DR

Concept	Purpose	Deals With	Example
SSO	One login for multiple apps	Authentication	Gmail + YouTube login
OAuth	Grant access to user data	Authorization	Access Google Drive
OpenID Connect	Verify user identity	Authentication	"Login with Google" button

✅ SSO (Single Sign-On)

What it does:

Lets users log in once and access multiple apps without re-entering their credentials.

Use case:

Login to Google once → access Gmail, Drive, YouTube.

Powered by:

Protocols like SAML, OIDC, or Kerberos.

Purpose:

Simplifies authentication.