# How Many Auth Options Does the Typical Signup Screen Show?

Source: Lazyweb Research
Published: 2026-07-07
Sample size: n=494
Tags: signup, ux-patterns, design, mobile, onboarding
HTML: https://www.lazyweb.com/research/auth-options-per-signup-screen-count
Markdown: https://www.lazyweb.com/research/auth-options-per-signup-screen-count.md

**Answer.** Across 494 auth chooser screens tracked by Lazyweb Research, the mean is 2.0 sign-in options, and 41% show just one option[1]. Only 14% of chooser screens present four or more providers[1]. When you design an auth screen, two options is the modal choice — a primary path plus one alternative — not a wall of provider buttons.

> Auth chooser screens average 2.0 options and 41% show just one — across 494 chooser screens tracked by Lazyweb Research, July 2026.

## The finding

Of 998 vision-covered auth screens, **494** are chooser screens where at least one provider option was detectable; the other 504 are password-entry, OTP, or mid-flow states with no chooser[1]. Across those 494 choosers the mean is **2.0 options**, and the distribution is front-loaded: **41% show one option** and another **30% show two**[1]. Screens with four or more options are the exception.

## Breakdown

| Options on screen | Chooser screens | Share |
|-------------------|-----------------|-------|
| 1 | 201 | 40.7% |
| 2 | 147 | 29.8% |
| 3 | 77 | 15.6% |
| 4 | 62 | 12.6% |
| 5 | 7 | 1.4% |

Options counted: Apple, Google, Facebook, email, phone, Microsoft, and X/Twitter, de-duplicated per screen[1].

## How to apply it

One or two options covers 71% of chooser screens — anchor on a single primary path (often email or the platform-native provider) plus at most one alternative. Reserve three-plus buttons for cases where you have real evidence multiple provider audiences convert differently; the corpus shows 4+ option screens are only 14% and add decision load.

## Caveats

This distribution describes chooser screens only; the 504 non-chooser auth screens (password entry, OTP) are excluded because no provider set is visible[2]. Option detection is vision-based, so a provider present but not captured on the screenshot would be undercounted.

## The numbers

| Stat | Computed from |
| --- | --- |
| 494 chooser screens (of 998 vision-covered); mean 2.0 options; 1:201 (40.7%), 2:147 (29.8%), 3:77 (15.6%), 4:62 (12.6%), 5:7 (1.4%) | auth_options_per_screen_distribution stat |
| 504 of 998 auth screens excluded as non-chooser (password/OTP/mid-flow) | auth_options_per_screen_distribution + smallSampleWarnings |

## Methodology

Universe: 494 auth chooser screens from 998 vision-covered auth screens in the Lazyweb corpus; option counts from vision-extracted provider buttons per screen, July 2026. Caveat: chooser screens only; vision detection may undercount.

## Sources & citations

- [1] Lazyweb Research analysis of 494 auth chooser screens (of 998 vision-covered auth screens), July 2026. Options per screen summed over Apple/Google/Facebook/email/phone/Microsoft/X, de-duplicated per canonical screen.
- [2] Lazyweb Research analysis of 998 vision-covered auth screens, July 2026. 504 non-chooser screens (password entry, OTP, mid-flow) excluded from the option-count distribution.

## Related questions

- [Should a Signup Screen Offer Both Apple and Google, or Just One?](https://www.lazyweb.com/research/apple-and-google-both-or-one)
- [Sign Up vs Sign In: How Many Steps Does Each Take?](https://www.lazyweb.com/research/signup-vs-signin-how-many-steps)