diff --git a/web/lib/firebase/users.ts b/web/lib/firebase/users.ts
index 5e00affe..3096f00f 100644
--- a/web/lib/firebase/users.ts
+++ b/web/lib/firebase/users.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,11 @@ export async function getUser(userId: string) {
   return (await getDoc(doc(users, userId))).data()!
 }
 
+export async function getPrivateUser(userId: string) {
+  /* eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-non-null-assertion */
+  return (await getDoc(doc(users, userId))).data()!
+}
+
 export async function getUserByUsername(username: string) {
   // Find a user whose username matches the given username, or null if no such user exists.
   const q = query(users, where('username', '==', username), limit(1))
diff --git a/web/pages/create.tsx b/web/pages/create.tsx
index 642cbaec..19ab2fe0 100644
--- a/web/pages/create.tsx
+++ b/web/pages/create.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import clsx from 'clsx'
 import dayjs from 'dayjs'
 import Textarea from 'react-expanding-textarea'
 import { Spacer } from 'web/components/layout/spacer'
-import { useUser } from 'web/hooks/use-user'
+import { getUser } from 'web/lib/firebase/users'
 import { Contract, contractPath } from 'web/lib/firebase/contracts'
 import { createMarket } from 'web/lib/firebase/api'
 import { FIXED_ANTE } from 'common/antes'
@@ -33,7 +33,10 @@ import { Title } from 'web/components/title'
 import { SEO } from 'web/components/SEO'
 import { MultipleChoiceAnswers } from 'web/components/answers/multiple-choice-answers'
 
-export const getServerSideProps = redirectIfLoggedOut('/')
+export const getServerSideProps = redirectIfLoggedOut('/', async (_, creds) => {
+  const user = await getUser(creds.user.uid)
+  return { props: { user } }
+})
 
 type NewQuestionParams = {
   groupId?: string
@@ -49,8 +52,9 @@ type NewQuestionParams = {
   initValue?: string
 }
 
-export default function Create() {
+export default function Create(props: { user: User }) {
   useTracking('view create page')
+  const { user } = props
   const router = useRouter()
   const params = router.query as NewQuestionParams
   // TODO: Not sure why Question is pulled out as its own component;
@@ -60,8 +64,7 @@ export default function Create() {
     setQuestion(params.q ?? '')
   }, [params.q])
 
-  const creator = useUser()
-  if (!router.isReady || !creator) return <div />
+  if (!router.isReady) return <div />
 
   return (
     <Page>
@@ -93,7 +96,7 @@ export default function Create() {
             </div>
           </form>
           <Spacer h={6} />
-          <NewContract question={question} params={params} creator={creator} />
+          <NewContract question={question} params={params} creator={user} />
         </div>
       </div>
     </Page>
@@ -102,7 +105,7 @@ export default function Create() {
 
 // Allow user to create a new contract
 export function NewContract(props: {
-  creator?: User | null
+  creator: User
   question: string
   params?: NewQuestionParams
 }) {
@@ -120,14 +123,14 @@ export function NewContract(props: {
   const [answers, setAnswers] = useState<string[]>([]) // for multiple choice
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (groupId && creator)
+    if (groupId)
       getGroup(groupId).then((group) => {
         if (group && canModifyGroupContracts(group, creator.id)) {
           setSelectedGroup(group)
           setShowGroupSelector(false)
         }
       })
-  }, [creator, groupId])
+  }, [creator.id, groupId])
   const [ante, _setAnte] = useState(FIXED_ANTE)
 
   // If params.closeTime is set, extract out the specified date and time
@@ -152,7 +155,7 @@ export function NewContract(props: {
     ? dayjs(`${closeDate}T${closeHoursMinutes}`).valueOf()
     : undefined
 
-  const balance = creator?.balance || 0
+  const balance = creator.balance || 0
 
   const min = minString ? parseFloat(minString) : undefined
   const max = maxString ? parseFloat(maxString) : undefined
@@ -214,7 +217,7 @@ export function NewContract(props: {
 
   async function submit() {
     // TODO: Tell users why their contract is invalid
-    if (!creator || !isValid) return
+    if (!isValid) return
     setIsSubmitting(true)
     try {
       const result = await createMarket(
@@ -249,8 +252,6 @@ export function NewContract(props: {
     }
   }
 
-  if (!creator) return <></>
-
   return (
     <div>
       <label className="label">
diff --git a/web/pages/links.tsx b/web/pages/links.tsx
index be3015ee..55939b19 100644
--- a/web/pages/links.tsx
+++ b/web/pages/links.tsx
@@ -11,10 +11,11 @@ import { Page } from 'web/components/page'
 import { SEO } from 'web/components/SEO'
 import { Title } from 'web/components/title'
 import { Subtitle } from 'web/components/subtitle'
-import { useUser } from 'web/hooks/use-user'
+import { getUser } from 'web/lib/firebase/users'
 import { useUserManalinks } from 'web/lib/firebase/manalinks'
 import { useUserById } from 'web/hooks/use-user'
 import { ManalinkTxn } from 'common/txn'
+import { User } from 'common/user'
 import { Avatar } from 'web/components/avatar'
 import { RelativeTimestamp } from 'web/components/relative-timestamp'
 import { UserLink } from 'web/components/user-page'
@@ -27,15 +28,19 @@ import { Manalink } from 'common/manalink'
 import { REFERRAL_AMOUNT } from 'common/user'
 
 const LINKS_PER_PAGE = 24
-export const getServerSideProps = redirectIfLoggedOut('/')
+
+export const getServerSideProps = redirectIfLoggedOut('/', async (_, creds) => {
+  const user = await getUser(creds.user.uid)
+  return { props: { user } }
+})
 
 export function getManalinkUrl(slug: string) {
   return `${location.protocol}//${location.host}/link/${slug}`
 }
 
-export default function LinkPage() {
-  const user = useUser()
-  const links = useUserManalinks(user?.id ?? '')
+export default function LinkPage(props: { user: User }) {
+  const { user } = props
+  const links = useUserManalinks(user.id ?? '')
   // const manalinkTxns = useManalinkTxns(user?.id ?? '')
   const [highlightedSlug, setHighlightedSlug] = useState('')
   const unclaimedLinks = links.filter(
@@ -44,10 +49,6 @@ export default function LinkPage() {
       (l.expiresTime == null || l.expiresTime > Date.now())
   )
 
-  if (user == null) {
-    return null
-  }
-
   return (
     <Page>
       <SEO
diff --git a/web/pages/notifications.tsx b/web/pages/notifications.tsx
index 89ffb5d9..69139f9c 100644
--- a/web/pages/notifications.tsx
+++ b/web/pages/notifications.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import { Tabs } from 'web/components/layout/tabs'
-import { usePrivateUser } from 'web/hooks/use-user'
 import React, { useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
 import { Notification, notification_source_types } from 'common/notification'
 import { Avatar, EmptyAvatar } from 'web/components/avatar'
@@ -13,9 +12,8 @@ import {
   MANIFOLD_AVATAR_URL,
   MANIFOLD_USERNAME,
   PrivateUser,
-  User,
 } from 'common/user'
-import { getUser } from 'web/lib/firebase/users'
+import { getPrivateUser } from 'web/lib/firebase/users'
 import clsx from 'clsx'
 import { RelativeTimestamp } from 'web/components/relative-timestamp'
 import { Linkify } from 'web/components/linkify'
@@ -35,7 +33,6 @@ import { formatMoney } from 'common/util/format'
 import { groupPath } from 'web/lib/firebase/groups'
 import { UNIQUE_BETTOR_BONUS_AMOUNT } from 'common/numeric-constants'
 import { groupBy, sum, uniq } from 'lodash'
-import Custom404 from 'web/pages/404'
 import { track } from '@amplitude/analytics-browser'
 import { Pagination } from 'web/components/pagination'
 import { useWindowSize } from 'web/hooks/use-window-size'
@@ -49,13 +46,12 @@ const MULTIPLE_USERS_KEY = 'multipleUsers'
 const HIGHLIGHT_CLASS = 'bg-indigo-50'
 
 export const getServerSideProps = redirectIfLoggedOut('/', async (_, creds) => {
-  const user = await getUser(creds.user.uid)
-  return { props: { user } }
+  const privateUser = await getPrivateUser(creds.user.uid)
+  return { props: { privateUser } }
 })
 
-export default function Notifications(props: { user: User }) {
-  const { user } = props
-  const privateUser = usePrivateUser(user?.id)
+export default function Notifications(props: { privateUser: PrivateUser }) {
+  const { privateUser } = props
   const local = safeLocalStorage()
   let localNotifications = [] as Notification[]
   const localSavedNotificationGroups = local?.getItem('notification-groups')
@@ -67,7 +63,6 @@ export default function Notifications(props: { user: User }) {
       .flat()
   }
 
-  if (!user) return <Custom404 />
   return (
     <Page>
       <div className={'px-2 pt-4 sm:px-4 lg:pt-0'}>
@@ -81,17 +76,11 @@ export default function Notifications(props: { user: User }) {
             tabs={[
               {
                 title: 'Notifications',
-                content: privateUser ? (
+                content: (
                   <NotificationsList
                     privateUser={privateUser}
                     cachedNotifications={localNotifications}
                   />
-                ) : (
-                  <div className={'min-h-[100vh]'}>
-                    <RenderNotificationGroups
-                      notificationGroups={localNotificationGroups}
-                    />
-                  </div>
                 ),
               },
               {
diff --git a/web/pages/profile.tsx b/web/pages/profile.tsx
index 541f5de9..42bcb5c3 100644
--- a/web/pages/profile.tsx
+++ b/web/pages/profile.tsx
@@ -1,25 +1,35 @@
-import React, { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
+import React, { useState } from 'react'
 import { RefreshIcon } from '@heroicons/react/outline'
 
 import { AddFundsButton } from 'web/components/add-funds-button'
 import { Page } from 'web/components/page'
 import { SEO } from 'web/components/SEO'
 import { Title } from 'web/components/title'
-import { usePrivateUser, useUser } from 'web/hooks/use-user'
 import { formatMoney } from 'common/util/format'
 import { cleanDisplayName, cleanUsername } from 'common/util/clean-username'
 import { changeUserInfo } from 'web/lib/firebase/api'
 import { uploadImage } from 'web/lib/firebase/storage'
 import { Col } from 'web/components/layout/col'
 import { Row } from 'web/components/layout/row'
-import { User } from 'common/user'
-import { updateUser, updatePrivateUser } from 'web/lib/firebase/users'
+import { User, PrivateUser } from 'common/user'
+import {
+  getUser,
+  getPrivateUser,
+  updateUser,
+  updatePrivateUser,
+} from 'web/lib/firebase/users'
 import { defaultBannerUrl } from 'web/components/user-page'
 import { SiteLink } from 'web/components/site-link'
 import Textarea from 'react-expanding-textarea'
 import { redirectIfLoggedOut } from 'web/lib/firebase/server-auth'
 
-export const getServerSideProps = redirectIfLoggedOut('/')
+export const getServerSideProps = redirectIfLoggedOut('/', async (_, creds) => {
+  const [user, privateUser] = await Promise.all([
+    getUser(creds.user.uid),
+    getPrivateUser(creds.user.uid),
+  ])
+  return { props: { user, privateUser } }
+})
 
 function EditUserField(props: {
   user: User
@@ -58,64 +68,45 @@ function EditUserField(props: {
   )
 }
 
-export default function ProfilePage() {
-  const user = useUser()
-  const privateUser = usePrivateUser(user?.id)
-
-  const [avatarUrl, setAvatarUrl] = useState(user?.avatarUrl || '')
+export default function ProfilePage(props: {
+  user: User
+  privateUser: PrivateUser
+}) {
+  const { user, privateUser } = props
+  const [avatarUrl, setAvatarUrl] = useState(user.avatarUrl || '')
   const [avatarLoading, setAvatarLoading] = useState(false)
-  const [name, setName] = useState(user?.name || '')
-  const [username, setUsername] = useState(user?.username || '')
-  const [apiKey, setApiKey] = useState(privateUser?.apiKey || '')
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (user) {
-      setAvatarUrl(user.avatarUrl || '')
-      setName(user.name || '')
-      setUsername(user.username || '')
-    }
-  }, [user])
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (privateUser) {
-      setApiKey(privateUser.apiKey || '')
-    }
-  }, [privateUser])
+  const [name, setName] = useState(user.name)
+  const [username, setUsername] = useState(user.username)
+  const [apiKey, setApiKey] = useState(privateUser.apiKey || '')
 
   const updateDisplayName = async () => {
     const newName = cleanDisplayName(name)
-
     if (newName) {
       setName(newName)
-      await changeUserInfo({ name: newName }).catch((_) =>
-        setName(user?.name || '')
-      )
+      await changeUserInfo({ name: newName }).catch((_) => setName(user.name))
     } else {
-      setName(user?.name || '')
+      setName(user.name)
     }
   }
 
   const updateUsername = async () => {
     const newUsername = cleanUsername(username)
-
     if (newUsername) {
       setUsername(newUsername)
       await changeUserInfo({ username: newUsername }).catch((_) =>
-        setUsername(user?.username || '')
+        setUsername(user.username)
       )
     } else {
-      setUsername(user?.username || '')
+      setUsername(user.username)
     }
   }
 
   const updateApiKey = async (e: React.MouseEvent) => {
     const newApiKey = crypto.randomUUID()
-    if (user?.id != null) {
-      setApiKey(newApiKey)
-      await updatePrivateUser(user.id, { apiKey: newApiKey }).catch(() => {
-        setApiKey(privateUser?.apiKey || '')
-      })
-    }
+    setApiKey(newApiKey)
+    await updatePrivateUser(user.id, { apiKey: newApiKey }).catch(() => {
+      setApiKey(privateUser.apiKey || '')
+    })
     e.preventDefault()
   }
 
@@ -124,7 +115,7 @@ export default function ProfilePage() {
 
     setAvatarLoading(true)
 
-    await uploadImage(user?.username || 'default', file)
+    await uploadImage(user.username, file)
       .then(async (url) => {
         await changeUserInfo({ avatarUrl: url })
         setAvatarUrl(url)
@@ -132,14 +123,10 @@ export default function ProfilePage() {
       })
       .catch(() => {
         setAvatarLoading(false)
-        setAvatarUrl(user?.avatarUrl || '')
+        setAvatarUrl(user.avatarUrl || '')
       })
   }
 
-  if (user == null) {
-    return <></>
-  }
-
   return (
     <Page>
       <SEO title="Profile" description="User profile settings" url="/profile" />
@@ -147,7 +134,7 @@ export default function ProfilePage() {
       <Col className="max-w-lg rounded bg-white p-6 shadow-md sm:mx-auto">
         <Row className="justify-between">
           <Title className="!mt-0" text="Edit Profile" />
-          <SiteLink className="btn btn-primary" href={`/${user?.username}`}>
+          <SiteLink className="btn btn-primary" href={`/${user.username}`}>
             Done
           </SiteLink>
         </Row>
@@ -192,54 +179,53 @@ export default function ProfilePage() {
             />
           </div>
 
-          {user && (
-            <>
-              {/* TODO: Allow users with M$ 2000 of assets to set custom banners */}
-              {/* <EditUserField
+          {/* TODO: Allow users with M$ 2000 of assets to set custom banners */}
+          {/* <EditUserField
                 user={user}
                 field="bannerUrl"
                 label="Banner Url"
                 isEditing={isEditing}
               /> */}
-              <label className="label">
-                Banner image{' '}
-                <span className="text-sm text-gray-400">
-                  Not editable for now
-                </span>
-              </label>
-              <div
-                className="h-32 w-full bg-cover bg-center sm:h-40"
-                style={{
-                  backgroundImage: `url(${
-                    user.bannerUrl || defaultBannerUrl(user.id)
-                  })`,
-                }}
-              />
+          <label className="label">
+            Banner image{' '}
+            <span className="text-sm text-gray-400">Not editable for now</span>
+          </label>
+          <div
+            className="h-32 w-full bg-cover bg-center sm:h-40"
+            style={{
+              backgroundImage: `url(${
+                user.bannerUrl || defaultBannerUrl(user.id)
+              })`,
+            }}
+          />
 
-              {(
-                [
-                  ['bio', 'Bio'],
-                  ['website', 'Website URL'],
-                  ['twitterHandle', 'Twitter'],
-                  ['discordHandle', 'Discord'],
-                ] as const
-              ).map(([field, label]) => (
-                <EditUserField user={user} field={field} label={label} />
-              ))}
-            </>
-          )}
+          {(
+            [
+              ['bio', 'Bio'],
+              ['website', 'Website URL'],
+              ['twitterHandle', 'Twitter'],
+              ['discordHandle', 'Discord'],
+            ] as const
+          ).map(([field, label]) => (
+            <EditUserField
+              key={field}
+              user={user}
+              field={field}
+              label={label}
+            />
+          ))}
 
           <div>
             <label className="label">Email</label>
             <div className="ml-1 text-gray-500">
-              {privateUser?.email ?? '\u00a0'}
+              {privateUser.email ?? '\u00a0'}
             </div>
           </div>
 
           <div>
             <label className="label">Balance</label>
             <Row className="ml-1 items-start gap-4 text-gray-500">
-              {formatMoney(user?.balance || 0)}
+              {formatMoney(user.balance)}
               <AddFundsButton />
             </Row>
           </div>