diff --git a/content/clerk-pricing-the-complete-guide/index.md b/content/clerk-pricing-the-complete-guide/index.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..6fd34a5a --- /dev/null +++ b/content/clerk-pricing-the-complete-guide/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,203 @@ +--- +title: "Clerk Pricing - The Complete Guide" +date: "2025-11-02" +description: "Deep dive into Clerk’s free & paid tiers, real cost examples, hidden fees, and comparison with Auth0/Okta for pricing clarity." +cover: "clerk-pricing-the-complete-guide.png" +category: "programming" +author: "Joel Coutinho" +--- + +## Introduction + +Clerk has become one of the most developer-friendly authentication platforms in the modern React/Next.js ecosystem. Teams choose Clerk because it ships fully-styled UI components, admin dashboards, user and organization management, and seamless multi-tenant support. Its **free tier---10,000 Monthly Active Users (MAUs) and 100 Monthly Active Organizations (MAOs)**---makes it appealing for early-stage products. Beyond that, Clerk follows a **pay-as-you-grow**model that scales with your user base. + +This guide breaks down every part of Clerk pricing: free limits, per-user costs, B2B org charges, real-world cost examples, hidden fees, comparison with Auth0/Okta, and how to estimate your spend reliably. + + +## What Is Clerk and How Does It Price? + + +Clerk is an authentication and identity platform offering: + +- User management + +- Organization and team management for B2B apps + +- Social providers + +- Multi-tenant support + +- Custom domains + +- Admin dashboards + +- Embedded UI components + +According to Reddit discussions, reviews on G2, and community writeups, Clerk is praised for its fast integration and modern DX---especially for Next.js---but also criticized for cost escalation at scale. + +### Clerk's Pricing Model + +#### Free Tier + +- **10,000 MAUs** + +- **100 MAOs** + +- Includes essential auth, UI components, social logins + +#### Pro Tier + +- **$0.02 per MAU** beyond 10,000 + +- **$1 per MAO** beyond 100 + +- **$100/mo** for *Enhanced Authentication* add-on + +- **$100/mo** for *Admin* add-on + +This linear model is simpler than Auth0/Okta, though Clerk introduces unique MAO-based costs that catch teams by surprise. + +## A Breakdown of Clerk Pricing Tiers + +Based on clerk.com/pricing: + +| Tier / Feature | Free | Pro | +| --- | --- | --- | +| MAUs | 10,000 included | $0.02 per MAU beyond 10K | +| MAOs (Organizations) | 100 included | $1 per MAO beyond 100 | +| SSO | Included | Included | +| Social logins | Included | Included | +| Custom Domain | Included | Included | +| Multi-tenant support | Included | Included | +| Enhanced Authentication (MFA, biometrics, passkeys) | Add-on $100/mo | Add-on $100/mo | +| Admin Dashboard | Add-on $100/mo | Add-on $100/mo | +| Dashboard seats | 3 included | $10/mo per additional seat | +| SLA / Support | Shared support | Paid plans / Enterprise | + +## What Does Clerk Actually Cost? + +A large portion of online feedback---especially on Reddit and Hacker News---focuses on cost surprises. Let's break down real examples. + +### **Example 1: 15K MAUs and 80 Orgs** + +- Free MAUs: 10,000 + +- Billable MAUs: 5,000 × $0.02 = **$100/mo** + +- Orgs < 100 → **$0** + +- No add-ons + +**Total: $100/mo** + +### **Example 2: B2B at Scale (200 Orgs)** + +- Free MAOs: 100 + +- Billable MAOs: 100 × $1 = **$100/mo** + +- With add-ons: Enhanced Auth + Admin = **$200/mo** + +**Total: $300/mo** + +### **Community Feedback** + +Quotes from Reddit, G2, and AppSumo consistently mention: + +- "Clerk is expensive but their B2B features are hard to match." + +- "Pricing skyrockets once you grow past the free tier." + +- "Super clean developer experience---the cost is the trade-off." + +## Hidden Costs to Watch Out For + +While Clerk's pricing page appears simple, real-world usage reveals additional charges. + +### 1. Per-MAO Fees + +Once you exceed 100 organizations, **each one costs $1/mo.** + +For B2B SaaS, org counts scale faster than user counts---this becomes the most significant pricing lever. + +### 2. Add-On Costs + +Two add-ons, both **$100/mo**: + +- Enhanced Authentication (MFA, biometrics, passkeys) + +- Admin tools + +If you need both, that's **$200/mo** flat. + +### 3. Dashboard Seats + +Clerk includes 3 dashboard seats. +Every additional seat costs **$10/mo**. + +### 4. Support Responsiveness + +Reviews on G2 and GetApp note: + +- Slow response times + +- Limited support unless on higher tiers + +- Inconsistent SLA experience + +This becomes a consideration for production systems requiring guaranteed uptime. + +## How Clerk Pricing Compares to Auth0 & Okta + +Clerk has a more generous free tier but introduces org-based billing, which competitors typically avoid. + +### Feature & Pricing Comparison + +| Dimension | Clerk | Auth0 | Okta | +| --- | --- | --- | --- | +| Free MAUs | **10,000** | 7,000 | ~1,000 | +| Free B2B orgs | **100** | None | None | +| Per-MAU pricing | **$0.02** linear | Tiered + jumps | Tiered + enterprise | +| MAO / org pricing | **$1 per org** | Not charged | Not charged | +| MFA | Add-on | Paid tier | Paid tier | +| Admin features | Add-on | Paid tier | Paid tier | +| Developer experience | Excellent | Moderate | Enterprise-heavy | + +**Summary:** +Clerk is cheaper at low scale but often more expensive beyond 10K MAUs or 100 orgs. + +## Why Teams Choose SuperTokens Over Clerk + +Teams often migrate from Clerk to SuperTokens when they hit scaling thresholds. + +### Benefits of SuperTokens + +- **Self-hosted or managed**, fully open-source + +- **Predictable pricing** without per-user or per-org charges + +- **No add-ons**---MFA, admin functionality, and SSO included + +- **Lower TCO** at scale + +- **Better support responsiveness** + +This appeals especially to B2B companies with growing org bases. + +## Final Comparison + +Clerk offers a modern developer experience, generous free tier, and built-in B2B capabilities. But costs rise quickly as MAUs and MAOs increase---especially when add-ons and dashboard seats are added. + +### **Ideal for** + +- Early startups + +- Teams that need fast B2B setup + +- Products with fewer orgs and predictable usage + +### **Before choosing Clerk** + +Estimate costs carefully, consider long-term org growth, and compare with alternatives like **SuperTokens**, which deliver predictable pricing and full feature access without per-user or per-org charges. + +If you want this blog formatted for WordPress/MD, or need a downloadable SEO-optimized version, just let me know. \ No newline at end of file