Clerk
Drop-in auth and user management.
Clerk · checked Oct 22, 2026
What it is
Clerk provides prebuilt sign-in components, user management, organizations/B2B, MFA and machine tokens, with React/Next.js-first SDKs.
Use cases
- →Adding auth to a Next.js app in minutes
- →B2B multi-tenant apps
- →Teams that don't want to build auth
Pros
- +Fastest polished auth for React/Next
- +Generous free MRU limit
- +Organizations built in
Cons
- −Add-ons get pricey (SSO, enhanced orgs)
- −Vendor-hosted user data
Where it ranks
- #2 Best Auth & Payments for Builders
Fastest polished auth for React/Next.js with 50,000 free monthly retained users per app.
Compare Clerk
FAQ
How much does Clerk cost?
Hobby free (50,000 monthly retained users per app). Pro $20/mo billed annually. Business $250/mo billed annually. (As checked on 2026-10-22; confirm on https://clerk.com/pricing.)
What is Clerk best for?
#2 in Best Auth & Payments for Builders: Next.js apps that need auth today.
What are the best alternatives to Clerk?
Supabase (Postgres backend: database, auth, storage, edge functions); Firebase (Google's app backend: Firestore, auth, hosting, functions).
Is Clerk open source?
No, Clerk is a commercial product.