Proprietary vs Open source
Clerk vs SuperTokens: Which One Should You Choose in 1970?
Clerk is a proprietary Authentication & User Management tool priced as mAU-based Freemium, starting at $25/mo. SuperTokens is open source, priced as open source (Apache-2.0) / Cloud usage-based, starting at $0 (self-hosted) or free Cloud up to 5,000 MAU.
Quick verdict
- Choose Clerk for
- Clerkworld-class Next.js / React UI components (`<SignIn />`, `<UserProfile />`)
- Choose SuperTokens for
- SuperTokensopen-source auth with email/password, social, passwordless and MFA
Clerk vs SuperTokens: feature comparison
| Feature | ClerkProprietary | SuperTokensOpen SourceSelf-Hostable |
|---|---|---|
| Open-Source Available | No | Yes |
| Self-Hostable | No | Yes |
| Self-Hosting Difficulty | N/A | Medium (Docker with Postgres) |
| Pricing Model | MAU-based Freemium | Open source (Apache-2.0) / Cloud usage-based |
| Starting Price | $25/mo | $0 (self-hosted) or free Cloud up to 5,000 MAU |
| Free Tier | Free up to 10,000 monthly active users | Free self-hosted; Cloud free up to 5,000 MAU |
| GitHub Stars | N/A | 15.3k |
Pricing takeaway
Clerk starts at $25/mo (free up to 10,000 monthly active users). SuperTokens starts at $0 (self-hosted) or free Cloud up to 5,000 MAU (free self-hosted; Cloud free up to 5,000 MAU).
- Clerk
- MAU-based Freemium. Starts at $25/mo. Free up to 10,000 monthly active users.Full Clerk pricing breakdown
- SuperTokens
- Open source (Apache-2.0) / Cloud usage-based. Starts at $0 (self-hosted) or free Cloud up to 5,000 MAU. Free self-hosted; Cloud free up to 5,000 MAU.Full SuperTokens pricing breakdown
Pros and cons
Clerk
Visit ClerkPros
- World-class Next.js / React UI components (`<SignIn />`, `<UserProfile />`)
- Flawless multi-session and Passkey / WebAuthn support
- 10-minute developer onboarding with pre-styled widgets
Cons
- Closed source; tightly coupled to modern React/frontend stacks
- Self-hosting is not available
- Pricing is tied to MAU, so products with many dormant sign-ins keep paying for users who never return
SuperTokens
Visit SuperTokensPros
- Open-source auth with email/password, social, passwordless and MFA
- Session handling you can run next to your own user database
- Drop-in frontend SDKs for React, Vue and mobile
Cons
- Security updates and uptime are yours when self-hosting
- Fewer enterprise B2B features (SCIM, deep organisation management) than Auth0
- Smaller documentation and community than Auth0 or Clerk
Clerk vs SuperTokens: FAQ
Is SuperTokens a good alternative to Clerk?
Clerk is a proprietary Authentication & User Management tool priced as mAU-based Freemium, starting at $25/mo. SuperTokens is open source, priced as open source (Apache-2.0) / Cloud usage-based, starting at $0 (self-hosted) or free Cloud up to 5,000 MAU.
Which is cheaper, Clerk or SuperTokens?
Clerk starts at $25/mo (free up to 10,000 monthly active users). SuperTokens starts at $0 (self-hosted) or free Cloud up to 5,000 MAU (free self-hosted; Cloud free up to 5,000 MAU).
Is Clerk or SuperTokens open source?
Clerk is proprietary. SuperTokens is open source (github.com/supertokens/supertokens-core).
Can I self-host Clerk or SuperTokens?
Clerk cannot be self-hosted. SuperTokens can be self-hosted. Difficulty: Medium (Docker with Postgres).
Do Clerk and SuperTokens have a free tier?
Clerk: Free up to 10,000 monthly active users. SuperTokens: Free self-hosted; Cloud free up to 5,000 MAU.