Clerk vs Auth0 in 2026
Clerk vs Auth0 is a developer-first auth service with prebuilt UI components against an established identity platform with separate B2C and B2B plans. Clerk's free Hobby plan covers 50,000 monthly retained users per app and Pro costs $25 a month. Auth0's free plan covers up to 25,000 monthly active users, and its paid plans start at $35 a month for 500 users.
Facts and prices checked on against the sources listed below.
Quick verdict
Clerk
Starts atPro $25/mo
Pick Clerk if you build with Next.js, React, Expo or Astro, want drop-in sign-in components and organizations, and want a per-user price that stays low as you grow.
Auth0
Starts atEssentials B2C $35/mo
Pick Auth0 if you sell to businesses that need several enterprise SSO connections from day one, or you want separate B2C and B2B plans from a long-standing identity platform.
Clerk vs Auth0 at a glance
| Feature | Clerk | Auth0 |
|---|---|---|
| Billing unit | Monthly retained users (MRU) | Monthly active users (MAU) |
| Free plan | 50,000 MRU per app, up to 3 dashboard seats | Up to 25,000 MAU, 5 organizations, 1 enterprise connection |
| Entry paid plan | Pro, $25 a month ($20 a month billed yearly) | Essentials B2C, $35 a month at 500 MAU ($70 at 1,000) |
| Next tier | Business, $300 a month ($250 billed yearly) | Professional B2C, $240 a month at 500 MAU |
| More users | $0.02 per MRU from 50,001 to 100,000, lower above that | Billed at the next MAU tier up |
| MFA | Pro and up | Pro MFA on paid plans; not on Free |
| SAML SSO | 1 connection per app on Pro, then from $75 a month each | 1 on Free, 3 on Essentials B2B, 5 on Professional B2B, then $100 a month each |
| B2B organizations | 100 monthly retained orgs per app free, up to 20 members each | Unlimited on B2B plans |
Pricing and free tier (checked Oct 2026)
Clerk has four plans. Hobby is free with 50,000 monthly retained users (MRU) per app, up to 3 dashboard seats, 3 social connections and fixed 7-day sessions. Pro costs $25 a month, or $20 a month billed yearly, and adds MFA, unlimited social connections, custom session lifetimes, one SAML connection per app and the option to remove Clerk branding. Business costs $300 a month ($250 billed yearly) and adds 10 dashboard seats, a SOC2 report and 30-day admin logs. Every plan includes 50,000 MRU per app; above that, Pro and Business pay $0.02 per user from 50,001 to 100,000, $0.018 up to 1 million, and less after that.
Auth0 splits paid plans into B2C and B2B. The Free plan covers up to 25,000 MAU, unlimited social connections, 5 organizations and 1 enterprise connection, with no credit card to sign up. Essentials B2C costs $35 a month at 500 MAU ($70 at 1,000), and Professional B2C costs $240 a month at 500 MAU. On the B2B side, Essentials costs $150 a month at 500 MAU and Professional $800. If your usage falls between tiers, Auth0 bills the next tier up, and a yearly plan costs 11 times the monthly price.
What the price looks like as you grow
At 20,000 users both are free. At 40,000 users Clerk is still free, while Auth0 has passed its 25,000 MAU free limit and needs a paid plan priced by MAU tier. At 100,000 users Clerk Pro costs $25 plus 50,000 users at $0.02, about $1,025 a month at the time of writing. Get an Auth0 quote at your own volume on its pricing page, since its tiers are per MAU band.
B2B: organizations and SSO
Both handle companies as customers. Clerk includes 100 monthly retained organizations per app on every plan, with up to 20 members each, and an Enhanced B2B add-on ($100 a month) adds unlimited members, verified domains and custom roles. Extra SAML connections cost $75 a month each for connections 2 to 15.
Auth0's B2B plans include unlimited organizations and more enterprise connections up front: 3 on Essentials B2B and 5 on Professional B2B, then $100 a month each, up to 30.
Developer experience
Clerk's docs lead with prebuilt UI components and quickstarts for Next.js, React, Expo and Astro, plus backend SDKs. It also offers Billing for B2C and B2B apps. Auth0's free plan includes a configurable login experience and brand customization, while email workflows and custom sign-up and login screens are not part of the free plan.
When to pick Clerk
- You build a React or Next.js app and want sign-in screens in minutes.
- You expect tens of thousands of users soon and want them free up to 50,000.
- You have a few enterprise customers, not dozens.
When to pick Auth0
- You need several SAML connections from the first contract.
- You want separate B2C and B2B plans with unlimited organizations.
- Your company already standardises on Auth0.
For an open source route, see Better Auth vs NextAuth. Full plan tables are on Clerk pricing and Auth0 pricing.
FAQ
Is Clerk cheaper than Auth0?
For most young apps, yes. At the time of writing Clerk's free plan covers 50,000 retained users per app and Auth0's covers 25,000 active users. Past the free tier, Clerk Pro is $25 a month with 50,000 users included, while Auth0 prices by MAU tier, starting at $35 a month for 500 users on Essentials B2C.
What happens when I pass Clerk's free limit?
Clerk's Hobby plan has no overage. Going over 50,000 retained users means you need to upgrade, and Clerk gives a one-month grace period.
Does Auth0 have a free plan?
Yes. Auth0's free plan covers up to 25,000 MAU with unlimited social connections, 5 organizations and 1 enterprise connection. Signing up needs no credit card, but a custom domain needs card verification.
Which is better for B2B SaaS with SSO?
Auth0 includes more SSO connections in its B2B plans: 3 on Essentials B2B ($150 a month at 500 MAU) and 5 on Professional B2B. Clerk includes 1 SAML connection per app on Pro and charges $75 a month for each of the next ones, so it costs less when you have only a few enterprise customers.
Sources, checked October 30, 2026
Prices and plans change often. If something here is out of date, tell us through the contact page.