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Government · head to head

CentralSquare vs Clerk

CentralSquare logo

CentralSquare

Government

Public Safety and Administration Software

From
$1500/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Clerk logo

Clerk

Cybersecurity

Drop-in user authentication and management for developers

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Clerk has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CentralSquare no pricing information is published on the website; Clerk pricing scales with monthly retained users, which can grow expensive quickly for consumer apps with large user bases.
  • They diverge on capability: CentralSquare covers Computer-Aided Dispatch, Clerk covers Prebuilt UI components.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CentralSquare and Clerk actually diverge.

Attributes where CentralSquare and Clerk differ
AttributeCentralSquareClerk
Starting price$1500/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, Ios, Androidweb, ios, android, api
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity
Founded2018Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in CentralSquare

  • Computer-Aided Dispatch
  • Records Management
  • Jail Management
  • Fire RMS
  • Community Development
  • Esri ArcGIS
  • FBI CJIS
  • NCIC

Only in Clerk

  • Prebuilt UI components
  • Organization management
  • Multi-factor authentication
  • Social sign-on
  • Billing
  • Enterprise connections

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

CentralSquare

  • Citizen Servicesnot Clerk
  • Records Managementnot Clerk
  • Public Safetynot Clerk
  • Civic Engagementnot Clerk

Clerk

  • Adding sign-in and user profiles to a web or mobile app quicklynot CentralSquare
  • B2B SaaS apps needing organizations and role-based accessnot CentralSquare
  • Startups wanting prebuilt UI instead of building auth in-housenot CentralSquare
  • Apps needing MFA and fraud detection out of the boxnot CentralSquare

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CentralSquare

  • No pricing information is published on the website
  • Pricing model is not disclosed; visitors are directed to request a demo or contact sales

Clerk

  • Pricing scales with monthly retained users, which can grow expensive quickly for consumer apps with large user bases.
  • Enterprise SSO connections beyond the first are billed as add-ons, adding cost for larger organizations.
  • The Business tier's extra dashboard seats cost $20/month each, which adds up for larger teams.
  • Enterprise-tier features like the 99.99% uptime SLA require annual contracts rather than flexible monthly billing.

Pricing, plan by plan

CentralSquare

$1500/month
  • Public Safety Suite$1500/month
    • CAD
    • Records Management
    • Mobile Solutions

Clerk

Free
  • HobbyFree
    • 50,000 MRU limit per app
    • Up to 3 dashboard seats
    • Unlimited applications
  • Pro$25/month
    • 50,000 MRUs included, $0.02/MRU overage
    • Up to 3 dashboard seats
    • 1 Enterprise Connection included
  • Business$300/month
    • 50,000 MRUs included with volume pricing
    • 10 dashboard seats included
    • SOC2 report and priority support
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom pricing, annual billing
    • 99.99% uptime SLA
    • HIPAA available, dedicated Slack channel

Which should you pick?

Choose CentralSquare if

  • You need computer-aided dispatch.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Ios, Android.
  • You also want records management.
CentralSquare review

Choose Clerk if

  • You need prebuilt ui components.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, ios, android, api.
  • You also want organization management.
Clerk review

Questions people ask

Is CentralSquare or Clerk better?
Neither clearly leads. CentralSquare starts at $1500/month and Clerk at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CentralSquare or Clerk?
Clerk has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1500/month for CentralSquare and Free for Clerk.
Does CentralSquare or Clerk run on more platforms?
CentralSquare runs on Web, Desktop, Ios, Android. Clerk runs on web, ios, android, api.
Can I use Clerk for free?
Yes. Clerk has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CentralSquare starts at $1500/month.
What is CentralSquare best used for?
CentralSquare is most often used for citizen services, records management, public safety, civic engagement. Of those, citizen services and records management are not what Clerk is typically brought in for.
What can CentralSquare do that Clerk cannot?
CentralSquare covers Computer-Aided Dispatch, Records Management, Jail Management, Fire RMS. Clerk covers Prebuilt UI components, Organization management, Multi-factor authentication, Social sign-on.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CentralSquare: How much does CentralSquare cost?

CentralSquare does not publish pricing on its website. The company directs customers to request a demo or schedule a call with their sales team to discuss pricing.

Source
Clerk: What does Clerk cost?

Clerk's Hobby plan is free with a 50,000 MRU limit; Pro is $25/month ($20/month billed annually), Business is $300/month ($250 annually), and Enterprise uses custom annual pricing.

Source
CentralSquare: What is CentralSquare's pricing model?

The pricing model is not disclosed. CentralSquare appears to use a custom quote or consultation-based approach, as the website does not mention subscription plans or tier-based pricing.

Source
Clerk: Is there a free plan and what are its limits?

Yes, the Hobby plan is free with a 50,000 monthly retained user (MRU) limit per app, up to 3 dashboard seats, and unlimited applications, with no credit card required.

Source
CentralSquare: Is there a free tier or trial?

No information about free tiers or trials is available on the website.

Source
Clerk: How is usage metered?

Clerk meters by monthly retained users (MRUs) — users who return to the app at least a day after signing up — with overage billed at $0.02 per MRU beyond the included 50,000 on paid plans.

Source
CentralSquare: How do I get a pricing quote?

Contact CentralSquare through their website to request a demo or schedule a call with their sales team.

Source
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