Softwr

Government · head to head

CKAN vs Clariti

CKAN logo

CKAN

Government

Open Source Data Portal Platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Clariti logo

Clariti

Government

Permitting, licensing and land management for local government, built natively on Salesforce

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only CKAN has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CKAN the package install path requires Ubuntu 20.04 or 22.04 64-bit specifically; other operating systems must use the source install; Clariti salesforce platform licences sit underneath the subscription and are not always visible in the initial quote, so the fully loaded cost can be materially higher than the comparison against Accela or Tyler suggests.
  • They diverge on capability: CKAN covers Dataset Management, Clariti covers Permitting workflows.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CKAN and Clariti actually diverge.

Attributes where CKAN and Clariti differ
AttributeCKANClariti
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
Founded2006Unknown

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

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 CKAN

  • Dataset Management
  • Data Harvesting
  • API Access
  • Visualization
  • Extensions
  • DataPusher
  • Harvester
  • Third-party Tools

Only in Clariti

  • Permitting workflows
  • Business licensing
  • Inspections
  • Code enforcement
  • Public portal
  • Salesforce platform tooling

What people use each for

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

CKAN

  • Publishing open government datasets in a searchable public data portalnot Clariti
  • Self-hosting a data catalogue with harvesting and an APInot Clariti

Clariti

  • A city already standardised on Salesforce that wants permitting inside the same platformnot CKAN
  • An agency replacing a legacy permitting system whose vendor was acquired and whose roadmap stallednot CKAN
  • A county needing configurable workflows across permits, licensing and code enforcementnot CKAN
  • An IT department that wants to configure and report on its own permitting workflows without vendor ticketsnot CKAN

Where each one falls short

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

CKAN

  • The package install path requires Ubuntu 20.04 or 22.04 64-bit specifically; other operating systems must use the source install
  • Only Solr 9 and Solr 8 are supported, and from CKAN 2.10 they are the only Solr versions supported at all
  • A working deployment requires PostgreSQL, Solr, Redis, nginx, supervisor and uWSGI to be installed and maintained separately
  • Python 3.10 or later is required

Clariti

  • Salesforce platform licences sit underneath the subscription and are not always visible in the initial quote, so the fully loaded cost can be materially higher than the comparison against Accela or Tyler suggests.
  • Building on Salesforce means the agency inherits Salesforce release cycles and pricing changes, neither of which Clariti controls.
  • It has far less accumulated edge case handling than the incumbents, so unusual fee schedules, historic district rules or state mandated reporting can become configuration projects.
  • Professional services dominate the first year cost, as with every permitting implementation, and agencies that budget only for licence are the ones whose projects stall.
  • The install base is smaller than Accela or Tyler, so there are fewer peer agencies to call for reference and fewer trained implementation consultants in the market.

Pricing, plan by plan

CKAN

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Data Management
    • API Access
    • Visualization

Clariti

On request
  • Clariti$undefined/year
    • Quoted by agency size and module scope
    • Salesforce platform licences are a separate cost underneath the subscription
    • Implementation and configuration services typically exceed first year licence cost

Which should you pick?

Choose CKAN if

  • You need dataset management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want data harvesting.
CKAN review

Choose Clariti if

  • You need permitting workflows.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want business licensing.
Clariti review

Questions people ask

Is CKAN or Clariti better?
Neither clearly leads. CKAN starts at Free and Clariti at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CKAN or Clariti?
CKAN has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for CKAN and On request for Clariti.
Does CKAN or Clariti run on more platforms?
CKAN runs on Web. Clariti runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use CKAN for free?
Yes. CKAN has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Clariti starts at On request.
What is CKAN best used for?
CKAN is most often used for publishing open government datasets in a searchable public data portal, self-hosting a data catalogue with harvesting and an api. Of those, publishing open government datasets in a searchable public data portal and self-hosting a data catalogue with harvesting and an api are not what Clariti is typically brought in for.
What can CKAN do that Clariti cannot?
CKAN covers Dataset Management, Data Harvesting, API Access, Visualization. Clariti covers Permitting workflows, Business licensing, Inspections, Code enforcement.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CKAN: Is CKAN open-source and what license is it available under?

Yes, CKAN is an open-source data management system built on Python and available on GitHub. The license terms are available on their GitHub repository.

Source
Clariti: Do we need Salesforce licences as well?

Yes. Clariti runs on the Salesforce platform, and those licences are a separate line item. Insist on a fully loaded quote.

CKAN: Does CKAN offer commercial support for organizations?

Yes, CKAN offers commercial support through certified providers including Link Digital and Datopian. Support includes advisory services, application development, integration, managed hosting, and web development.

Source
Clariti: How does it compare with Accela?

Accela has far deeper accumulated handling of edge cases. Clariti offers a more modern and configurable platform, at the price of Salesforce underneath.

CKAN: Who is responsible for hosting costs when running CKAN?

Organizations deploying CKAN are responsible for their own hosting infrastructure. Commercial providers like Datopian and Link Digital offer managed hosting services if organizations prefer not to self-host.

Source
Clariti: Can we see what other agencies paid?

Yes. Permitting contracts are public records and award notices routinely list implementation and annual subscription values.

Clariti: Is it suitable for a small town?

Usually not. The platform cost and implementation effort suit mid sized and larger agencies.

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