Softwr

Government · head to head

CKAN vs ClearGov

CKAN logo

CKAN

Government

Open Source Data Portal Platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ClearGov logo

ClearGov

Government

Financial Transparency for Government

From
$200/month
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; ClearGov no pricing is published at any level, and the pricing page states no cost structure or model at all
  • They diverge on capability: CKAN covers Dataset Management, ClearGov covers Budget Visualization.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CKAN and ClearGov actually diverge.

Attributes where CKAN and ClearGov differ
AttributeCKANClearGov
Starting priceFree$200/month
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20062014

Identical on both: platforms (Web), 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 ClearGov

  • Budget Visualization
  • Financial Benchmarking
  • Capital Planning
  • Digital Budget Books
  • Public Dashboards
  • Tyler Munis
  • OpenGov
  • Excel

Both cover

  • Web support

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 ClearGov
  • Self-hosting a data catalogue with harvesting and an APInot ClearGov

ClearGov

  • municipal budget and financial transparencynot CKAN
  • government finance analytics and reportingnot CKAN
  • civic engagement and public recordsnot 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

ClearGov

  • No pricing is published at any level, and the pricing page states no cost structure or model at all
  • No cost driver such as population, budget size or user count is named
  • The only routes to a figure are an email address and a demo booking

Pricing, plan by plan

CKAN

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

ClearGov

$200/month
  • Transparency$200/month
    • Budget Visualization
    • Benchmarking
    • Public Dashboards

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 ClearGov if

  • You need budget visualization.
  • You also want financial benchmarking.
ClearGov review

Questions people ask

Is CKAN or ClearGov better?
Neither clearly leads. CKAN starts at Free and ClearGov at $200/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CKAN or ClearGov?
CKAN has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for CKAN and $200/month for ClearGov.
Does CKAN or ClearGov run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use CKAN for free?
Yes. CKAN has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ClearGov starts at $200/month.
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 ClearGov is typically brought in for.
What can CKAN do that ClearGov cannot?
CKAN covers Dataset Management, Data Harvesting, API Access, Visualization. ClearGov covers Budget Visualization, Financial Benchmarking, Capital Planning, Digital Budget Books. Both handle Web support.

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
ClearGov: How much does ClearGov cost?

ClearGov pricing is not published; you must schedule a demo or contact [email protected] to request pricing information.

Source
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
ClearGov: Does ClearGov offer a free trial?

ClearGov does not publish a free trial option; pricing inquiry and trial availability must be discussed through a demo request with their sales team.

Source
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
ClearGov: What is ClearGov's pricing model?

ClearGov appears to operate on a custom, quote-based pricing model; costs are tailored to specific municipalities based on population size, features, and implementation requirements.

Source
ClearGov: How do I get a ClearGov pricing quote?

Visit cleargov.com and click the demo scheduling button, or email [email protected]; provide details about your municipality size and required features for an accurate quote.

Source
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