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Government · head to head

Clariti vs Ory Kratos

Clariti logo

Clariti

Government

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

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Ory Kratos logo

Ory Kratos

Cybersecurity

Headless identity and user management API

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Ory Kratos has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Ory Kratos headless means you build every screen, which is significant work compared with a hosted login page
  • They diverge on capability: Clariti covers Permitting workflows, Ory Kratos covers Headless API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clariti and Ory Kratos actually diverge.

Attributes where Clariti and Ory Kratos differ
AttributeClaritiOry Kratos
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteOpen-source self-hosted, with a paid managed network
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity

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 Clariti

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

Only in Ory Kratos

  • Headless API
  • Self-service flows
  • Multi-factor authentication
  • Pluggable identity schemas

What people use each for

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

Clariti

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

Ory Kratos

  • Products needing complete control over the look and flow of authenticationnot Clariti
  • Applications that must not hand user identity data to a third partynot Clariti
  • Teams building identity as infrastructure across several servicesnot Clariti

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Ory Kratos

  • Headless means you build every screen, which is significant work compared with a hosted login page
  • More moving parts than a monolithic IAM: Kratos handles identity, and OAuth2 needs Ory Hydra alongside
  • Documentation assumes real familiarity with identity concepts and is not a gentle introduction
  • Self-hosting identity carries the security and availability burden that hosted providers absorb

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Ory Kratos

Free
  • Self-hostedFree
    • Full identity server
    • All flows
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Clariti if

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

Choose Ory Kratos if

  • You need headless api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
  • You also want self-service flows.
Ory Kratos review

Questions people ask

Is Clariti or Ory Kratos better?
Neither clearly leads. Clariti starts at On request and Ory Kratos at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Clariti or Ory Kratos?
Ory Kratos has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Clariti and Free for Ory Kratos.
Does Clariti or Ory Kratos run on more platforms?
Clariti runs on Web, iOS, Android. Ory Kratos runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
Can I use Ory Kratos for free?
Yes. Ory Kratos has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Clariti starts at On request.
What is Clariti best used for?
Clariti is most often used for a city already standardised on salesforce that wants permitting inside the same platform, an agency replacing a legacy permitting system whose vendor was acquired and whose roadmap stalled, a county needing configurable workflows across permits, licensing and code enforcement, an it department that wants to configure and report on its own permitting workflows without vendor tickets. Of those, a city already standardised on salesforce that wants permitting inside the same platform and an agency replacing a legacy permitting system whose vendor was acquired and whose roadmap stalled are not what Ory Kratos is typically brought in for.
What can Clariti do that Ory Kratos cannot?
Clariti covers Permitting workflows, Business licensing, Inspections, Code enforcement. Ory Kratos covers Headless API, Self-service flows, Multi-factor authentication, Pluggable identity schemas.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Ory Kratos: Is Ory Kratos free?

Yes, open source and free to self-host. Ory Network is a paid managed service.

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.

Ory Kratos: What does headless mean here?

Kratos provides identity flows as APIs and no user interface. You build the login, registration and recovery screens yourself.

Clariti: Can we see what other agencies paid?

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

Ory Kratos: Does Kratos do OAuth2?

No. Kratos handles user identity; OAuth2 and OpenID Connect provider functionality is Ory Hydra, a separate component.

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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