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Software · head to head

Clerk vs Dashlane

Clerk logo

Clerk

Software

Drop-in user authentication and management for developers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Dashlane logo

Dashlane

Software

Password management made easy for businesses

From
$4.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Clerk has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Clerk pricing scales with monthly retained users, which can grow expensive quickly for consumer apps with large user bases.; Dashlane highest pricing among major password managers at $60/year with no monthly subscription option
  • They diverge on capability: Clerk covers Prebuilt UI components, Dashlane covers Password manager.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clerk and Dashlane actually diverge.

Attributes where Clerk and Dashlane differ
AttributeClerkDashlane
Starting priceFree$4.99/month
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
Platformsweb, ios, android, apiWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Browser Extensions
FoundedUnknown2009

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

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 Clerk

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

Only in Dashlane

  • Password manager
  • Digital wallet
  • Dark web monitoring
  • VPN for WiFi protection
  • Two-factor authentication
  • Password generator
  • Secure sharing
  • Security dashboard

What people use each for

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

Clerk

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

Dashlane

  • Password managementnot Clerk
  • Identity protectionnot Clerk
  • Secure credential sharingnot Clerk
  • Compliance requirementsnot Clerk
  • VPN protectionnot Clerk

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Dashlane

  • Highest pricing among major password managers at $60/year with no monthly subscription option
  • Restricted free tier with only 25 passwords on single device compared to Bitwarden's unlimited free tier
  • No traditional desktop application, users must rely on browser extension or mobile apps
  • Closed-source code prevents independent security verification unlike open-source competitors
  • Limited 2FA options supporting only authenticator apps, not biometric or SMS authentication

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Dashlane

$4.99/month
  • Premium$4.99/month
    • Secure vault
    • Password generation

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Dashlane if

  • You need password manager.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Browser Extensions.
  • You also want digital wallet.
Dashlane review

Questions people ask

Is Clerk or Dashlane better?
Neither clearly leads. Clerk starts at Free and Dashlane at $4.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Clerk or Dashlane?
Clerk has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Clerk and $4.99/month for Dashlane.
Does Clerk or Dashlane run on more platforms?
Clerk runs on web, ios, android, api. Dashlane runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Browser Extensions.
Can I use Clerk for free?
Yes. Clerk has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Dashlane starts at $4.99/month.
What is Clerk best used for?
Clerk is most often used for adding sign-in and user profiles to a web or mobile app quickly, b2b saas apps needing organizations and role-based access, startups wanting prebuilt ui instead of building auth in-house, apps needing mfa and fraud detection out of the box. Of those, adding sign-in and user profiles to a web or mobile app quickly and b2b saas apps needing organizations and role-based access are not what Dashlane is typically brought in for.
What can Clerk do that Dashlane cannot?
Clerk covers Prebuilt UI components, Organization management, Multi-factor authentication, Social sign-on. Dashlane covers Password manager, Digital wallet, Dark web monitoring, VPN for WiFi protection.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Dashlane: What happened to Dashlane's free plan?

Dashlane discontinued its free plan in September 2025. The entry-level plan now starts at $4.99/month (billed annually) for Premium, or businesses can use a 30-day money-back guarantee to test the service.

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
Dashlane: What platforms does Dashlane support?

Dashlane is available on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Chromebook. Browser extensions work with Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, and Brave. However, Dashlane no longer has a traditional desktop application.

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
Dashlane: Does Dashlane support SSO integration?

Yes, Dashlane integrates with SAML 2.0 Identity Providers for SSO, plus SCIM for user provisioning and deprovisioning. However, the Safari browser extension does not support self-hosted SSO due to Apple limitations.

Source
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