Identity & Access Management · head to head
Clerk vs Hasura

Clerk
Identity & Access Management
Drop-in user authentication and management for developers
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -

Hasura
API Management
GraphQL engine that instantly creates production-ready GraphQL API from databases
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Clerk pricing scales with monthly retained users, which can grow expensive quickly for consumer apps with large user bases.; Hasura database support limited to PostgreSQL, MongoDB, ClickHouse, and MS SQL Server only
- They diverge on capability: Clerk covers Prebuilt UI components, Hasura covers GraphQL API.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Clerk and Hasura actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Clerk
- Prebuilt UI components
- Organization management
- Multi-factor authentication
- Social sign-on
- Billing
- Enterprise connections
Only in Hasura
- GraphQL API
- Real-time subscriptions
- Access control
- PostgreSQL
- MySQL
- Webhooks
- REST APIs
- Cloud support
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 Hasura
- B2B SaaS apps needing organizations and role-based accessnot Hasura
- Startups wanting prebuilt UI instead of building auth in-housenot Hasura
- Apps needing MFA and fraud detection out of the boxnot Hasura
Hasura
- Automatic GraphQL API generation from existing databasesnot Clerk
- Real-time data subscriptions for modern applicationsnot Clerk
- Backend infrastructure for web and mobile applicationsnot Clerk
- Event-triggered webhooks for database changesnot 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.
Hasura
- Database support limited to PostgreSQL, MongoDB, ClickHouse, and MS SQL Server only
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
Hasura
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Hasura review.
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.
Choose Hasura if
- You need graphql api.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want real-time subscriptions.
Questions people ask
- Is Clerk or Hasura better?
- Neither clearly leads. Clerk starts at Free and Hasura at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Clerk or Hasura?
- Clerk starts at Free and Hasura at Free.
- Does Clerk or Hasura run on more platforms?
- Clerk runs on web, ios, android, api. Hasura runs on Web.
- Can I use Clerk for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- 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 Hasura is typically brought in for.
- What can Clerk do that Hasura cannot?
- Clerk covers Prebuilt UI components, Organization management, Multi-factor authentication, Social sign-on. Hasura covers GraphQL API, Real-time subscriptions, Access control, PostgreSQL.
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.
SourceClerk: 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.
SourceClerk: 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.
SourceRelated pages
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- Hasura vs PocketBase
- Hasura vs Sanity
- Hasura vs Apigee
- Hasura vs Ably
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- Hasura vs Kong Gateway
- Hasura vs PubNub
- Hasura vs Treblle
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