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Cybersecurity · head to head

Clerk vs LastPass

Clerk logo

Clerk

Cybersecurity

Drop-in user authentication and management for developers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
LastPass logo

LastPass

Cybersecurity

Simplify online life with LastPass password manager

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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.; LastPass free plan limited to 1 device type only
  • They diverge on capability: Clerk covers Prebuilt UI components, LastPass covers Password vault.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clerk and LastPass actually diverge.

Attributes where Clerk and LastPass differ
AttributeClerkLastPass
Platformsweb, ios, android, apiWeb, Desktop, Mobile
FoundedUnknown2008

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

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 LastPass

  • Password vault
  • Password generator
  • Autofill
  • Security dashboard
  • Dark web monitoring
  • Emergency access
  • Secure notes
  • Digital wallet

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 LastPass
  • B2B SaaS apps needing organizations and role-based accessnot LastPass
  • Startups wanting prebuilt UI instead of building auth in-housenot LastPass
  • Apps needing MFA and fraud detection out of the boxnot LastPass

LastPass

  • Password management and vault storagenot Clerk
  • Multi-device access and autofillnot Clerk
  • Dark web monitoring and security dashboardnot Clerk
  • Team collaboration with shared folders and policiesnot 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.

LastPass

  • Free plan limited to 1 device type only
  • Premium plan costs ~$3/month annually (30% discount applied)
  • Business Teams plan limited to up to 50 users maximum
  • Teams plan offers only 25 security policies
  • Business plan pricing ~$4/user/month
  • Business Max plan costs ~$7/user/month for advanced features

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

LastPass

Free
  • Free$undefined/mo
    • Unlimited password storage
    • Autofill
    • Dark web monitoring
  • Premium$undefined/month
    • Unlimited passwords
    • All devices
    • Password generator
  • Families$undefined/month
    • Premium features
    • Shared folders
    • Family manager dashboard

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 LastPass if

  • You need password vault.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want password generator.
LastPass review

Questions people ask

Is Clerk or LastPass better?
Neither clearly leads. Clerk starts at Free and LastPass at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Clerk or LastPass?
Clerk starts at Free and LastPass at Free.
Does Clerk or LastPass run on more platforms?
Clerk runs on web, ios, android, api. LastPass runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
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 LastPass is typically brought in for.
What can Clerk do that LastPass cannot?
Clerk covers Prebuilt UI components, Organization management, Multi-factor authentication, Social sign-on. LastPass covers Password vault, Password generator, Autofill, Security dashboard.

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
LastPass: Does LastPass have a free version?

Yes, LastPass offers a free plan with unlimited password storage, autofill, dark web monitoring, and basic password sharing, but it is limited to 1 device type.

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
LastPass: What devices does the free plan support?

The free plan is limited to 1 device type, meaning you must choose either desktop or mobile, not both.

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
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