Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

Clerk vs OpenCities

Clerk logo

Clerk

Cybersecurity

Drop-in user authentication and management for developers

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
OpenCities logo

OpenCities

Government

Digital Government Experience Platform

From
$500/month
Free plan
No
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.; OpenCities population-based pricing model limits scalability for growing municipalities
  • They diverge on capability: Clerk covers Prebuilt UI components, OpenCities covers Website Management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clerk and OpenCities actually diverge.

Attributes where Clerk and OpenCities differ
AttributeClerkOpenCities
Starting priceFree$500/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Platformsweb, ios, android, apiWeb, Mobile
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment
FoundedUnknown2008

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 Clerk

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

Only in OpenCities

  • Website Management
  • Digital Forms
  • Search Optimization
  • Accessibility Compliance
  • Analytics
  • Salesforce
  • Microsoft 365
  • Google Analytics

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

OpenCities

  • Citizen Servicesnot Clerk
  • Records Managementnot Clerk
  • Public Safetynot Clerk
  • Civic Engagementnot 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.

OpenCities

  • Population-based pricing model limits scalability for growing municipalities
  • No self-hosted or on-premises deployment option
  • Limited code customization without vendor support

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

OpenCities

$500/month
  • Government Platform$500/month
    • Website CMS
    • Digital Forms
    • Accessibility

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 OpenCities if

  • You need website management.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want digital forms.
OpenCities review

Questions people ask

Is Clerk or OpenCities better?
Neither clearly leads. Clerk starts at Free and OpenCities at $500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Clerk or OpenCities?
Clerk has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Clerk and $500/month for OpenCities.
Does Clerk or OpenCities run on more platforms?
Clerk runs on web, ios, android, api. OpenCities runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Clerk for free?
Yes. Clerk has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. OpenCities starts at $500/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 OpenCities is typically brought in for.
What can Clerk do that OpenCities cannot?
Clerk covers Prebuilt UI components, Organization management, Multi-factor authentication, Social sign-on. OpenCities covers Website Management, Digital Forms, Search Optimization, Accessibility Compliance.

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
OpenCities: Does OpenCities work offline?

No, OpenCities is a cloud-based SaaS platform that requires an internet connection. All editing and management is done through web browsers.

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
OpenCities: What accessibility standards does OpenCities meet?

OpenCities is maintained to comply with WCAG AA requirements, ensuring equitable access to government services and information for all residents.

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
OpenCities: Can I integrate OpenCities with other government systems?

Yes. OpenCities integrates with Google Analytics, govDelivery for notifications, EngagementHQ for feedback collection, Legistar for meeting management, and Active Directory for intranet workflows.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Clerk

More on OpenCities

Keep looking

Other head to heads