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Best Clerk Alternatives

Reviewed byRoman K

7 alternatives to Clerk in Auth, compared by pricing, DX grade, security, and vendor lock-in.

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Currently using

Clerk

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Authentication and user management

Pricing: freemium, from $25/mo

Stars: 1.7k

Supabase Auth

Already on Supabase

Price vs Clerk

Free with Supabase

DX Grade

Security

Lock-in Risk

Low (2/10)

Keycloak

Enterprise SSO, LDAP, full control

Price vs Clerk

$10/mo VPS

DX Grade

Security

Lock-in Risk

Of the 7 alternatives listed, 4 are tracked with full data: 4 keep a free plan, 3 are open source. Paid entries run from $0/mo (Stack Auth) to $29/mo (Hanko). Better Auth carries the most GitHub traction with 28,900 stars. Switching cost is usually driven by lock-in, not by the sticker price.

Tool	Pricing	Free plan	GitHub stars
Stack Auth	open-source — from $0/mo	yes	6,800
Better Auth	open-source — from $0/mo	yes	28,900
Hanko	freemium — from $29/mo	yes	7,300
Lucia	open-source — from $0/mo	yes	10,500

FAQ

What are the best Clerk alternatives in 2026?

The top alternatives to Clerk are Supabase Auth, Keycloak, Auth.js, Stack Auth, Better Auth, Hanko, Lucia. Each offers different trade-offs in pricing, developer experience, and lock-in risk.

Is there a free alternative to Clerk?

Several Clerk alternatives offer free tiers or self-hosted options: Supabase Auth (Free with Supabase), Auth.js (Free (DIY)), Stack Auth (Free (OSS)), Better Auth (Free (OSS)), Hanko (Free self-hosted), Lucia (Free (OSS)).

How many Clerk alternatives are tracked here?

7 in the Auth category, compared on price difference, lock-in risk and developer experience where editorial data exists.

Full Clerk Profile →

Frequently asked questions

What are the best Clerk alternatives in 2026?▾

The top alternatives to Clerk are Supabase Auth, Keycloak, Auth.js, Stack Auth, Better Auth, Hanko, Lucia. Each offers different trade-offs in pricing, developer experience, and lock-in risk.

Is there a free alternative to Clerk?▾

How many Clerk alternatives are tracked here?▾

7 in the Auth category, compared on price difference, lock-in risk and developer experience where editorial data exists.