Clerk vs Railway: Pricing Comparison (2026)
Clerk starts at $25/mo. Railway starts at $5/mo. Railway is $20/mo cheaper on the entry tier than Clerk.
Modern authentication platform positioned as the alternative to Auth0 for React and Next.js developers. Distinctive for pre-built UI components (SignIn/SignUp forms) that install in one line — you don't build auth UI from scratch. Free tier bumped to 50K MAU in Feb 2026 (industry-leading). Pro $25/mo includes 1 SSO connection (WorkOS charges $125/mo for the same). Business $300/mo. Popular with Series A/B React startups.
Modern PaaS positioned as the alternative to Heroku for developers who want git-push-to-deploy simplicity plus per-resource billing. Distinctive for its usage-based pricing (compute per GB-hour, RAM per GB-hour) versus flat dyno pricing at Heroku. Free trial credits give hobby projects room; production apps typically $20-$500/mo. YC-backed, popular with indie hackers and Series A/B startups.
All plans compared
| # | Plan | Clerk monthly | Clerk annual | Railway monthly | Railway annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Free / Free Trial | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2 | Pro / Hobby | 25 | 25 | 5 | — |
| 3 | Business / Pro | 300 | 300 | 20 | — |
| 4 | Enterprise | custom | custom | custom | custom |
What each is best for
Modern authentication platform positioned as the alternative to Auth0 for React and Next.js developers. Distinctive for pre-built UI components (SignIn/SignUp forms) that install in one line — you don't build auth UI from scratch. Free tier bumped to 50K MAU in Feb 2026 (industry-leading). Pro $25/mo includes 1 SSO connection (WorkOS charges $125/mo for the same). Business $300/mo. Popular with Series A/B React startups.
Modern PaaS positioned as the alternative to Heroku for developers who want git-push-to-deploy simplicity plus per-resource billing. Distinctive for its usage-based pricing (compute per GB-hour, RAM per GB-hour) versus flat dyno pricing at Heroku. Free trial credits give hobby projects room; production apps typically $20-$500/mo. YC-backed, popular with indie hackers and Series A/B startups.
At a glance
| Clerk | Railway | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | $25/mo | $5/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | — | Hybrid |
| Last verified | July 25, 2026 | July 17, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified July 25, 2026. Tracked daily.