Clerk vs Supabase — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Clerk and Supabase both start at $25/mo on their entry tier.
How pricing works
These two tools don't price the same way, so the headline numbers below aren't directly comparable until you plug in your own volume.
- Clerk (Unknown model) — Clerk bills on a fixed plan from $25/mo, so the listed price is what you pay regardless of volume.
- Supabase (Hybrid) — Supabase is hybrid: a fixed subscription from $25/mo plus metered usage on top (Database size / MAUs). Your real bill moves with volume, not seat count.
Per-minute, per-credit and per-token rates exclude any downstream model, speech or telephony costs unless the vendor states otherwise.
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.
Open-source Firebase alternative, valued $10.5B (June 2026 Series F led by GIC). Positioned as the alternative to Firebase for developers who want Postgres, open-source, and self-hosting option. Distinctive for shipping fast across auth, storage, edge functions, and vector database in a single platform. Free tier includes real production Postgres; paid tiers scale with usage (databases, storage, edge function invocations). Popular with AI/agent builders needing a proper database.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | Clerk monthly | Clerk annual | Supabase monthly | Supabase annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | Pro | $25 | $20 | $25 | $25 |
| Teams | Business / Team | $300 | $250 | $599 | $599 |
| Enterprise | Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Custom | Custom |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
Clerk is worth it if… js / React apps who want user management + social login + billing + orgs shipped in an afternoon — not weeks. Free tier covers up to 10K MAUs; Pro adds SSO, advanced features, and higher limits.
Supabase is worth it if… developers building modern web apps that want open-source Postgres + auth + storage + realtime + edge functions in one bundle — the Firebase alternative for SQL-first teams. Free tier covers development; Pro adds daily backups and higher limits; Team adds SOC2 and more capacity; Enterprise custom.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose Clerk over Supabase if…
Choose Clerk if…
- You're comfortable with Clerk's from $25/mo entry point.
- You match the profile Clerk is built for: the auth-as-a-service for developers building Next.
- You need a general-purpose developer & infrastructure option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose Supabase if…
- You're fine with a base subscription plus metered usage on top (from $25/mo).
- You match the profile Supabase is built for: developers building modern web apps that want open-source Postgres + auth + storage + realtime + edge functions in one bundle — the Firebase alternative for SQL-first teams.
- You need a general-purpose developer & infrastructure option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| Clerk | Supabase | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | $25/mo | $25/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | — | Hybrid |
| Verification | Pricing under review | Checked October 2, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified October 2, 2026. Verification cadence varies by tool; check each tool page.