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It's a split decision.
Choose WorkOS when enterprise identity is central to your product: it offers SAML and OIDC SSO, Directory Sync, an Admin Portal and access-control products, with per-connection pricing for SSO and sync. Choose Clerk for a broad user layer with sign-in flows, organization UI, session management, agent tools and web and mobile support. Compare their free-tier units before estimating cost: WorkOS lists up to 1 million monthly active users for AuthKit, while Clerk includes 50,000 MRUs per app on its free plan.
01Side by side
| WorkOS | Clerk | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Usage-based; SSO and sync billed per connection | Monthly tiers, with usage and feature overages |
| Free tier | AuthKit: up to 1 million monthly active users | Hobby: 50,000 MRUs per app |
| Enterprise identity | SAML/OIDC SSO, SCIM sync, and IT Admin Portal | SSO and Directory Sync connections on Pro |
| Integrations | 20+ enterprise services, including Okta and Entra ID | Supabase, Convex, and Vercel integrations |
| Agent tooling | MCP Auth and auth.md for agents | CLI and MCP; setup supports Claude Code, Codex, Cursor |
| Platforms | Web | Web and mobile |
| Organization management | Users, organizations, policies, and access control | Organization UI, invitations, roles, and permissions |
| Authentication and security | MFA, passwordless email codes, and Radar | MFA, passkeys, session controls, and fraud prevention |
WorkOS Choose WorkOS if
- Choose WorkOS if enterprise SSO is a core product requirement.
- Choose WorkOS if customers need directory lifecycle syncing.
- Choose WorkOS if your app needs hosted IT-admin onboarding.
Clerk Choose Clerk if
- Choose Clerk if you want a broad sign-in and user-management layer.
- Choose Clerk if mobile support is a requirement.
- Choose Clerk if agent configuration through CLI or MCP matters.
02Pricing at real usage
WorkOS AuthKit is listed at $0 for up to 1 million monthly active users; additional blocks of 1 million cost $2,500 per month. Its Pay as you go plan includes the first 1 million active users free. Enterprise SSO and Directory Sync are priced per connection: $125 each for connections 1–15, stepping down to $65 each at 51–100. Annual Credits offers custom pricing, with rates not published.
Clerk Hobby is free and includes 50,000 MRUs per app. Pro is $25 monthly or $20 per month billed annually, with 50,000 MRUs included; Business is $300 monthly or $250 annually, also with 50,000 included. Extra MRUs cost $0.02 each in the 50,001–100,000 band, then fall by volume. Pro includes one SSO and one Directory Sync connection; additional connections have separate monthly charges. Compare active-user and MRU definitions before forecasting.
03API, SDKs and integration
WorkOS describes its products as APIs and building blocks for adding authentication and enterprise features. Its integration surface includes SAML and OIDC identity providers, SCIM directories, and HRIS systems such as Okta, Entra ID, ADFS, Bamboo, and Rippling; the vendor lists support for more than 20 enterprise services. Directory Sync handles user lifecycle data, while the Admin Portal gives corporate IT admins a hosted setup interface. WorkOS provides documentation, but its product pages do not enumerate SDK languages or specific API protocols beyond SAML and OIDC identity-provider support.
Clerk provides authentication and user-management features, including sign-in flows, organizations, sessions, and social sign-on. Its integrations include Supabase, Convex, and Vercel. Developers can configure Clerk with a CLI and MCP server; agent setup supports Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor. The vendor’s homepage links to docs, but does not identify SDK languages in the product facts. Check the current SDK and framework documentation against your application stack before choosing.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
WorkOS and Clerk are presented as products for adding identity features to applications, rather than libraries you operate as your own identity server. Their product pages do not publish an open-source licence or self-hosting option. Treat either choice as a hosted-service dependency and confirm deployment requirements with the vendor if your infrastructure policy requires on-premises or private-cloud operation.
The vendors do not publish a data-export format or migration path in their product pages. Before committing, ask how user records, organization membership, sessions, authentication factors, audit events, and configuration can be exported, and what happens to passwords or identity-provider connections during a move. Migration effort will depend on which product-specific features your app uses; organization management, SSO connections, and directory-sync workflows may need replacement or reconfiguration.
Questions people ask
Is WorkOS or Clerk cheaper?
It depends on which usage unit drives your bill. WorkOS lists AuthKit free up to 1 million monthly active users, but charges separately for SSO and Directory Sync connections. Clerk Hobby includes 50,000 MRUs per app; paid tiers include 50,000 MRUs and add-on connections. Model your user counts and enterprise connections against both price schedules.
Which is better for enterprise SSO?
WorkOS is the more direct fit when SSO and corporate identity are the main requirement: it supports SAML and OIDC identity providers, Directory Sync, and an Admin Portal for IT admins. Clerk also offers SSO and Directory Sync connections, including one of each on Pro, so compare the required connection count and workflows.
Does Clerk support mobile apps?
Clerk lists web and mobile as supported platforms. WorkOS lists web. If mobile authentication is a requirement, confirm that Clerk’s current SDKs and framework integrations cover your target platforms and app architecture.
How should I compare the free-tier limits?
WorkOS lists up to 1 million monthly active users free for AuthKit. Clerk Hobby includes 50,000 monthly retained users per app. Those are different units, so verify how each vendor defines and counts a billable user, then estimate overages alongside any SSO or Directory Sync connections.