Clerk vs Kinde
A detailed comparison to help you choose the right authentication solution for your project.
Quick Verdict
Both tools are excellent choices with similar feature sets. Your decision should be based on pricing, ecosystem fit, and specific use case requirements.
Decision Snapshot
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- •Quick take: Clerk offers the most polished UI components and best Next.js integration. Kinde bundles feature flags at a lower price point with solid auth fundamentals.
- •Clerk best for: Teams prioritizing UI polish out of the box; Next.js apps wanting deep integration.
- •Kinde best for: Teams wanting auth plus feature flags bundled; Budget-conscious startups.
Clerk
Drop-in authentication for modern apps
Best for
Decision Guide
Clerk offers the most polished UI components and best Next.js integration. Kinde bundles feature flags at a lower price point with solid auth fundamentals.
Choose Clerk if you need
- Teams prioritizing UI polish out of the box
- Next.js apps wanting deep integration
- Apps needing organizations and multi-tenancy
- Projects with larger budgets for auth
Choose Kinde if you need
- Teams wanting auth plus feature flags bundled
- Budget-conscious startups
- Apps needing M2M authentication
- Teams comfortable with less polished UI
Decision factors
- Pre-built UI polish and customization
- Need for feature flags
- Pricing at scale
- Ecosystem maturity
Pricing notes
- Clerk gets expensive as MAU grows past 50K
- Kinde bundles feature flags saving a separate vendor
- Both have similar free tier limits around 10K MAU
Migration notes
- Both use similar auth patterns so migration is straightforward
- UI components will need complete replacement
- Keep internal user IDs stable when migrating
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Clerk | Kinde |
|---|---|---|
| Social OAuth | Yes | Yes |
| Magic Links | Yes | Yes |
| MFA/2FA | Yes | Yes |
| Pre-built UI | Yes | Yes |
| Session Management | Yes | Yes |
| Organizations/Teams | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | No | No |
Pricing Comparison
Clerk
Kinde
Clerk Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Beautiful pre-built UI components
- +Excellent developer experience
- +Great React/Next.js integration
- +Organizations and multi-tenancy built-in
Cons
- -Can get expensive at scale
- -Vendor lock-in
- -No self-hosted option
Kinde Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Feature flags included
- +Modern, clean interface
- +Good Next.js support
- +Competitive pricing
Cons
- -Newer, less established
- -Smaller community
- -Documentation gaps
Clerk Verdict
Clerk is the best choice for React/Next.js developers who want beautiful auth out of the box. The DX is unmatched, but costs can add up.
Kinde Verdict
Kinde is a great up-and-comer with bundled feature flags. Worth considering if you need both auth and feature management.
More options in Authentication
Looking for different tradeoffs? Explore alternatives to each tool.
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Frequently Asked Questions: Clerk vs Kinde
Is Clerk or Kinde better?
It depends on your use case. Clerk is best for react/next.js apps and startups wanting fast auth. Kinde is best for startups wanting auth + feature flags and next.js apps. Clerk is the best choice for React/Next.js developers who want beautiful auth out of the box. The DX is unmatched, but costs can add up.
Is Clerk free?
Yes, Clerk offers a free tier. Paid plans start at $25/mo.
Is Kinde free?
Yes, Kinde offers a free tier. Paid plans start at $25/mo.
Can I migrate from Clerk to Kinde?
Yes, you can migrate from Clerk to Kinde, though the complexity depends on how deeply integrated your current solution is. Most developers recommend evaluating both tools in a test environment before committing to a migration.
Which is more popular, Clerk or Kinde?
Both Clerk and Kinde are popular choices in their category. The best choice depends on your specific requirements, team expertise, and budget rather than popularity alone.