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Clerk

San Francisco, CA, United States Software & IT Infrastructure Private

Clerk is a comprehensive authentication and user management platform for developers. It provides embeddable UI components, flexible APIs, and admin dashboards for modern applications to authenticate users and manage identity. The platform is tailored for React and Next.js developers, offering a developer-first approach with pre-built components that prioritize developer experience over complex enterprise configurations.

Overview

Company data and valuation marks are estimates and may be incomplete, stale, erroneous, or revised.

Founded

2019

Employees

200–204

Total Funding

$101.2M

3 rounds

Latest Valuation

$0.18B

January 18, 2024

Funding

Total raised $101.2M across 3 rounds

Funding data and valuation marks are estimates and may be incomplete, stale, erroneous, or revised.

Last updated 06-25-2026

Latest Round

Type

Series B

Date

January 18, 2024

Amount

$30M

Valuation

Lead Investors

CRV
DateRoundAmount RaisedValuationLead Investors
January 18, 2024 Series B $30M CRV
March 2023 Series A $15M Madrona
November 30, 2022 Seed $6.2M Andreessen Horowitz

Prominent Investors

CRV Stripe Andreessen Horowitz Madrona

Leadership

  • Colin Sidoti

    Co-Founder & CEO

    LinkedIn
  • Braden Sidoti

    Co-Founder & CTO

Competitors

Competitor list is illustrative and may be incomplete, stale, or erroneous.

  • Auth0

    Enterprise identity platform and SSO solution owned by Okta. Provides robust authentication, authorization, and user management with strong compliance and enterprise features, but less developer-friendly UX than Clerk.

  • Supabase Auth

    Open-source authentication bundled with a full backend-as-a-service platform. Offers competitive pricing and generous free tier but with less customization than Clerk.

  • Firebase Authentication

    Google Cloud-backed authentication service. Tightly integrated with Google's ecosystem with deep free tier but less developer experience focus than Clerk.

  • Okta

    Enterprise identity and access management platform. Serves large organizations with complex SSO and RBAC requirements, positioned as enterprise-first vs. Clerk's developer-first approach.

  • Kinde

    Developer-friendly authentication platform focused on modern frameworks and organizations management. Direct competitor in the developer tools authentication space.

  • Ory

    Open-source identity and access management platform. Provides flexible authentication and authorization solutions for developers seeking vendor neutrality.

Clerk Investment FAQ

Public status and buying access

No. Clerk is a private company and does not have a public stock ticker or trade on a public stock exchange. Its shares are generally held by founders, employees, investors, and other private shareholders. Buyers and sellers may be able to transact in Clerk shares through private secondary transactions, but any transaction depends on share availability, buyer and seller agreement, transfer restrictions, company approval rights, and any applicable right of first refusal. There is no guarantee that Clerk will complete an IPO or other liquidity event.

Yes, it is sometimes possible to buy Clerk shares pre-IPO through private secondary transactions. This depends on finding a willing seller, company approval, and satisfying any transfer restrictions or rights of first refusal.

Buyers interested in buying Clerk shares on the secondary market typically do so through SetterVC and other secondary-market platforms, subject to eligibility requirements, share availability, transfer restrictions, and issuer approval. Buyers may need to satisfy sophistication, accreditation, institutional, platform, regulatory, or other eligibility requirements before participating. Once eligible, buyers may be able to view listings, make bids, and work with a licensed broker through the transaction process. Buyers should ensure they have appropriate legal and financial advisors guiding them before completing any transaction.

The company's latest round valuation was approximately $180M as of January 18, 2024. The latest round valuation is often used as one reference point in secondary-market pricing, but secondary prices may be above or below that valuation at any given time. Secondary pricing can shift significantly based on post-round conditions, such as changes in company performance, supply-demand dynamics, share class, transaction size, transfer restrictions, or broader market shifts. Any implied valuation from a past round should be confirmed with a broker or through live market listings before relying on it.

Valuation and funding

Clerk was most recently valued at approximately $180M as of January 18, 2024. This is a private valuation and may differ from secondary pricing. Secondary shares may trade above or below this mark based on various factors. SetterVC and Setter Capital does not verify the accuracy of these valuations. Buyers and sellers should always confirm current valuations before completing any transaction.

Clerk's latest disclosed funding round was a Series B round in January 18, 2024. The round raised approximately $30M, with CRV listed as disclosed lead or major investors. Primary funding rounds are different from secondary transactions: in a primary round, capital goes to the company, while in a secondary transaction, investors buy existing shares from current shareholders. Funding-round data reflects publicly reported or collected information and may be incomplete.

Clerk has raised approximately $101.2M in disclosed funding across 3 rounds. These figures reflect primary capital raised by the company and do not include every possible secondary transaction, undisclosed round, debt facility, or private transfer. Reported funding totals can change as new rounds are announced or older round details are corrected. Eligible users can use SetterVC to track Clerk's funding history alongside private-market activity where available.

Clerk's disclosed investors include CRV, Stripe, Andreessen Horowitz and Madrona. Investor lists are based on public reporting, company announcements, and collected funding-round data, and may be incomplete. Participation in a prior funding round does not mean those investors are currently buying or selling shares. On SetterVC, eligible users can review Clerk's funding history, valuation history, and private-market activity alongside other venture-backed companies.

Market context

Clerk's most-cited competitors include Auth0, Supabase Auth, Firebase Authentication, Okta, Kinde and Ory. Investors often compare these companies by sector, product focus, valuation, funding raised, growth signals, investor base, and private-market activity.

Secondary-market demand for Clerk shares can be affected by company performance, revenue growth, profitability, funding history, valuation, investor interest, sector momentum, public-market conditions, expected timing of a liquidity event, and the availability of shares for sale. Demand can also be affected by transfer restrictions, company approval rights, right of first refusal processes, limited information, and the price expectations of buyers and sellers. Strong demand does not guarantee strong pricing, liquidity, or investment returns. Weak demand does not necessarily reflect the company's long-term prospects. Demand signals should not be treated as a recommendation or prediction of investment performance. Buyers and sellers should treat demand signals as informational and conduct their own diligence before transacting.

Selling and transaction mechanics

Sellers often rely on intermediaries and platforms, such as SetterVC and other secondary-market platforms, to identify potential buyers. The exact process varies by company and transaction, but sellers often begin by confirming their ownership, desired price, transferability, and any company approval or notice requirements. If the seller agrees with a buyer on acceptable price and terms, the company may need to be notified through a share transfer notice or similar process. If a right of first refusal, company approval right, or other transfer restriction applies, the seller may need to wait until that process is completed. The parties may then execute a purchase and sale agreement, complete required transfer documentation, and close if all required conditions are satisfied. Sellers should always seek proper legal and financial advice before completing the transaction.

Yes, current and former Clerk employees, early investors, and other existing shareholders may be able to sell vested shares before an IPO through a private secondary sale. This is not automatic; it depends on whether the shareholder has transferable shares, whether there is buyer demand, and whether the company's governing documents permit the transfer. Many companies require prior notice, company approval, or a right of first refusal before shares can be sold. Sellers should also seek proper legal and financial advice before proceeding.

A Clerk secondary transaction usually involves an existing shareholder selling shares to a buyer before a public listing. The buyer and seller typically agree on price, number of shares, share class, and closing conditions. The seller may then need to notify Clerk through a share transfer notice or similar process. If Clerk or existing investors have approval rights, transfer restrictions, or a right of first refusal, those steps may need to be completed before the transfer can close. The parties typically enter into a purchase and sale agreement, complete any required transfer documentation, and close only if the necessary conditions are satisfied. Timing and certainty can vary by company and transaction.

In most private secondary transactions, parties commonly use a purchase and sale agreement that outlines price, terms, and conditions. They may also use share transfer documentation, often a stock transfer notice, share transfer notice, transfer instruction, or similar document, along with any required company approval or right of first refusal materials. Proof of ownership, such as a cap table entry, share certificate, brokerage statement, issuer confirmation, or administrator confirmation, may also be important. Buyers often request recent company financials, but private companies may limit disclosure. Since every deal varies, buyers and sellers should consult legal and financial advisors to understand which documents are needed.

Risk, diligence, and investor caution

Buying Clerk shares pre-IPO is risky. Shares are illiquid, no IPO or liquidity event is guaranteed, valuations can change, transfers may require company approval, and private companies may provide limited financial disclosure. Be prepared for total loss. SetterVC and Setter Capital do not provide due diligence, legal, tax, accounting, valuation, or investment advice. Buyers must conduct their own due diligence, verify information, and seek independent legal and investment advice before proceeding.

Private secondary shares are typically illiquid. Unlike public stocks, there is no active public market, so selling them can be difficult and time-consuming. Sales depend on finding a willing buyer and often require company approval. Investors should be prepared to hold the shares for an extended period, with no guarantee of a future sale. Always assess your need for liquidity before investing.

SetterVC and Setter Capital do not provide due diligence, legal, tax, accounting, valuation, or investment advice. Buyers must conduct their own due diligence, including verifying ownership, transferability, legal structure, company approval, and assessing the company's prospects. SetterVC and Setter Capital do not provide advice on whether an investment is good, what price to pay, or what the best bid or ask is. SetterVC and Setter Capital may share documents in some circumstances, but it does not guarantee their accuracy or completeness. Due diligence is essential. Seek legal and investment advice as needed.

Before buying Clerk shares, a buyer should try to review the share class, price per share, implied valuation, transfer restrictions, ROFR process, company approval rights, seller ownership evidence, recent financing or tender-offer information, available financial information, information rights, resale restrictions, tax considerations, and expected liquidity paths. Not all information may be available for a private company. Buyers should confirm available diligence, process details, and information needs with their own legal, tax, and investment advisers.

SPVs carry risks. Examples include the need to confirm the company allows SPV-based transfers, verify that the SPV truly owns the shares or interests it claims to own, and ensure it has not sold more interests than it holds. Due diligence is essential. Seek legal and investment advice as needed.

Forward contracts carry risks. Examples include the seller refusing to transfer the shares at the future date, even if the seller owns them, the seller going bankrupt with creditors claiming the shares, or the seller committing the same shares to multiple parties. Due diligence is essential. Seek legal and investment advice as needed.

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