You want a straight answer on price before you sit through another vendor demo. Fair. Here’s the quick reality: Clever doesn’t post list prices for its MFA, and quotes vary by district size, bundle, and contract. You can still budget smart with good ranges, a simple cost formula, and a few checks to avoid nasty surprises.
What you’ll get here: a precise TL;DR with ballpark numbers, what really drives pricing up or down, how Clever stacks up against Duo/Microsoft/Google/Okta, and a practical way to get a clean quote without scope creep. I’ll also share the budgeting shortcuts I use when schools in my orbit ask for a sanity check. I’m writing from Auckland, and yes, I’ve wrangled both USD quotes and NZD budgets between dog walks with Luna.
If you clicked this, your jobs-to-be-done probably look like this:
- Get a credible price range for Clever MFA today.
- Know what factors change the number (seats, bundle, contract terms).
- Compare cost vs. common alternatives (Duo, Microsoft Entra, Google Workspace, Okta).
- Build a quick budget with setup, tokens, and support included.
- Know exactly how to request a quote and what to ask so nothing gets missed.
TL;DR: What Clever MFA Costs in 2025
Short answer first, based on current quotes I’ve seen and what districts report in 2024-2025 buying cycles: expect low single-digit USD per staff user per month when Clever MFA is part of a Clever bundle (Identity/SSO/IDM). Standalone tends to be higher and less common.
- Typical range (bundled): USD $1.50-$4.00 per staff/month
- Standalone range (when offered): USD $3.00-$6.00 per staff/month
- Setup/implementation: USD $0-$5,000 (size and complexity)
- Hardware security keys (if you buy any): USD $25-$70 each one-time
- SMS/voice MFA pass-through costs: usually included or minimal; confirm in writing
If you’re budgeting in NZD, a safe working conversion at today’s rates would be multiply USD by ~1.6-1.8 to include FX movement and GST handling in your total cost. Many vendors quote in USD even for ANZ schools.
Simple planning formula for annual cost: Annual TCO ≈ staff_seats × price_per_user_per_month × 12 + setup_fee + (token_count × token_unit_cost).
Example A (small district): 250 staff × $2.50 × 12 = $7,500 + $2,000 setup + 50 keys × $45 = $2,250 → ~$11,750 USD/year one-time setup in year one.
Example B (mid-size): 1,200 staff × $2.00 × 12 = $28,800 + $3,500 setup + no hardware (phone app only) → ~$32,300 USD year one.
One more thing: Clever often positions MFA inside its identity stack. If you already buy Clever SSO/IDM, the incremental price for MFA can be at the bottom of these ranges. If you’re net-new and want MFA only, expect the higher end or a nudge toward a bundle. If you need an anchor phrase for vendor emails: “We’re validating our Clever MFA pricing assumptions against alternatives; please quote per-staff pricing, setup, and any SMS costs.”
What Drives the Price (and What to Lock Down in the Quote)
Price doesn’t move randomly. It moves for reasons you can steer. Here are the levers I see most often in quotes and RFPs.
- Seat count and who counts: Clever MFA is typically licensed per staff user. Students usually don’t need MFA, but confirm: “staff” can include subs, contractors, and IT service accounts if they sign in. Trim the count to real humans who authenticate interactively.
- Bundle vs. standalone: Buying MFA inside a Clever Identity/SSO/IDM package drops the per-user number. Standalone MFA-when they’ll do it-usually costs more and may lose you bundle discounts.
- Contract length: 1-year is standard. 3-year terms can shave 10-20% depending on vendor and timing. Only sign longer if you’re sure about platform fit.
- Implementation complexity: Clean roster data and a simple IdP/SSO setup = lower or zero setup fee. Multiple domains, legacy SIS, or complex groups = higher services line.
- Auth methods: App-based TOTP/push is cheap. If you want FIDO2 security keys for admins or all staff, add the one-time hardware cost. SMS or voice calls are sometimes metered by vendors-many now include a fair usage buffer, but get it in writing.
- Support tier and SLAs: 24/7 phone support or named TAM? Expect a surcharge or a higher bundle tier. Check response times around enrollment weeks.
- Compliance add-ons: Some districts require extra audit trails, geofencing, or conditional access rules. Sometimes that lives in the IdP tier (Microsoft/Google). Make sure the MFA quote aligns with your policy needs so you don’t double-buy features.
Questions to ask sales to pin down pricing fast:
- “Is MFA priced per staff seat, and can you specify who counts as a seat?”
- “Is this quote standalone MFA or a bundle? If it’s a bundle, what’s the breakout line for MFA?”
- “What’s the setup fee and what’s included? List environments, domains, and test users.”
- “Any metered costs for SMS/voice? If so, what’s the rate and what’s included?”
- “Does this price change with a 3-year term? What’s the early termination policy?”
- “How is MFA enrollment handled for substitutes and new hires mid-year?”
- “What’s your recommended fallback policy when a teacher forgets a phone at 7:50am?”
Red flags:
- Vague SOW for setup. You want exact systems, timelines, and responsibilities.
- Missing language about SMS/voice billing. That’s how budgets get pinched mid-year.
- Unlimited “staff” claims without a definition. Get a seat count in the order form.
- Auto-renew with price uplift above CPI. Cap increases or remove auto-renew.
Typical inclusions (based on 2025 sales materials and common district agreements): app-based codes or push, admin policies for trusted devices, bypass codes, bulk enrollment tools, and basic reporting. Confirm reporting exports if you need to satisfy a state audit.
How Clever MFA Compares on Cost and Fit (Duo, Microsoft Entra, Google, Okta)
Even if you love Clever’s K-12 focus, you still need context. Here’s the quick cost-and-fit view based on public pricing pages and 2025 packaging updates:
- Cisco Duo: Public list pricing in 2025 ranges roughly from USD $3-$9 per user/month depending on tier. Strong MFA features, lots of device trust options, mature admin tools. For schools on Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 without advanced identity needs, Duo is often the cheapest way to add solid MFA fast. Watch: extra cost if you need higher tiers for device visibility.
- Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD): MFA is included with Microsoft 365, but advanced Conditional Access needs Entra ID P1 (~USD $6/user/month) and risk-based features live in P2 (~USD $9-$10). If all staff already have A3/A5 or similar, effective marginal cost for MFA can be near zero. Fit is excellent if you’re deep in Microsoft and rely on Conditional Access policies.
- Google Workspace: Basic MFA is included in all tiers. Advanced admin controls and context-aware access live in higher editions (e.g., Education Plus). If you’re a Google-first district and don’t need third-party SSO policy finesse, total cost to secure staff logins can be minimal. Fit is best when all your key apps sit behind Google and you don’t need a separate MFA product.
- Okta: Strong identity platform with MFA and lifecycle management. Education discounts exist but public list pricing sits closer to enterprise. Great if you need complex app catalogs, HR-driven provisioning, or non-standard workflows. Expect higher TCO than Clever MFA bundled for K-12, but broader enterprise features.
Where Clever MFA tends to win:
- Districts already using Clever SSO/IDM and want one throat to choke, one roster, one support line.
- Primary need is to secure staff access to the Clever portal and connected edtech apps, not build a full enterprise IAM program.
- K-12-specific onboarding flows and support patterns (school calendars, SIS changes, substitutes) matter as much as the tech.
Where an alternative can be cheaper or simpler:
- You’re all-in on Microsoft or Google and can enforce MFA with the tools you already license. The marginal cost may be zero.
- You want device trust and risk policies beyond a basic MFA prompt-Duo or Entra P1/P2 might be more flexible.
- You’re avoiding vendor sprawl and prefer to keep identity under one umbrella (Microsoft/Google/Okta) rather than add another admin console.
Decision heuristics I use with schools:
- If your staff already live in the Clever portal and you’re buying Clever Identity/IDM, choose Clever MFA for the bundle discount and fewer moving parts.
- If your IT team lives in Entra and already writes Conditional Access policies, turn on Entra MFA and save the budget.
- If you’re mostly Google and need a better MFA experience for non-Google apps, run a Duo pilot with 10-20 staff and compare admin time to a Clever MFA trial.
Credibility note: These comparisons reflect public pricing as of August 2025 (Cisco Duo pricing page; Microsoft Entra ID P1/P2 pricing; Google Workspace for Education feature matrices; Okta public EDU materials) and actual quotes I’ve seen in the last school year. Always verify your edition and discounts.
Get a Real Quote, Build the Budget, Avoid Surprises
Here’s a clean path to a reliable number in two weeks or less.
- Define the seat scope. Count staff who sign in interactively: teachers, admin, counselors, office staff, principals, IT. Exclude service accounts and students unless policy says otherwise. Keep a separate estimate for substitutes/seasonal staff.
- Confirm your IdP and SSO map. Write down what you use today (Google, Microsoft, both), the Clever components you have, and apps behind Clever. The clearer your architecture, the faster the quote.
- Choose auth factors. Decide if you’ll go app-based only, or buy a small pool of FIDO2 keys for admins and staff with no phone policy.
- Set policy constraints. Note if you want: trusted device grace periods, MFA on new device only, geofencing, or elevated MFA for payroll/finance apps.
- Request the quote. Ask Clever sales for a per-staff monthly price, a line for setup, any SMS/voice costs, and discounts for multi-year. Ask for standalone and bundle quotes if you’re still deciding.
- Run a pilot. 10-25 staff across roles. Check enrollment time, help desk tickets, and the 7:50am reality when someone forgets their phone. Pilots keep you from overbuying features.
Budget checklist (copy/paste):
- Staff seat count: ____ (include substitutes policy)
- Per-user/month price: ____ USD (note contract length)
- Setup/implementation: ____ USD (SOW reviewed?)
- Tokens (qty × unit cost): ____ × ____ = ____ USD
- SMS/voice costs: included? If metered, rate and cap: ____
- Support tier and SLAs: ____ (hours, channels, response targets)
- Training and comms: ____ hours × ____ staff rate = ____ USD/NZD
- Contingency (10-15%): ____
- Total year one: ____; Year two (no setup): ____
Quick calculator you can run in a spreadsheet:
- Base = seats × price × 12
- Year 1 = Base + setup + (token_qty × token_cost)
- Year 2 = Base + (optional: replacement tokens × cost)
Two realistic scenarios:
- Elementary-focused district, 350 staff, app-based MFA only, bundled with Clever Identity at $2.20/user/month, $1,500 setup → Base $9,240 + setup $1,500 = $10,740 USD year one.
- Large suburban, 1,800 staff, 100 security keys for admins and nurse’s stations, $1.90/user/month in a 3-year term, $3,000 setup → Base $41,040 + setup $3,000 + tokens (100 × $50) $5,000 = $49,040 USD year one.
Pitfalls to avoid:
- Counting students. Unless required, keep it to staff. Student MFA needs a different conversation.
- Underestimating substitutes. Decide now: do subs need MFA? If yes, will you issue temporary bypass codes at the front office?
- Skipping fallback. Document a no-phone flow that doesn’t bury your help desk five minutes before first period.
- Assuming SMS is free. It often is now, but confirm. If it’s metered, set a cap and an alert.
FAQ (fast answers):
Is Clever MFA available by itself?
Often, it’s quoted as part of Clever Identity/IDM or SSO bundles. Standalone is possible but less common and usually priced higher. Ask for both quotes if you need a clean comparison.
Does Clever charge for students?
For MFA, pricing is typically per staff. Students aren’t usually in scope for MFA. Check your district policy and the quote language.
Can we mix auth methods?
Yes. Most districts run app-based MFA for almost everyone and keep a small set of FIDO2 keys for admins or staff without phones.
How long does setup take?
With clean directories and a simple policy, 2-4 weeks is common. Complex domains or SIS syncs can stretch it. Pin this down in the SOW.
Where can I verify claims?
Check Clever’s sales materials and help center for current packaging, Cisco Duo’s pricing page for tiers, Microsoft’s Entra ID P1/P2 pricing page for Conditional Access, Google’s Workspace for Education feature grid, and Okta’s EDU pricing. Use those as your guardrails.
One last real-world tip: pilot during a normal week, not during exams or teacher in-service. You’ll get the true picture of interruptions and how staff handle prompts between bells. If the pilot feels calm, the rollout will, too.