Clerica vs FreePrivacyPolicy
Compare Clerica certification and Verified directory against FreePrivacyPolicy's free generator brand, hosted policies, and à la carte clause checkout.
FreePrivacyPolicy and Clerica both market accessible privacy policy generators — but the economics diverge at checkout. FreePrivacyPolicy's "100% free" hero copy often leads to premium clause fees ($14–$34 each) before you download a GDPR- or CCPA-ready bundle. Clerica's Generated tier is free with policies on your domain and no mandatory vendor backlink; Certified (~$99/year) bundles directory placement, dofollow SEO while active, and public verify pages without per-clause surprises.
FreePrivacyPolicy leads on brand recognition and frictionless hosted URLs for checkbox compliance. Clerica leads when you want policies on your domain, linkable verify proof, and enforcement that revokes badges when live pages drift. This page is an honest comparison — including where FreePrivacyPolicy's simpler free hosted flow wins today.
Overview — free brand vs transparent certification
FreePrivacyPolicy (freeprivacypolicy.com) is a Legalcom portfolio SEO brand sharing the same app.* wizard and FastSpring checkout as PrivacyPolicies.com — not a separate product architecture. It built a large user base on fast questionnaires and hosted policies at freeprivacypolicy.com/live/{uuid}. Monetization happens at clause selection — compliance modules stack ~$14–$34 fees before checkout completes.
Clerica built for publish-proof: generate on your domain, score clarity on a public rubric, certify for Verified directory and verify badges, and monitor drift so trust signals stay honest.
Pricing — public Certified vs checkout upsell
FreePrivacyPolicy does not publish a pricing page. Teams discover costs when selecting GDPR, CCPA, cookies, or other premium clauses — often ~$50–$100 total for what marketing implies is included in "free."
Clerica publishes Certified pricing (~$99/year) upfront. Generated tier stays free with no mandatory credits link. Consumer-Friendly and Gold badges are earned on disclosure quality while on Certified, not sold as hidden clause SKUs.
Hosting and backlinks
FreePrivacyPolicy frequently hosts policies at freeprivacypolicy.com/live/{uuid}. That satisfies app store URL fields but sends customers to a third-party domain and limits SEO on your site.
Clerica assumes policies live on your domain. The stamp links to a public verify page (nofollow on Generated). Active Certified listings provide dofollow backlinks from clerica.io/verified/{slug}.
Transparency after publish
FreePrivacyPolicy output is a point-in-time document. There is no public verify URL where customers confirm current disclosures, or automated downgrade when live text changes without updating the file.
Clerica verify pages expose rubric scores and tier badges. Material drift revokes certification, dofollow directory links, and badge tier until you fix and re-certify — reputational cost for your business, accurate signal for consumers.
Product scope
FreePrivacyPolicy focuses on privacy and terms generators with minimal surrounding compliance suite. Cookie consent and CMP are outside both products' core wedge today.
Clerica adds Verified directory, integrity scans, and consumer-readable rubric scoring. Template downloads and export formats are not available yet but may come later as the generator matures.
Switching from FreePrivacyPolicy
Most teams paste factual answers from an existing FreePrivacyPolicy export into Clerica's wizard, publish on their domain, and subscribe to Certified when verify proof and directory SEO matter. You are not locked into vendor hosting.
Feature comparison
Side-by-side on certification, pricing transparency, and what happens after you publish.
Teams prioritizing the fastest free hosted URL today often use FreePrivacyPolicy
FreePrivacyPolicy leads when you need a policy URL in minutes with minimal setup, accept hosted vendor URLs, and are comfortable with clause checkout for GDPR/CCPA modules. The brand and simplicity are real advantages for first-time founders.
FreePrivacyPolicy also fits teams that want one-time clause payments instead of annual Certified — and do not need public verify pages or directory dofollow backlinks yet.
When Clerica is the better fit
Choose Clerica if you want policies on your domain, public verify badges, Active Verified directory placement, and dofollow SEO without checkout upsell surprises — plus enforcement when live pages drift from certified snapshots.
Also choose Clerica if transparent pricing and a free Generated tier without mandatory vendor links matter more than FreePrivacyPolicy's hosted subdomain shortcut.
FAQ
Does Clerica replace a lawyer?
No. Clerica generates standard-depth policy drafts and scores disclosure clarity on a public rubric. It does not provide legal advice or certify regulatory compliance in your jurisdiction. Competitors make similar limits in fine print; Clerica states them upfront on verify pages and in the generator flow.
Can I migrate from another generator?
Yes. Most teams paste factual answers from an existing policy into Clerica's wizard, publish an updated draft on their own domain, and subscribe to Certified when they want Verified directory placement and public verify proof.
You keep hosting on your site. Clerica adds a public verify URL and optional Verified directory profile — it does not require moving your legal page to a vendor subdomain.
What happens if my live policy drifts from the certified version?
Clerica compares your published URL to the certified snapshot on a tier cadence. When material drift is detected — edits that change disclosure substance — your badge downgrades, the dofollow Verified backlink is revoked, and directory status moves to inactive until you fix the policy or re-certify. That protects consumers who bookmarked your verify page and protects your reputation: the trust signal stays honest, not stale.
Is FreePrivacyPolicy really free?
Basic generator output is free, but GDPR, CCPA, and other compliance clauses often require paid add-ons at checkout — typically $50–$100 for a bundle competitors market as "compliant." Clerica Generated tier includes standard-depth generation on your domain without per-clause upsell; Certified is a single ~$99/year subscription for directory and verify proof.
How does FreePrivacyPolicy hosting compare to Clerica?
FreePrivacyPolicy commonly offers free hosted URLs on their domain. Clerica publishes on your domain with a verify stamp link. Active Certified adds clerica.io/verified/{slug} dofollow backlink — SEO accrues to your brand domain and directory profile, not a vendor subdomain footer.
Which is better for Shopify stores?
Both offer generators; neither is Clerica's platform-specific landing focus today. Teams prioritizing checkout-transparent pricing and verify badges often compare Clerica Certified against FreePrivacyPolicy's clause checkout. Teams prioritizing the simplest free hosted URL today often start with FreePrivacyPolicy and revisit certification when directory trust matters.
Does Clerica have hidden fees like FreePrivacyPolicy checkout?
Clerica Certified pricing is public. Gold manual review is an optional one-time $99 add-on after rubric ≥ 90 — not required for basic certification. No per-clause nickel-and-dime at generator checkout.