Instant Expert vs Clarity.fm
Clarity.fm is a marketplace for per-minute advice calls with experts who list themselves and set their own rate. Instant Expert reaches a specific person you choose, usually someone who isn't on any marketplace, with a fixed offer for a call or a written answer, and you pay only if they book or answer.
Facts about Clarity.fm last checked October 3, 2026, on their own public pages.
The main difference
Clarity is built for open-ended business advice: marketing, fundraising, growth, career questions. You browse experts by topic, read their reviews, and request a call at their per-minute rate.
Instant Expert is built for when the who matters more than the topic: the head of logistics at a specific retailer, a former product lead at a company you're studying, a buyer you want to learn from. You pick the person or describe them precisely, set one price for the call or answer, and nobody is charged anything unless they accept.
Side by side
| Question | Instant Expert | Clarity.fm |
|---|---|---|
| Who you can reach | Specific people you name or describe, whether or not they've signed up for anything. | Experts who created a Clarity profile, mostly in business, marketing, funding and startup topics. |
| How pricing works | You set the offer per person (minimum $5) and a cap on total spend. The price includes our 20% fee; the person gets 80%. No subscription. | Each expert sets a per-minute rate. Featured experts on Clarity's browse page ranged from $1.67 to $16.67 per minute. Clarity charges experts a 15% fee on each completed call. |
| When you pay | Only when someone books a call or sends a written answer. Declines and invitations nobody accepts within 7 days cost $0. | When you request the call, for the scheduled rate and length. Cancelling at least 12 hours ahead gets a full refund. |
| Speed | The invitation goes out when you approve the send. People have 7 days to book or answer, with up to two reminders. There's no guarantee a given person says yes. | You request a call and propose times; the expert accepts. Clarity does not publish typical response times. |
| Best for | Talking to one particular person or a narrow role, such as customer or industry insiders. | Low-cost general advice from someone who already offers it. |
Last checked October 3, 2026. Sources: Clarity.fm browse page, Clarity.fm payments and fees help. Prices change; check their sites before you decide.
When to pick Clarity.fm instead
Clarity.fm is the better choice in these cases:
- You want general startup or marketing advice and don't need a specific person. Clarity's listed experts have already said yes to these calls.
- Your budget is small. Many listed rates work out to a few dollars a minute, and you can see reviews before you book.
- You want to pay strictly by the minute rather than a flat offer per call.
Before you book on Clarity
Browse by industry, then read the profile rather than the label. On Clarity, Browse, then Industries, then SaaS lists software advisers with a biography, advice topics and a per-minute rate; one public SaaS adviser profile showed $16.67 a minute. A label like SaaS growth doesn't tell you whether the person did the specific work you're asking about, such as approving a software purchase, so look for that in the biography.
Clarity's 15% service fee comes out of what the expert receives. It isn't added on top of the rate you see, and the final amount follows the actual call length.
Clarity's help pages disagreed about whether the amount is charged or only authorized when you request a call. If that timing matters to you, read the booking terms before you request.
Clarity's etiquette asks members to seek advice rather than make unsolicited pitches. Talking about your product to get advice is fine, and a sales conversation can follow if the expert is interested. On Instant Expert you say up front whether you're asking for research, a job introduction or a sales conversation, and the person decides with that in view.
Checked September 26, 2026. Sources: Clarity SaaS directory, A public Clarity SaaS adviser profile, Clarity service fee help, Clarity payments help, How Clarity works, Clarity call etiquette.
Questions
Is Clarity.fm still a good place to get startup advice?
For general advice, yes. Experts list themselves with a per-minute rate and reviews, so you can pick by topic and price. It's less useful when you need a specific person or a narrow role, because you can only reach people who made a profile there.
How is Instant Expert priced compared with Clarity.fm?
Clarity charges by the minute at each expert's rate and takes 15% from the expert. Instant Expert has one price per person that you set (minimum $5), for a 15, 30, 45 or 60 minute call or a written answer. The price includes our 20% fee, and you pay only if they accept.
Can I ask for a written answer instead of a call?
On Instant Expert, yes. You can ask for a written or voice answer to one question, and you're charged when the answer arrives. It suits busy people who won't schedule a call but will answer a clear question.
Related
- Expert calls for founders and small teamsAn hour with someone who has already done the thing you're about to try, without a contract.
- Customer discovery interviews with busy professionalsTen to twenty interviews with the people who have the problem, before you build.
- How to ask an expert online: forums, paid calls and expert networksCompare four ways to get an expert's answer online, from free forums to paid calls and expert networks, and learn which fits your question.
- Consultant hourly rates: what drives the price and how to comparePublic reference points for consultant hourly rates, what pushes a rate up or down, hourly vs project pricing, and questions to ask before you hire.
- How Instant Expert works and what it costsThe full pricing rules, refunds and who you can reach.
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