TSA PreCheck vs Global Entry vs NEXUS vs CLEAR

TSA PreCheck ($76.75–$85 for five years) speeds up the security checkpoint. Global Entry ($120 for five years) speeds up customs on arrival in the U.S. and includes PreCheck. NEXUS ($50 for five years) covers U.S.–Canada crossings and includes both. CLEAR+ ($219 a year) is a private service that only shortens the identity-check line. None of them change what you may pack.

TSA PreCheck vs Global Entry vs NEXUS vs CLEAR

Feature	TSA PreCheck	Global Entry	NEXUS	CLEAR+
What it speeds up	The physical security screening lane	Customs and immigration on arrival in the U.S.	U.S.–Canada border crossings by land, air, and sea	The ID and boarding-pass check only
Cost	$76.75–$85 / 5 years	$120 / 5 years	$50 / 5 years	$219 / year
Includes TSA PreCheck	Yes (it is PreCheck)	Yes	Yes	No — sold separately or bundled
Shoes, belt, light jacket stay on	Yes	Yes, via PreCheck	Yes, via PreCheck	Only if you also have PreCheck
Laptops and 3-1-1 liquids stay in the bag	Yes	Yes, via PreCheck	Yes, via PreCheck	Only if you also have PreCheck
In-person appointment required	Yes — enrollment center visit	Yes — interview, or Enrollment on Arrival	Yes — interview with U.S. and Canadian officers	Yes — biometric enrollment, often at the airport
Availability	200+ U.S. airports, 90+ airlines	Major U.S. international arrival airports	U.S.–Canada land, marine, and air ports of entry	Roughly 55 U.S. airports plus stadiums
Changes what you can pack	No	No	No	No

Which program fits your travel

• You only fly domestically — TSA PreCheck alone covers it. It is the cheapest program that changes the checkpoint itself, and it is the benefit most credit cards reimburse.
• You leave the country even once every few years — Global Entry is the better buy at $120. It includes full TSA PreCheck benefits, so you are paying about $9 a year more for expedited customs on the way home.
• You cross into Canada regularly — NEXUS is $50 for five years and carries both Global Entry and TSA PreCheck benefits — the lowest-cost path to PreCheck if you qualify and can reach an enrollment center.
• Your home airport has long ID-check lines — CLEAR+ shortens the document-check wait but does not replace screening. It pays off mainly when paired with PreCheck at a busy airport, or when a card or airline status covers the fee.
• You mostly want to bring more through security — No program changes the prohibited items list or the 3-1-1 liquids limit. Those rules apply identically in every lane.

Program guides

• TSA PreCheck — Domestic flyers who want a faster security checkpoint ($76.75–$85 for 5 years)
• Global Entry — International travelers — includes TSA PreCheck benefits ($120 for 5 years)
• NEXUS — Frequent U.S.–Canada travel; cheapest route to PreCheck benefits ($50 for 5 years)
• CLEAR+ — Skipping the ID-check line at a home airport that has CLEAR lanes ($219 per year)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is TSA PreCheck or Global Entry better?

Global Entry costs $120 for five years and includes TSA PreCheck benefits, while PreCheck alone runs $76.75–$85 for five years. If you take even one international trip in that window, Global Entry is the better value. If you never fly internationally, PreCheck is enough.

Does CLEAR replace TSA PreCheck?

No. CLEAR verifies your identity so you can skip the document-check line, but you still go through the same physical screening. Without PreCheck you will remove shoes, belts, laptops, and liquids as usual.

Do any of these programs change what you can bring on a plane?

No. Prohibited items stay prohibited and the 3-1-1 liquids rule still applies in every lane. The programs change how you are screened, not what may pass through the checkpoint.

What is the cheapest way to get TSA PreCheck benefits?

NEXUS at $50 for five years is the least expensive program that carries PreCheck benefits, though it requires eligibility for U.S.–Canada travel and an interview with officers from both countries. Many travel credit cards also reimburse a PreCheck or Global Entry application fee.

Can you be pulled aside for extra screening with PreCheck?

Yes. TSA officers may run additional screening at any time, and PreCheck eligibility is confirmed per flight rather than guaranteed. Random and unpredictable measures are part of the layered security approach.