We present algebraic and geometric classifications of the $4$-dimensional complex nilpotent right alternative algebras. Specifically, we find that, up to isomorphism, there are only $9$ non-isomorphic nontrivial nilpotent right alternative algebras. The corresponding geometric variety has dimension $13$ and it is determined by the Zariski closure of $4$ rigid algebras and one one-parametric family of algebras.