Appwrite vs PocketBase: Self-Hosted Backend Platforms
·OSSAlt Team
appwritepocketbasebaasbackendcomparison
Appwrite vs PocketBase: Self-Hosted Backend Platforms
Appwrite is a full-featured BaaS with Docker deployment. PocketBase is a single binary. Both give you auth, database, storage, and real-time — but the scale and complexity couldn't be more different.
Quick Verdict
Choose Appwrite for production apps needing cloud functions, team collaboration, and a comprehensive platform. Choose PocketBase for small projects wanting the simplest possible backend.
The Comparison
| Feature | Appwrite | PocketBase |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment | Docker (multiple containers) | Single binary |
| Database | MariaDB | SQLite |
| Auth | ✅ (30+ methods) | ✅ (email, OAuth) |
| Cloud functions | ✅ (14 runtimes) | Go hooks / JS |
| Storage | ✅ | ✅ |
| Real-time | ✅ | ✅ |
| Teams/orgs | ✅ | Basic |
| Webhooks | ✅ | ✅ |
| SDKs | 12+ languages | JS, Dart |
| Admin console | ✅ (comprehensive) | ✅ (simple) |
| Horizontal scaling | ✅ | ❌ |
| RAM | 2-4 GB | 50-100 MB |
| Setup time | 10 minutes | 30 seconds |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | MIT |
| Stars | 46K+ | 42K+ |
When to Choose Appwrite
- Production apps with serverless functions
- Multiple programming languages for functions
- Team management and collaboration features
- Need to scale horizontally
- Comprehensive platform with many SDKs
When to Choose PocketBase
- Personal projects and MVPs
- Minimal server resources available
- Want the fastest possible setup
- Single-server is sufficient
- Go ecosystem for extensions
The Bottom Line
Appwrite is the full-featured platform for production apps. PocketBase is the weekend-project backend. Choose based on project scale — Appwrite for serious apps, PocketBase for everything else.
Compare backend platforms on OSSAlt — features, resource requirements, and SDK support side by side.