- Backend as a service platforms side by side
- Eleven backend as a service platforms to compare
- Where to start for your project
- A hosted backend still needs secure settings
- Open source backends versus fully managed clouds
- Questions to ask before you pick a backend platform
- Signs a backend service would save you time
- My plain advice on choosing a backend as a service
- Frequently asked questions
The best backend as a service platforms give your app a ready-made database, user sign-in, file storage and server logic, so you don't have to build and run them yourself. Some are open source and can be self-hosted, while others are managed clouds from big providers. Eleven options follow in no particular order.
Every app needs the same unglamorous plumbing: somewhere to store data, a way for people to log in, a place to keep their files and some logic that runs on a server. Building that from scratch eats weeks before anyone sees a single screen of your actual idea.
The eleven platforms below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the vendor's own website, read this week. If you're still deciding whether you need an app at all, my article on whether your business needs a mobile app is a sensible first stop.
Backend as a service platforms side by side
I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the site names a free plan, a free version, a free allowance or an open source version. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to start for free, so check the vendor's page before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8base | Low-code backend and app builder | A serverless GraphQL backend | Not stated |
| Appwrite | Open source backend cloud | Self-hosting or cloud with one codebase | Yes |
| AWS Amplify | Full-stack web and mobile builder on AWS | Front-end teams moving onto AWS | Not stated |
| Backendless | Visual app platform with backend and database | Building visually without much code | Not stated |
| Convex | Reactive backend platform | Apps that update in real time | Yes |
| Firebase | Google's app development platform | Mobile apps in Google's ecosystem | Not stated |
| Gadget | Full-stack app development platform | Agencies and ecommerce app builders | Not stated |
| InstantDB | Backend built to be run from the command line | AI coding agents driving the backend | Not stated |
| PocketBase | Open source backend in a single file | Small projects on your own server | Yes |
| Supabase | Postgres development platform | A relational database with auth built in | Yes |
| Xano | Backend platform for AI-built software | Backends for AI-generated apps | Not stated |
Eleven backend as a service platforms to compare
8base
Best for: Product teams who want an instantly available serverless GraphQL backend on AWS, plus a low-code builder for the front end.
Appwrite
Best for: Builders who want an open source backend they can self-host or run in the cloud, covering the usual building blocks for apps.
AWS Amplify
Best for: Front-end developers who want to build and host full-stack web and mobile apps on AWS without managing servers themselves.
Backendless
Best for: Teams who'd rather build a backend, database and user interface visually than write all the server code by hand.
Convex
Best for: Developers building apps that need to stay up to date in real time, who'd like to self-host or develop locally with open source pieces.
Firebase
Best for: Mobile and web developers who want Google's app development platform with tools that can scale as the app grows.
Gadget
Best for: Agencies, app studios and ecommerce brands that want a full-stack platform to deliver custom apps faster than building from scratch.
InstantDB
Best for: Coders who build with AI coding agents and want a backend they can create and change entirely from the terminal.
PocketBase
Best for: Indie developers who want a whole open source backend, with database, authentication and file storage, in one small file.
Supabase
Best for: Founders who want an open source platform built on Postgres, so their app sits on a familiar relational database from day one.
Xano
Best for: Teams building software with AI tools who want a backend platform to build, run and govern what those tools produce.
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Where to start for your project
- A relational database from day one: Supabase.
- Mobile apps in Google's ecosystem: Firebase.
- Open source that you can self-host: Appwrite or PocketBase.
- Apps that update in real time: Convex or InstantDB.
- Building visually with little code: Backendless.
- Backends for AI-built apps: Xano.
- A serverless GraphQL backend: 8base.
- Agencies and ecommerce app builders: Gadget.
- Front-end teams on AWS: AWS Amplify.
A hosted backend still needs secure settings
The National Cyber Security Centre says its 14 cloud security principles are designed to help you choose a cloud provider that meets your security needs. It adds that you'll separately need to consider how you configure your cloud services securely.
That second point catches people out. A backend service can be secure by design and still leak data if a database rule is left open, so check your access rules before launch, not after.
Open source backends versus fully managed clouds
Open source backends let you self-host, inspect the code and move providers without rewriting your app. They need someone comfortable running servers if you host them yourself.
Fully managed clouds handle the servers, updates and scaling for you. They're quicker to start with, but moving away later can mean more work, so read how data export works before you commit.
Questions to ask before you pick a backend platform
- Is the database relational or document-based?
- Can I self-host if I need to?
- How does user sign-in work, and which login options are included?
- Does it support real-time updates?
- How do I export my data if I leave?
- Which regions can my data be stored in?
Signs a backend service would save you time
- You're rebuilding user sign-in again. Use a ready-made one.
- Server updates eat your week. Hand them to a platform.
- Your prototype needs a real database. Start with one built in.
- Users expect live updates. Pick real-time support.
Do you make a backend platform or developer service? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on choosing a backend as a service
Pick the platform whose database model matches your data, then build one small feature end to end before you commit. Sign-up, one saved record and one file upload will tell you more about a platform than a week of reading feature lists.
Keep your own code as separate from the platform as you reasonably can, so a future move doesn't mean a rewrite. If you're tracking how people use the finished app, my guide on increasing conversions in mobile apps covers what to measure.
Frequently asked questions
What is backend as a service?
Backend as a service, or BaaS, is a platform that provides an app's database, user sign-in, storage and server logic, so developers don't build and run those parts themselves.
Is backend as a service free?
Several platforms are open source or have free plans, and others offer trials. The free plan column above shows what each vendor's site says.
Do I need a developer to use a BaaS?
Usually yes, though some platforms offer visual or no-code builders that reduce how much code you write.
Can I move my app to another backend later?
Often, but it takes work. Check how each platform exports data and user accounts before you choose.
Is an open source backend safe for a business app?
It can be, if it's kept updated and configured carefully. Self-hosting means those updates are your responsibility.
What's the difference between BaaS and serverless hosting?
BaaS gives you ready-made building blocks such as a database and sign-in, while serverless hosting runs your own code without you managing servers.
