Pocketbase Pricing 2026
Plans, hidden costs, and cheaper alternatives compared
Is Pocketbase worth the price?
The pricing for Pocketbase is exceptionally generous, as it is entirely open-source and free.
Users get a powerful backend with real-time features, authentication, and file storage for $0. This is ideal for developers, startups, and small projects looking for a cost-effective and flexible backend solution.
Pricing Plans
Open Source
$0
- Self-hosted
- Realtime database
- Authentication
- File storage
- Admin dashboard
- Fully extensible
- Go/JavaScript SDK
Hidden Costs & Gotchas
Infrastructure costs for self-hosting
Developer time for setup/maintenance
No official paid support channels
Scalability might require advanced dev ops
Which Plan Do You Need?
Developers needing a free backend
Startups on a tight budget
Projects requiring self-hosting
How Pocketbase Compares to Competitors
Compared to commercial backend-as-a-service (BaaS) providers like Firebase (which offers a free tier but scales to paid plans for usage) or Supabase (also open-source but often used with their hosted paid plans starting around $25/month), Pocketbase stands out by being completely free for self-hosting. This eliminates recurring subscription costs entirely, unlike most alternatives.
Pocketbase Pricing FAQ
How much does Pocketbase cost?
Pocketbase is free to use. No subscription or one-time fee is required for the core product.
Does Pocketbase have a free plan?
Yes. Pocketbase offers a free plan called "Open Source". It includes: Self-hosted, Realtime database, Authentication.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Pocketbase?
Yes. Popular alternatives to Pocketbase include Supabase, Appwrite, Firebase, Parse. Free alternatives include Supabase, Appwrite, Firebase. Compare them side-by-side on Toolradar.
Cheaper alternatives to Pocketbase
5 of 5 direct competitors below offer a free plan. Per-seat pricing varies up to 60% across this set.
