Apps with Realtime database
7 apps
Top Realtime database apps ranked by the community
Firebase is Google's platform for building web and mobile apps without running your own servers. It provides Cloud Firestore and the Realtime Database, authentication, Cloud Storage, Cloud Functions, hosting, analytics, crash reporting and push messaging, with SDKs for iOS, Android, web, Flutter and Unity, plus Gemini-based AI features. A free Spark plan suits prototypes, with usage-based billing beyond it.
8 Firebase alternativesPros
- Complete toolkit from auth and databases to hosting and crash reports
- Mature SDKs for iOS, Android, web, Flutter and Unity
- The free Spark plan is enough for prototypes
Cons
- Usage-based billing can spike unexpectedly with traffic or inefficient queries
- Firestore’s NoSQL model makes complex queries and reporting awkward
- Strong lock-in to Google Cloud services
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesPlatformsSupabase is an open source backend platform built on Postgres. Each project gets a full Postgres database with auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs, authentication, file storage, realtime subscriptions, edge functions and vector support for AI applications. It can be used as a hosted service with a free tier or self-hosted with Docker, and appeals to developers who want SQL rather than a NoSQL backend.
8 Supabase alternativesPros
- Full Postgres database with SQL, extensions and row-level security
- Auto-generated APIs, auth, storage and realtime in one platform
- Open source and self-hostable with Docker
Cons
- Free-tier projects are paused after a period of inactivity
- Self-hosting is more involved to set up than the managed service
- Row-level security policies take time to get right
Cost / LicenseFreemiumOpen sourceCategoriesPlatformsAppwrite is an open source backend server that bundles authentication, databases, file storage, serverless functions, messaging and realtime events behind one consistent API, with SDKs for web, mobile and Flutter. Since 2025 it also hosts websites and web apps through Appwrite Sites. It can be self-hosted with Docker or used through Appwrite Cloud, which has a free plan.
8 Appwrite alternativesPros
- Auth, database, storage, functions and messaging behind one API
- Open source and straightforward to self-host with Docker
- SDKs for web, mobile and Flutter apps
Cons
- Database queries are more limited than raw SQL
- Self-hosted upgrades between versions can require careful migrations
Cost / LicenseFreemiumOpen sourceCategoriesPlatformsPocketBase is an open source backend that ships as a single Go executable with an embedded SQLite database. It provides realtime subscriptions, user authentication including OAuth2, file storage and an admin dashboard, and can be extended in Go or JavaScript. It suits small projects and prototypes that need a backend running in minutes. It has not reached version 1.0, so breaking changes can still happen.
7 PocketBase alternativesPros
- The whole backend ships as one executable that runs in minutes
- Embedded SQLite with realtime, auth and an admin dashboard
- Can be extended in Go or JavaScript
Cons
- Not yet at version 1.0, so breaking changes can still happen
- Single-server SQLite design limits horizontal scaling
- No official managed hosting, so you run and back up the server yourself
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesPlatformsConvex is a backend platform for app developers in which the database schema, queries, mutations and server functions are all written in TypeScript. Queries are reactive, so connected clients update automatically when data changes, with no manual caching. It also includes file storage, scheduled jobs, search and authentication. Convex Cloud has a free tier, and the backend can be self-hosted under the FSL license.
8 Convex alternativesPros
- Schema, queries and functions are all written in TypeScript
- Reactive queries update clients automatically, with no caching code
- Scheduled jobs, search, file storage and auth included
Cons
- Its own data model differs from SQL, which makes migrating away harder
- The FSL license is source available, not open source
- TypeScript-centric, less suited to teams using other backend languages
Cost / LicenseFreemiumSource availableCategoriesPlatformsNhost is an open source backend platform that combines a dedicated Postgres database, an instant GraphQL API powered by Hasura with realtime subscriptions, authentication, file storage and serverless functions. It also offers AI tooling such as vector embeddings. Projects run on Nhost Cloud, which has a free starter plan, or can be self-hosted, and a CLI supports local development.
8 Nhost alternativesPros
- Dedicated Postgres database for each project
- Instant GraphQL API with realtime subscriptions through Hasura
- Open source, with a CLI for local development and self-hosting
Cons
- GraphQL-first approach adds a learning curve for REST-oriented teams
- Smaller community and ecosystem than Supabase or Firebase
Cost / LicenseFreemiumOpen sourceCategoriesPlatformsBack4app is a backend-as-a-service platform built on the open source Parse Server. It provides a database with auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs, user authentication, file storage, Cloud Code functions and live queries, managed from a spreadsheet-like dashboard. The company also offers a container-based web deployment platform and an AI agent for building cloud backends. Free plans are available for prototyping.
8 Back4app alternativesPros
- Built on open source Parse Server, which limits lock-in
- Auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs for your data
- Spreadsheet-like dashboard is approachable for beginners
Cons
- The Parse ecosystem is less active than newer backend platforms
- Free plans are meant for prototypes; production needs a paid plan
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesPlatforms
