Backend as a Service (BaaS)
PocketBase Pricing Explained: Tiers, Limits & Hidden Costs
Open SourceSelf-Hostable
- Starting price
- $0 (self-hosted single binary)
- Pricing model
- Free (MIT), no official managed cloud
- Free tier
- Unlimited self-hosted under MIT
PocketBase plans and limits
| Tier | What you get |
|---|---|
| Free | Unlimited self-hosted under MIT |
| Paid entry point | $0 (self-hosted single binary) |
| How the bill grows | Free (MIT), no official managed cloud |
| Self-hosted | Available. Setup effort: Low (one executable plus SQLite) |
Hidden costs to budget for
- SQLite limits horizontal scaling under very high write load
What PocketBase costs as you grow
PocketBase is free under MIT with no cloud bill at all; Appwrite Cloud Pro starts at $15/mo. The saving on PocketBase is real, but you also own backups, uptime and scaling.
Appwrite vs PocketBaseCheaper alternatives to PocketBase
SupabaseBAASOpen SourceSelf-HostableFrom $25/mo (Pro tier) or Free Self-HostedAppwriteBAASOpen SourceSelf-HostableFrom $0 (self-hosted) or $15/mo (Cloud Pro)Google FirebaseBAASProprietaryFrom Free tier then usage-based
Compare all PocketBase alternatives PocketBase pricing: FAQ
How much does PocketBase cost?
PocketBase uses free (MIT), no official managed cloud pricing. Paid usage starts at $0 (self-hosted single binary).
Does PocketBase have a free tier?
Unlimited self-hosted under MIT.
What are the hidden costs of PocketBase?
SQLite limits horizontal scaling under very high write load.
What are cheaper alternatives to PocketBase?
Supabase ($25/mo (Pro tier) or Free Self-Hosted), Appwrite ($0 (self-hosted) or $15/mo (Cloud Pro)), Google Firebase (Free tier then usage-based).