| Website | pocketbase.io |
| Category | Backend as a Service |
| License | Open Source (MIT) |
| Pricing | Free/open-source to self-host; optional paid cloud hosting |
Overview
PocketBase is a lightweight open-source backend with SQLite, realtime subscriptions, auth, and file storage for small apps.
Pros
- Very easy to set up and run
- Built-in SQLite keeps deployment simple
- Realtime subscriptions and auth included
- Clean admin dashboard and REST API
- Small footprint with low resource usage
Cons
- SQLite may limit heavy concurrent workloads
- Fewer integrations than larger BaaS platforms
- Less suited for complex distributed systems
- Smaller ecosystem than Firebase or Supabase
Verdict
PocketBase is excellent for small-to-medium apps that need a simple backend quickly. It works best for prototypes, internal tools, and lightweight production apps. The main trade-off is SQLite-centric scalability compared with more complex BaaS platforms.
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