- Status:
- Active
- Momentum:
- Star growth:
- +0.023%/day
- Open issues:
- +0 since 2026-10-01
- Contributor growth:
- +0 since 2026-10-01
- License:
- MIT
- Category:
- backend, database, self-hosted
Direct alternative to:SupabaseAppwriteFirebase
- Stargazers
- 61,240+14 / 1d
- Forks
- 3,717
- Contributors
- 45
- Open issues
- 19
61,240 stars · +14 stars / 1 day · tracking since
Open-source backend in a single file: SQLite database, auth, file storage, and a realtime API.
What it does
PocketBase ships as one small Go binary embedding SQLite, a REST/realtime API, file storage, and an admin dashboard — download it, run it, and you have a working backend with no separate services to install or wire together.
Why people use it
- One binary, one process — nothing else to install or operate
- Admin dashboard for managing collections, records, and users out of the box
- Also usable as a Go framework, not just a standalone server, for apps that need custom server-side logic
Pros
- Extremely fast to get a backend running for a small-to-medium app
- Low operational overhead — a single SQLite file is easy to back up and move
- Active development, responsive maintainer
Cons
- SQLite underneath means it doesn't suit high-write-concurrency or multi-writer-node workloads the way a client-server database does
- Smaller ecosystem and fewer managed/hosted options than Supabase or Firebase
Alternatives
| Project | Status | Stars | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supabase | Active | 110,999 | backend |
| Appwrite | Active | 57,537 | backend |
Commercial alternatives
How it compares
Side-by-side facts against the alternatives we've profiled.