The best Firebase alternatives in 2024 - PDF document

The best Firebase alternatives in 2024 Are you looking for alternatives to Firebase in 2024? In this tutorial, you will learn about multiple Firebase alternatives. This article will cover competitors like Back4App , Parse, Backendless, Supabase, Appwrite, Nhost, etc . Key Takeaway s • Key reasons to look for Firebase alternatives are lock - in and cost complexity • Some alternatives to Firebase include Back4app , Backendless, and Kinsta • 4he article provides the key features, pricing, and review for each Firebase alternative FireNase Overvie w Firebase is Google’s app developmenP plaPform. IP Oelps developers Po build, improve, and grow their applications smoothly and standardized. It offers a robust feature set that focuses on three main pillars: • (elping users to build apps faster • Releasing apps with confidence, performance, and stability • )ncreasing user engagement after releasing the app The platform works well for mobile and web applications, and Google designed it to increase digital product creation productivity. The core features of Firebase include NoSQL databases, real - time queries, scalable hosting, data storage, file storage, REST APIs, authentication, machine learning, and analytics. WOy look for FireNase AlPernaPives? While Firebase offers an increasingly sophisticated array of services that Oandle various developmenP requiremenPs, iP’s noP always POe easiesP, fastest, or most affordable option. The article “ Reasons Not to Use Firebase ” also enligOPened me aNouP POe risks of using Firebase. Some users look for Firebase alternatives because the free tier is not available to all Firebase services, the Firebase service does not work in China, complex queries may be slow in some situations, and the platform lacks flexibility. IP’s noP open M source and Oas vendor lock M i n Firebase is a Google - backed, closed - source platform with many excellent features, allowing developers to create an MVP quickly. However, vendor lock - in is one of its biggest concerns among developers and the main shortcoming of Firebase. A closed - source platform does not allow developers to adjust the source code to their specific needs, review it to ensure it matches their standards or customize the environment to achieve maximum performance. Pricing model is complex and Oard Po predic P Firebase server costs can increase significantly as an app begins to scale. AlPOougO FireNase offers a free plan, POe free Pier’s limiPaPions make iP suitable for small apps only. Once the app starts scaling, there is a need to upgrade to the Blaze plan, which does not have a fixed pricing structure. Blaze is a pay - as - you - go service plan POaP cOarges Nased on your app’s server resources. In essence, users cannot fix the maximum monthly budget for an app. Consequently, users may get unpleasant surprises by the end of the billing cycle. Until January 2020, Firebase offered the Flame Plan. It was a fixed - price plan for $25/month, but this option is no longer available. Some users were heavily affected by this change. Please learn more by reading the article Firebase Costs Increased 7,000% . IP’s noP self M OosPed iP only supporPs POe GFP OosPing opPio n Firebase offers only one type of cloud hosting setup on the Google Cloud Platform. So, users have to use Firebase cloud infrastructure and share resources with other applications. This approach is not the best option for complex applications that require customized server settings for optimal performance. Since Firebase does not offer Dedicated Server or Enterprise contracts, users may face several limitations once the app begins to scale. Privacy F DaPa SPorag e According to item Q.D of FireNase’s Terms of Service , users may select the data location for certain paid services. For paid services where data location is not available, Firebase can store data in any Google facility. Please find the paragraph below: 1.5: Data Location. For certain Paid Services, Customer may select the region(s) FusPomer DaPa will Ne sPored (“DaPa LocaPion SelecPion”), and Google will store that Customer Data at rest in the selected region(s). The Data Location Selection does not limi t the locations from which Customer or Customer End Users may access Customer Data or to which they may move Customer Data and may not apply to Customer Data used with other Google products or services. For purposes of this section, Customer Data does not include resource identifiers, attributes, or other data labels. If a Data Location Selection is not available for the Paid Services (or a Data Location Selection is not made by Customer with respect to any Customer Data), Google may process and store the Customer Data anywhere Google or its agents maintain facilities. Firebase Privacy and Security documentation revealed that the platform satisfies GDPR requirements. The document also showed that the data storage and processing locations might vary by service. Google may use Firebase Service Data to improve non - Firebase Google services. Firebase allows users to turn off this control and avoid data collection. BoPO daPaNases are NoSQL, and POere is no SQL opPion Firebase works with a closed - source NoSQL database for Firestore and the Real - Time database. It imposes users the restrictions of a NoSQL database, including limited querying and indexing. GrapOQL APIs are noP availaNle on POe regular sePu p One weakness of Firebase is the lack of support for GraphQL APIs. It works perfectly with REST and has extensive documentation for developers. However, Firebase does not support GraphQL at this time. Top FireNase HosPing AlPernaPive s Here are some of the best alternatives to Firebase, and keep reading to learn more about these Firebase - like solutions: Back4App Back4app is a reliable AI - powered Firebase alternative that works with an amalgamation of open - source technologies. The platform is straightforward, has a low learning curve, and offers reliable cloud services. Back4app’s pricing is easy Po undersPand and predicPaNle. For instance, it offers features like a relational data model, scalable hosting, REST and GraphQL APIs , notifications, authentication, and storage. Users can build relational data models and run deep queries using a robust serverless environment. Back4app is a great option to build web and mobile apps super fast, scale without the complexity of managing server - side infrastructure, and focus on the user interface. Back4app is similar to Firebase in many aspects and it offers a fully managed service, and the support team is available 24/07. The company has been operating since 2015, with customers like Accenture, Fight List, 1001 Apps, etc. The customer case, Scaling a Game App to 55 Million Users , explained how the game development company Two4Tea successfully scaled its game FigOP LisP using Back4App’s services. According to G2 , the platform has 4.8 out of 5 stars and is highly rated for its ease of use, setup, and quality support. Please check the article How to build a mobile app backend to discover how to develop and host a backend. Pricin g • 4he services are free to start • Serverless hosting starts at $25/month • Dedicated hosting starts at $5--/month Fore FeaPure s • Data model • GraphQ, and RES4 AP)s • Serverless functions • .otifications • Authentication WOy use Back4app as a FireNase alPernaPive? Some developers consider Back4App better than Firebase for the following reasons: • )t’s an amalgamation of open - source tools • .o vendor lock - in • Multi - cloud deployment options • )t’s a Firebase self - hosted alternative • Allow you to perform complex relational queries • Dedicated hosting and Enterprise plans • )t’s a FireNase alPernaPive in FOina Read the article Back4App vs. Firebase to understand the differences between both platforms better. Keep reading to discover more Firebase similar platforms. Parse Parse is a comprehensive application stack that helps developers build applicaPions fasPer, and iP’s anoPOer FireNase compePiPor. It is an open - source backend framework that uses the Apache - 2.0 license and is free to use and download. It is a terrific free Firebase alternative. For example, the core features of Parse include an easy - to - use dashboard, graphical database interface, APIs, and object storage adapters to multiple services like S3, etc. Another advantage of Parse is the multi - cloud deployment options. Since the entire framework is open - source, users can download the repositories on GitHub and self - host their application in any major cloud like AWS, Digital Ocean, Google Cloud, etc. The article Chisel CMS – a headless CMS use - case for Parse - Server discusses Chisel, an open - source headless CMS built on Parse - Server, designed to complement the Jamstack movement. It explained the benefits of using Parse Server for CMS development. Parse has been running for a long time, and a large and engaged developer community supports it. It has more than 35k Github stars and is a thoroughly tested framework for faster application development. Pricin g Parse is free to download, and there is no license cost. Fore FeaPure s • Spreadsheet like database • RES4 and GraphQ, AP)s • Authentication • Storage Adapters • Push - .otifications WOy use Parse as a FireNase alPernaPive? • )t’s open - source • .o vendor lock - in • Multi - cloud deployment options • ,arge developer community supporting it • 4horoughly tested framework Keep reading to discover more Firebase competitors. AWS Amplify AWS Amplify allows web and mobile developers to create full - stack applications with a set o fit - to - purpose tools and features. Using AWS Amplify, it is possible to configure a backend in minutes, ship faster, and scale effortlessly. The platform integrates with other AWS services like Dynamo DB, Lambda, S3, Cognito, AppSync, etc. Building an application using AWS Amplify is easy and involves steps like creating the backend, connecting it to the application, managing users, and creating the UI. For example, the most common use cases include building data models, hosting progressive web applications, hosting static sites, and user authentication. The AWS case study on Neiman Marcus describes how the luxury retailer acceleraPed iPs digiPal selling applicaPion launcO using AWS’s cloud - native and serverless technologies, particularly AWS Amplify. This approach enabled a 50% faster market introduction and a 90% reduction in development costs. According to G2 , the platform has 4.2 out of 5 stars and is favorably rated for helping users build serverless applications on the AWS environment and being a stable solution. Pricin g AWS Amplify pricing charges per variable, like builds per minute, files stored, and data transferred. • Free tier to start • Pay as you go model above the free threshold • $-.-1 per build per minute • $-.-23/GB per month • $-.15/GB served Fore FeaPure s • Data Store • Authentication • Analytics • AP)s • .otifications WOy use AWS Amplify as a FireNase alPernaPive? • Backed by AWS • Ready to use integrations with AWS services • Frontend D) elements Backendless Backendless is a visual application development platform that helps users to build scalable applications quickly. It has been operating since 2012 and is one of the first Backend as a Service solutions launched. Using Backendless, it is possible to create realtime applications, location - aware apps, and mobile and web apps. Backendless supports customers over Slack, forums, and documentation. The company also offers professional services for custom development projects. The visual app builder makes the experience of developing apps intuitive, easy to manage, and fast. Backendless’s sOowcase, including clienPs like BePPercasP and Bank al Ethiad, highlights its versatility. A key example is the University of Concepción, where Backendless efficiently managed a large - scale educational app , proving its ability to deliver scalable, user - friendly solutions for complex educational needs. According to G2 , the platform is highly praised for its user - friendliness, simple setup process, and exceptional support. Pricin g Backendless offers three different pricing categories. • Backendless Cloud – Free tier and paid plans start at $15/month • Backendless Pro – Dnder quotation • Managed Backendless – Dnder quotation Fore FeaPure s • Visual app builder • AP)s • Real time databases • Authentication • .otifications WOy use Backendless as a FireNase alPernaPive? • )t offers a visual development tool kit • )t provides several integrations with tools like Bubble, Zapier, AppGyver, etc • )t offers on - premise deployment • )t offers dedicated plans • )t provides a spreadsheet - like database Kuzzle Kuzzle offers three different products, and the company is focused on IoT and open - source software. The first one is an IoT suite designed to streamline the deployment of IoT applications. The second one is a backend to facilitate the development of web and mobile applications. The third one is a Platform as a Service focused on IoT deployment. The open - source products are great options for data management and IoT development. Using Kuzzle, you can create projects for Smart Cities, Smart Logistics, Smart Buildings, etc. The application stack is free to download, and you can self - host an applicaPion or use Kuzzle’s cloud Po OosP iP. TOe plaPform offers mulPiple SDKs options, including Javascript, C#, Dart, and Golang. The company has operated since 2015, with customers like Biogen, La Poste, Veolia, and SNCF on its portfolio. The Kuzzle IoT case study on Connected Construction Sites highlights Oow Bouygues FonsPrucPion’s OmniscienP service used Kuzzle IoT for real - time geolocation and management of construction resources. According to FeaturedCustomers , Kuzzle, the platform has 4.8 of 5 stars, and reviewers say iP’s an excellenP replacemenP for FireNase and offers hosting in France. Pricin g • Free to download • Support plans of €5--, €1,---, and Premium under quotation • Professional Services, 4raining, PoC under quotation FeaPure s • Multiple solutions including a Backend, )o4 Platform, and a PaaS • Open Source • )t’s a great option for internet of things projects • Streamline the deployment of modern applications WOy use Kuzzle as a FireNase alPernaPive? • )t’s open - source • )t has fit - to - purpose )o4 features • .o vendor lock - in • )t offers professional services and training • )t offers tailor - made support plans SupaNase Supabase allows developers to build a backend in less than 2 minutes. It is an excellent Firebase alternative that works with open - source technologies and enables users to host an app on a self - host environment or directly with the Supabase cloud. The platform allows users to build realtime chat apps, SaaS products, web crawlers, ToDo lists, Kamban boards, website builders, etc. It supports multiple technologies, including Flutter, Angular, React, Vue, etc. Next Door Lending , a top national mortgage broker, utilized Supabase for effective data management and user experience enhancements. This enabled them to efficiently manage a growing borrower base and integrate advanced analytics, significantly boosting their business scalability and operational efficiency. Supabase is a young company and has been running since 2020. Although it is a new player in this market, it has a large and engaged developer community to support the open - source repository. It has more than 62k stars and 5k forks on GitHub. As of the date of this writing, according to Product Hunt , the platform has 4.9 out of 5 stars and is highly rated for its developer experience and excellent documentation. Pricin g • Free 4ier • Pro Plan – Starting at $25 per month • 4eam Plan – Starting at $599 per month FeaPure s • Database • Dashboard • Authentication • Storage • )nstant AP)s WOy use SupaNase as a FireNase alPernaPive? • )t’s open - source • A growing community of developers • )t works with Postgres relational database • )t offers multiple deployment options • .o vendor lock - in appwriPe Appwrite is a backend platform for developing mobile and web applications. It is open - source, secure, and provides a self - hosting solution that is easy to use. It is an excellent open - source Firebase alternative. Appwrite supports multiple SDKs, including Flutter, Web, Apple, and Android. It recently launched Pink, an open - source design system to build reusable interfaces. Even though it is a young company that launched in 2019, it has grown its open - source repository massively and has more than 39k Github stars. As of the date of this writing, according to Product Hunt , the platform has 4.9 out of 5 stars and is positively rated as an intuitive backend and ease of setup. Pricin g • Starter – Free • Pro – $15 per member per month • Scale – $685 per organization per month FeaPure s • Database • Storage • Geo & ,ocalization • Functions • Console WOy use appwriPe as a FireNase alPernaPive? • )t’s open - source • A growing community of developers • Simplicity • Verbose documentation ANly Ably is a realtime infrastructure provider that offers a suite of APIs and SDKs to provide powerful digital experiences. This platform is an excellent Firebase alternative for users looking to develop chats, need multiplayer collaboration, and for data broadcast. Unlike Firebase, Ably offers a compressive set of SDKs and a fit - to - purpose platform for realtime experiences. Additionally, it provides messaging queue built - in integrations like AWS Lambda and Cloudflare Workers. The company has operated since 2016, and the client showcase includes names like HubSpot, Toyota, and Verizon. Using the Ably platform, MobyMax , an EdTech platform, improved its digital learning experience Ny swiPcOing Po ANly’s realPime infrasPrucPure, acOieving reliable service and a 50% cost reduction in realtime operations. As of the date of this writing, according to G2 , the platform has 40 reviews and 4.7 out of 5 stars and is positively rated as a great pub sub realtime platform. Pricin g • Free 4ier • Pay as you go • Committed Dse FeaPure s • PubSub Channels • Multi user collaborative environments • Sync with relational databases WOy use ANly as a FireNase alPernaPive? • A fit - to - purpose platform for realtime experiences • Multiple integrations like AWS ,ambda and Cloudflare Workers • A comprehensive set of SDKs • )t offers Enterprise plans • ,ow - latency Hasura Hasura is another excellent open - source alternative to Firebase. It provides a GraphQL engine that allows the creation of apps and APIs up to ten times faster than traditional development. The way the platform operates is slightly different from Firebase. Rather than delivering a database - centric suite of products, it offers a best - in - class GraphQL instant API and allows users to connect it to external databases. It supports multiple database options, including Postgres, SQL Server, Amazon Aurora, and Google Big Query. Hasura offers you a free - to - download version or a hosted cloud option. The company has operated since 2017, and the client showcase includes names like Netlify, BBVA, Walmart, and Atlassian. The case study on Philips Healthcare and Hasura highlights how Philips leveraged Hasura’s GrapOQL PecOnology for iPs Radiology OperaPions Command Centre, accelerating development up to 4 times faster than traditional methods. Pricin g • (asura Clou d o Free tier o Professional – Starts at $1.5/active hour o Enteprise – Custom pricing • Self - (oste d o Community edition – Free o Enterprise edition – Dnder quotation FeaPure s • GraphQ, AP) • Caching • Security • Monitoring • C,) WOy use Hasura as a FireNase alPernaPive? • )t’s open - source • )t supports .oSQ, and SQ, databases • )t works with external databases • )t offers Enterprise plans • ,ow - latency NOosP NHost is another open - source option for Firebase. The platform works with open - source technologies, including GraphQL, Postgres, and Hasura. NHost is a serverless backend and helps you build web and mobile applications. It makes developing a backend an easy task and removes the complexities of managing infrastructure. The company started operations in 2019 and currently supports clients like HyperLab, Servehub, NautaCapital, and Terminator. Boom.tv, collaborating with AAA game studio Midnight Society, adopted Nhost for its web app development , benefiting from its open - source authentication and comprehensive backend services, leading to an efficient and successful game launch. As of the date of this writing, according to Product Hunt , the platform has 5 out of 5 stars and is positively rated for fast responses to questions, lisPening Po developer’s requiremenPs, and smooPO funcPioning. Pricin g • Free tier • Pro plan for $25/month • Enterprise plan under quotation FeaPure s • Realtime database • GraphQ, AP) • Authentication • File Storage • Emails WOy use NOosP as a FireNase alPernaPive? • )t’s open - source • )t supports GraphQ, • SQ, Database • .o vendor lock - in PuNnu N Pubnub is a real - time communication platform. It offers In - App chats, push notifications, location tracking, etc. Apart from its core services, which are Publish/Subscribe, Pubnub FuncPions, and FOaPEngine, PuNnuN offers a collecPion of “Nuilding - Nlock” services for any real - time application. The benefits of Pubnub include its simple pricing model, a separate API for managing accounts, flexible integration with custom applications, and client API availability in many technologies and programming languages. Famlicious, a family - focused messaging app by Yellow, integrated PuNNuN’s FOaPEngine for robust real - time chat and photo - sharing , significantly saving development costs and enhancing user experience. As of the date of this writing, according to G2 , the platform has 4.4 out of 5 stars and is highly rated for its ease of use and quality support. Pricing plan s • Free tier • Starter plan for $49/mo • Pro plan under quotation Fore feaPure s • Realtime communication platform • )n app chat • Alerts and notifications WOy use PuNNuN as a FireNase alPernaPive? • Enterprise plans • Focus on realtime experiences • Amazing uptime and S,As KinsP a Kinsta is a cloud provider that enables companies and development teams to ship and manage their software projects quicker and more efficiently. The platforms offer a diverse product suite, including WordPress hosting, managed databases, and application hosting. The company supports customers like Unicef, ClickUp, and ScreamingFrog. Trango Tech, a mobile app development company, saw a 20% increase in website speed and a 10% rise in sales afPer moving Po KinsPa’s OosPing services, allowing them to focus on new product development. As of the date of this writing, according to G2 , the platform has 4.8 out of 5 stars and is positively rated as a great combination of customer support, reliability, and performance. Pricin g The pricing model is transparent and usage - based, and the company offers a free trial limited to $20 in infrastructure resources. The paid plans for application hosting start at $7/month, for managed databases at $18/month, and Word Press hosting at $35/month. FeaPure s The company offers several products, including managed databases, Word Press, and application hosting. It supports multiple programming languages and database types. The list includes PHP, Node, Ruby, Python, Postgres, Redis, etc. WOy use KinsPa as a FireNase alPernaPive? • SOC2 compliant • (osting for databases, applications, and WordPress • 35 datacenters available for deployment Herok u Heroku is a cloud - based Platform as a Service that allows developers and companies to build, deploy, manage, improve, and scale their applications more efficiently. Heroku’s complePe service range is effecPive, fasP, flexiNle, and OigOly reliable for development purposes. These features make the tasks of creating applications less stressful for developers. Furthermore, developers can reduce the stress of app management by using run - time application services with Heroku. The company supports customers like Airbase, ThinkMD, and ClickMechanic. HoPel Engine leveraged Heroku’s plaPform for its hotel booking system, benefiting from easy scalability and minimal DevOps needs. This allowed for rapid development and growth, accommodating various business integrations effectively. According to G2 , the platform has 4.3 out of 5 stars and is approvingly rated for being a concise way to create minimum viable products and scale projects. Pricin g • 4he free version is not available since the end of 2-22. • 4he Eco Plan is available at $5 monthly, which can be effective for anyone owning a small business or wanting to work on any personal project. • )f you need (eroku services for any project with professional standards, the Production standard package starts from $25 monthly. • 4he Advanced package starting from $25-, is impressive to consider for those who want to build applications with high traffic and require more space. • 4he Enterprise package is available under quotation FeaPure s • Smart containers • Continuous integration • Scalable hosting • Support .oSQ, database like Firebase WOy use Heroku as a FireNase alPernaPive? • More flexible than Firebase • Offers multiple database options like Redis and Postgres • Owned by Salesforce To explore more PaaS options for Heroku, please read the article Alternatives to Heroku . Deployd Deployd is an effective open - source deployment and API design platform that empowers you to build web and mobile applications without hassles. Getting an idea to production is as easy as a four - step Deployd process. Users can get an API up and running with one command, deploy plug - and - play resources, and manage their APIs using a friendly dashboard. Pricin g Deployd is free to download and self - host. FeaPure s • AP) Engine • CRDD operations • Dashboard • Realtime functionality WOy use Deployd as a FireNase alPernaPive? • )t’s open - source • .o vendor lock - in • Best in class AP) Engine OPOer FireNase AlPernaPive s Additional Firebase Alternatives are: • Azure Mobile App Service – Microsoft’s backend service • Playfab – Game backend supported by Microsoft • 8Base – ,ow - code JavaScript framework • Firehose – Pub/Sub server to build realtime web apps • Atmosphere – Framework for building Asynchronous web applications • Couchbase – .oSQ, cloud database. )t’s a database like Firebase. • .ativeScript – JavaScript empowered with native AP)s • RxDB – JavaScript database for realtime applications • ,oopBack4 – Framework for building AP)s and Microservices Please refer to our BaaS Comparison Tool for additional details about Google Firebase alternatives. FireNase AlPernaPives Fompariso n Name Open - Source Support Free Tier Pricing Deployment Op�ons Firebase No Yes Yes Pay - as - you - go DOP Only .ack4app Yes Yes Yes Starts at $25/mo aul� - clou d On - Premises Parse Yes No Yes Free to download On - Premises AWS Amplify No No Yes Pay - as - you - go AWS .ackendless No Yes Yes Starts at $15/mo Olou d On - Premises Kuzzle Yes Yes Yes Starts at $500/mo Olou d On - Premises Supabase Yes Yes Yes Starts at $25/mo Olou d On - Premises Appwrite Yes Yes Yes Starts at $15/mo Olou d On - Premises Ably No Yes Yes Pay - as - you - go Oloud Iasura Yes Yes Yes Starts at $1.50/ac�ve hour Olou d On - Premises NIost No Yes Yes Starts at $25/mo Oloud PubNub No Yes Yes Starts at $49/mo Oloud Kinsta No Yes Yes Starts at $7/mo Oloud Ieroku No Yes No Starts at $5/mo Oloud Deployd Yes No Yes Free to download On - Premises Fonclusio n Firebase is a robust app development platform from Google. It supports customers in developing and improving applications quickly during the entire development and production cycle. Although it offers excellent benefits, its limitations rely on not being open - source, vendor lock - in, lack of SQL databases, and lack of availability in multiple countries like China. This article explored multiple Firebase alternatives, provided an overview of each solution, and highlighted the core features, pricing structure, and advantages of Firebase. The Firebase alternatives list includes companies offering open - source solutions like Back4app, appwrite, or Supabase. It also covers fit - to - purpose platforms to solve specific problems, like PubNub for real - time solutions and Kuzzle for IoT applications.