Best Backend as a Service Platforms in 2026
The best backend as a service in 2026 depends on your data model. For Postgres and SQL, the leading choices are Supabase, StitchDB and Nhost. For document data with strong mobile and offline support, Firebase. For an open-source all-in-one you can self-host, Appwrite or PocketBase. For reactive TypeScript apps, Convex. Every one of them gives you auth, a database, file storage and server functions; the differences are in how you query, how you pay and how easy it is to leave.
This guide covers what a BaaS should include, compares seven platforms, and ends with a short decision guide.
#What a backend as a service gives you
A BaaS replaces the backend you'd otherwise build and run:
- Database with an API your app can call directly
- Authentication: sign-up, sign-in, OAuth, sessions, MFA
- Access control so the client can talk to the database safely
- File storage with permissions
- Realtime updates
- Server functions for webhooks, payments and secrets
- Operations: backups, scaling, monitoring
The key idea is that your front end talks to the BaaS directly. Rules or policies in the backend decide what each user may do, so you don't write a custom API for every screen.
#The platforms at a glance
| Platform | Database | Open source | Free tier (Nov 2026) | Paid entry | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| StitchDB | Postgres | No (Supabase-compatible APIs) | 2 projects, 500 MB DB, 50,000 MAU, not paused | Pro $15.99/mo | Postgres apps, EU hosting, many built-in services |
| Supabase | Postgres | Yes | 2 projects, 500 MB DB, paused after 1 week | Pro from $25/mo | Postgres apps, worldwide regions |
| Firebase | Firestore (documents) | No | Spark plan | Blaze, pay as you go | Mobile-first, offline, Google tools |
| Appwrite | TablesDB, DocumentsDB, managed Postgres | Yes | First project free | Pro $25/mo per project | Open source all-in-one, self-hosting |
| Convex | Document-relational, TypeScript functions | Yes (FSL Apache 2.0) | Free & Starter | $25 per developer/mo | Reactive TypeScript apps |
| Nhost | Postgres + GraphQL | Yes | 1 GB DB, paused after 1 week | Pro from $25/mo | GraphQL-first Postgres apps |
| PocketBase | SQLite | Yes | Free, self-hosted | Your server | Small apps on one server |
#StitchDB
StitchDB is a hosted backend: a dedicated Postgres database per project, plus Auth, auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs, Realtime, Storage with image resizing and an S3 API, and Deno Edge Functions. It speaks the same APIs as the open-source Supabase stack, so Supabase client libraries work by changing the URL and keys.
What stands out in the docs:
- App services that usually mean extra vendors: cron, queues, push notifications, in-app purchase verification, Stripe sync, feature flags, crash reporting, analytics and status pages.
- AI agent tooling: agent keys with a query firewall, approvals and per-session undo, plus an MCP server for Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor (AI agents).
- Safety: point-in-time recovery on every plan (24 hours on Free), preview branches from Pro, and a spend cap on by default.
- Free projects aren't paused while you use your account.
- Offline sync for chosen tables, with a conflict rule per table (offline sync), which narrows the gap with Firebase for mobile apps.
- Moving in is easy from Supabase: the same client libraries work (compatibility), and an import wizard copies the database, users, files and cron jobs.
Plans as of November 2026: Free $0, Pro $15.99/month (10 GB database, 100 GB storage, 1 TB egress, 100,000 MAU), Scale $49/month, Enterprise $329/month. See pricing.
Trade-offs: hosting is EU-only (Falkenstein and Nuremberg in Germany, Helsinki in Finland). It's a younger platform than Firebase or Supabase. There's no self-hosted edition, and Pro includes one project (extra projects $9/month each).
#Supabase
The best-known Postgres BaaS. Each project is a Postgres database with PostgREST, Auth, Storage, Realtime and Edge Functions, plus a big ecosystem of tutorials and integrations. It's open source and self-hostable with Docker.
As of November 2026, Free includes 500 MB database, 1 GB storage, 5 GB egress, 50,000 MAU and 2 active projects, paused after a week of inactivity. Pro starts at $25/month with $10 of compute credits; each extra project adds compute. Team is $599/month. Many regions worldwide.
Choose it for Postgres with the largest community and global regions.
#Firebase
Google's BaaS, still the default for many mobile teams. Firestore's offline persistence and live listeners are excellent, and Firebase bundles Cloud Messaging, Crashlytics, Analytics, Remote Config and Hosting.
Spark is free with quotas (Firestore 50K reads and 20K writes a day, Auth 50K MAU). Cloud Storage and Cloud Functions need Blaze; Storage requires Blaze since February 2026.
Choose it for mobile-first apps with document data and heavy use of Google's tooling. Be aware that Firestore's data model and rules don't port to other platforms.
#Appwrite
An open-source BaaS with auth, databases, storage, functions, messaging and site hosting. Runs as Appwrite Cloud or self-hosted with Docker or Kubernetes. Since September 2025, Pro is $25/month per project, $15 per additional project, with unlimited seats.
Choose it if you want an open-source all-in-one, self-hosting, and predictable per-project pricing.
#Convex
A reactive database where your backend is TypeScript query, mutation and action functions. Queries are live by default and mutations are serializable transactions. Free & Starter is $0 plus usage; Professional is $25 per developer per month.
Choose it for collaborative, real-time TypeScript apps. Skip it if you need SQL.
#Nhost
A Postgres BaaS centered on GraphQL, with auth, storage and functions. As of November 2026, Starter is free with 1 GB database and 1 GB storage, paused after a week of inactivity; Pro is from $25/month with $15 compute credits, 10 GB database and 50 GB storage (pricing).
Choose it if you want GraphQL as your main API on Postgres.
#PocketBase
A single Go executable with an embedded SQLite database, auth, files, realtime and an admin UI. Free and open source; you run it yourself. Its docs say it's pre-1.0 without full backward compatibility guarantees.
Choose it for prototypes, internal tools and small apps that fit on one server.
#How to choose
- Data model first. Relational data, reports, joins: Postgres (StitchDB, Supabase, Nhost). Self-contained documents and offline mobile: Firebase. Live collaborative state in TypeScript: Convex.
- Where must data live? EU-only hosting and GDPR simplicity favor StitchDB; worldwide regions favor Supabase or Firebase; full control favors self-hosted Appwrite, Supabase or PocketBase.
- What's your exit plan? Postgres-based platforms let you
pg_dumpyour data and leave. Proprietary models (Firestore, Convex functions) mean rewrites. - What does it cost at 10x? Price your busiest month, not your first. See BaaS pricing compared.
- What else will you need? Push, cron, queues, feature flags and analytics are often extra vendors. Count them.
#FAQ
#What is backend as a service?
A hosted backend that gives your app a database, authentication, storage, realtime and server functions through APIs and SDKs, so you don't build and run your own server.
#Which BaaS is best for startups?
The one that matches your data model and budget at scale. For Postgres, Supabase and StitchDB have the most complete feature sets; Firebase leads for mobile-first document apps.
#Is there an open source backend as a service?
Yes: Supabase, Appwrite, PocketBase and Nhost are open source, and Convex's backend is source-available under FSL Apache 2.0.
#Is Firebase still the best BaaS?
It's still the most integrated for mobile. Many teams now prefer Postgres-based BaaS platforms for relational data and portability. See Supabase vs Firebase.
Try a Postgres backend with the extras included: create a free StitchDB project.