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APIs · head to head

Ably vs PocketBase

Ably logo

Ably

APIs

Realtime data delivery platform for pub/sub messaging at scale

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PocketBase logo

PocketBase

APIs

Open-source backend with REST API, real-time subscriptions and Admin UI

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Ably standard and Pro plans layer usage-based charges for messages, connection minutes, and data transfer on top of the base subscription, adding cost complexity.; PocketBase requires technical expertise to deploy and maintain
  • They diverge on capability: Ably covers Pub/sub messaging, PocketBase covers REST API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ably and PocketBase actually diverge.

Attributes where Ably and PocketBase differ
AttributeAblyPocketBase
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Platformsweb, ios, android, apiLinux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD
FoundedUnknown2021

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (APIs).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Ably

  • Pub/sub messaging
  • Presence
  • Message persistence
  • Multi-protocol support
  • Encryption
  • Datadog integration

Only in PocketBase

  • REST API
  • Real-time subscriptions
  • Admin UI
  • SQLite
  • Webhooks
  • File storage
  • Go support
  • Docker support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Ably

  • Building realtime chat or collaborative appsnot PocketBase
  • Delivering live data feeds like stock prices or sports scoresnot PocketBase
  • Broadcasting notifications to many concurrent clientsnot PocketBase
  • Running mission-critical realtime infrastructure with high uptime SLAsnot PocketBase

PocketBase

  • Embedded realtime database with REST APInot Ably
  • Backend-as-a-service for single-file deploymentsnot Ably
  • Rapid application development with email/OAuth2 authenticationnot Ably
  • File storage and media attachment managementnot Ably
  • Lightweight alternative to Firebase or traditional backend infrastructurenot Ably
  • Go and JavaScript customisable application frameworknot Ably

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Ably

  • Standard and Pro plans layer usage-based charges for messages, connection minutes, and data transfer on top of the base subscription, adding cost complexity.
  • The jump from Standard ($29/month) to Pro ($399/month) is steep for teams needing more than 10k connections but not full Pro capacity.
  • 24/7 mission-critical support and 99.999% uptime SLAs are reserved for the custom-priced Enterprise tier.

PocketBase

  • Requires technical expertise to deploy and maintain
  • No built-in hosting provided
  • Community support only

Pricing, plan by plan

Ably

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 200 concurrent connections
    • 500 messages/second
    • 6M messages/month
  • Standard$29/month
    • 10k concurrent channels
    • 10k concurrent connections
    • 2.5k messages/second
  • Pro$399/month
    • 50k concurrent channels
    • 50k concurrent connections
    • 10k messages/second

PocketBase

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the PocketBase review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Ably if

  • You need pub/sub messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, ios, android, api.
  • You also want presence.
Ably review

Choose PocketBase if

  • You need rest api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD.
  • You also want real-time subscriptions.
PocketBase review

Questions people ask

Is Ably or PocketBase better?
Neither clearly leads. Ably starts at Free and PocketBase at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ably or PocketBase?
Ably starts at Free and PocketBase at Free.
Does Ably or PocketBase run on more platforms?
Ably runs on web, ios, android, api. PocketBase runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD.
Can I use Ably for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Ably best used for?
Ably is most often used for building realtime chat or collaborative apps, delivering live data feeds like stock prices or sports scores, broadcasting notifications to many concurrent clients, running mission-critical realtime infrastructure with high uptime slas. Of those, building realtime chat or collaborative apps and delivering live data feeds like stock prices or sports scores are not what PocketBase is typically brought in for.
What can Ably do that PocketBase cannot?
Ably covers Pub/sub messaging, Presence, Message persistence, Multi-protocol support. PocketBase covers REST API, Real-time subscriptions, Admin UI, SQLite.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ably: What does Ably cost?

Ably offers a free plan with 200 concurrent connections, a Standard plan at $29/month plus usage, a Pro plan at $399/month plus usage, and custom Enterprise pricing with unlimited channels and connections.

Source
PocketBase: How much does PocketBase cost?

PocketBase is completely free and open-source. It is a self-hosted backend solution with database, authentication, and file storage capabilities at no cost.

Source
Ably: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

Yes, the free plan includes 200 concurrent connections, 500 messages per second, and 6 million messages per month with community and best-effort email support.

Source
PocketBase: Is PocketBase open-source?

Yes, PocketBase is open-source software. You can download, modify, and deploy it yourself at no cost with no licensing restrictions.

Source
Ably: How is usage metered?

Beyond plan limits, Ably charges usage-based rates of $2.50 per million messages, $1.00 per million connection minutes, $1.00 per million channel minutes, and $0.25 per GiB of data transfer, with volume discounts available.

Source
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