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Apollo GraphQL vs PocketBase

Apollo GraphQL logo

Apollo GraphQL

Software

GraphQL platform and API orchestration layer for building unified graphs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PocketBase logo

PocketBase

Software

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: Apollo GraphQL pricing beyond the Developer tier requires contacting sales, making cost comparison harder for mid-size teams.; PocketBase not recommended for production critical applications until reaching v1.0.0
  • They diverge on capability: Apollo GraphQL covers Apollo Connectors, PocketBase covers REST API.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apollo GraphQL and PocketBase actually diverge.

Attributes where Apollo GraphQL and PocketBase differ
AttributeApollo GraphQLPocketBase
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Platformsweb, apiLinux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD
FoundedUnknown2021

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

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 Apollo GraphQL

  • Apollo Connectors
  • GraphOS Router
  • Schema registry
  • Schema checks
  • Response caching
  • Audit logging

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.

Apollo GraphQL

  • Federating multiple backend services into one GraphQL APInot PocketBase
  • Wrapping legacy REST APIs for frontend consumptionnot PocketBase
  • Enterprise API governance with schema checks and audit logsnot PocketBase
  • Reducing frontend over-fetching and under-fetching of datanot PocketBase

PocketBase

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

Where each one falls short

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

Apollo GraphQL

  • Pricing beyond the Developer tier requires contacting sales, making cost comparison harder for mid-size teams.
  • Adopting GraphOS effectively requires buy-in to the GraphQL paradigm, which is a larger architectural shift than adding a REST gateway.
  • The free plan's 1-day data retention and 60 req/min self-hosted router limit make it unsuitable for production use.
  • Volume-based per-request pricing can become expensive at very high request volumes compared to flat-rate API gateways.

PocketBase

  • Not recommended for production critical applications until reaching v1.0.0
  • Full backward compatibility not guaranteed before v1.0.0 (breaking changes possible with version updates)
  • Pull requests for new features are disabled due to spam concerns (feature contributions limited)

Pricing, plan by plan

Apollo GraphQL

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 3 developers
    • 1-day data retention
    • Community support
  • Developer$5/month
    • $5 per million requests with volume discounts
    • $50 usage credit for new signups
    • Up to 10 developers
  • Standard$undefined/month
    • Up to 30 developers
    • 90-day data retention
    • Standard support with SLA
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited developers
    • 18-month data retention
    • 24x7x365 support with SLA

PocketBase

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the PocketBase review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Apollo GraphQL if

  • You need apollo connectors.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want graphos router.
Apollo GraphQL 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 Apollo GraphQL or PocketBase better?
Neither clearly leads. Apollo GraphQL 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, Apollo GraphQL or PocketBase?
Apollo GraphQL starts at Free and PocketBase at Free.
Does Apollo GraphQL or PocketBase run on more platforms?
Apollo GraphQL runs on web, api. PocketBase runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD.
Can I use Apollo GraphQL for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Apollo GraphQL best used for?
Apollo GraphQL is most often used for federating multiple backend services into one graphql api, wrapping legacy rest apis for frontend consumption, enterprise api governance with schema checks and audit logs, reducing frontend over-fetching and under-fetching of data. Of those, federating multiple backend services into one graphql api and wrapping legacy rest apis for frontend consumption are not what PocketBase is typically brought in for.
What can Apollo GraphQL do that PocketBase cannot?
Apollo GraphQL covers Apollo Connectors, GraphOS Router, Schema registry, Schema checks. PocketBase covers REST API, Real-time subscriptions, Admin UI, SQLite.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apollo GraphQL: What does Apollo GraphQL cost?

The Free plan supports up to 3 developers at no cost. Developer plan starts at $5 per million requests with a $50 signup credit, while Standard and Enterprise require contacting sales for custom pricing.

Source
Apollo GraphQL: Is there a free plan and what are its limits?

Yes, the Free 'Forever Free' plan supports up to 3 developers, 1-day data retention for checks and insights, and a self-hosted router capped at 60 requests per minute.

Source
Apollo GraphQL: How is usage metered on paid plans?

Standard requests are billed per million operations with tiered volume discounts, starting at $5.00/million for the first 250M and dropping to $3.00/million beyond 5B, with similar tiered pricing for subscription update events.

Source
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