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APIs · head to head

Appwrite vs Enable Banking

Appwrite logo

Appwrite

APIs

Open-source Backend as a Service with REST API and SDKs

From
Free
Rated
-
Enable Banking logo

Enable Banking

APIs

European bank API aggregation with a free restricted production tier for your own accounts

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Appwrite smaller ecosystem compared to Firebase; fewer third-party integrations and extensions; Enable Banking production pricing is quoted per connected account and call volume with no published rate card, so a free proof of concept gives you no idea of cost at scale.
  • They diverge on capability: Appwrite covers REST API, Enable Banking covers European bank coverage.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Appwrite and Enable Banking actually diverge.

Attributes where Appwrite and Enable Banking differ
AttributeAppwriteEnable Banking
Pricing modelUnknownPer connected account per month
PlatformsCloud (Managed), Self-Hosted, DockerWeb, REST API
Founded2019Unknown

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 Appwrite

  • REST API
  • Authentication
  • Database
  • Multiple SDKs
  • Cloud functions
  • File storage
  • Docker support
  • Self-hosted support

Only in Enable Banking

  • European bank coverage
  • Free sandbox
  • Restricted production
  • TPP infrastructure as a service
  • Consent handling
  • Payment initiation

What people use each for

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

Appwrite

  • API Developmentnot Enable Banking
  • API Gatewaynot Enable Banking
  • API Testingnot Enable Banking
  • API Documentationnot Enable Banking
  • Microservicesnot Enable Banking

Enable Banking

  • A small fintech that needs to operate as an agent rather than wait a year for its own AISP authorisationnot Appwrite
  • An accounting software vendor pulling bank transactions across several European countriesnot Appwrite
  • A treasury tool building and testing a real integration before committing to a contractnot Appwrite
  • A lender verifying applicant income from bank data across the Nordics and the EUnot Appwrite

Where each one falls short

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

Appwrite

  • Smaller ecosystem compared to Firebase; fewer third-party integrations and extensions
  • Analytics, crash reporting, and A/B testing not included (Firebase includes these)
  • Requires infrastructure management for self-hosted deployments; not fully managed like Firebase Cloud
  • Mobile app support not as mature as Firebase's native iOS/Android SDKs

Enable Banking

  • Production pricing is quoted per connected account and call volume with no published rate card, so a free proof of concept gives you no idea of cost at scale.
  • Coverage is European, which rules it out as a single supplier for anyone needing UK plus North American bank data as well.
  • Operating as an agent under the Enable Banking licence means your regulatory permission depends on another company remaining authorised and willing to sponsor you.
  • Bank API quality varies widely across Europe, and outages or degraded endpoints at individual institutions surface as failures in your own product.
  • It is a small Finnish company selling into regulated financial services, so enterprise procurement and vendor resilience reviews are a recurring obstacle.

Pricing, plan by plan

Appwrite

Free
  • Cloud FreeFree
    • 75K MAU
    • 10GB storage
    • Unlimited projects
  • Cloud Pro$15/month
    • More storage
    • Priority support

Enable Banking

Free
  • Sandbox and restricted productionFree
    • Mock and real bank sandbox access
    • Production access limited to accounts you link yourself
    • Full API surface for development and certification
  • Production$undefined/year
    • Quoted by connected accounts per month and call volume
    • Priced by number of institutions and markets in scope
    • Different rates under your own licence or as an agent

Which should you pick?

Choose Appwrite if

  • You need rest api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud (Managed), Self-Hosted, Docker.
  • You also want authentication.

Choose Enable Banking if

  • You need european bank coverage.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, REST API.
  • You also want free sandbox.

Questions people ask

Is Appwrite or Enable Banking better?
Neither clearly leads. Appwrite starts at Free and Enable Banking at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Appwrite or Enable Banking?
Appwrite starts at Free and Enable Banking at Free.
Does Appwrite or Enable Banking run on more platforms?
Appwrite runs on Cloud (Managed), Self-Hosted, Docker. Enable Banking runs on Web, REST API.
Can I use Appwrite for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Appwrite best used for?
Appwrite is most often used for api development, api gateway, api testing, api documentation. Of those, api development and api gateway are not what Enable Banking is typically brought in for.
What can Appwrite do that Enable Banking cannot?
Appwrite covers REST API, Authentication, Database, Multiple SDKs. Enable Banking covers European bank coverage, Free sandbox, Restricted production, TPP infrastructure as a service.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Appwrite: Can Appwrite be self-hosted?

Yes. Appwrite is fully open-source and self-hosted with a single Docker command. Self-hosting is completely free with no feature restrictions, unlike the managed Appwrite Cloud.

Source
Enable Banking: Is there really a free tier?

Yes, sandbox plus restricted production against accounts you link yourself. Commercial third-party access is quoted separately.

Appwrite: What is Appwrite Cloud's pricing?

Appwrite Cloud offers a free tier with unlimited projects, 75K monthly active users, and 10GB storage with no time limit. Pro plan starts at $15/month per organization member. Scale plan at $599/month includes dedicated resources and SOC 2 compliance.

Source
Enable Banking: Do I need my own AISP licence?

No. Enable Banking offers third-party provider infrastructure as a service so you can operate as an agent under its authorisation.

Appwrite: What programming languages does Appwrite support?

Appwrite provides SDKs for 15+ languages including JavaScript, Flutter, Swift, Kotlin, Python, Ruby, PHP, .NET, and more, offering more language flexibility than Firebase.

Source
Enable Banking: How is production priced?

By connected accounts per month and call volume, adjusted for markets in scope and whether you use your own licence.

Appwrite: What backend services does Appwrite provide?

Appwrite includes Auth (with multi-factor auth), Databases, Storage (with compression and encryption), Serverless Functions, Messaging, Realtime subscriptions, and Sites (for hosting static and full-stack apps).

Source
Appwrite: Does Appwrite include real-time capabilities?

Yes. Appwrite's Realtime service covers all platform services by default through WebSocket subscriptions, enabling real-time updates across databases, functions, and messages.

Source
Appwrite: How does Appwrite compare to Firebase on costs?

Appwrite offers better cost predictability. Firebase's pay-per-read/write model can lead to unexpected bills with runaway queries, while Appwrite's self-hosted model only requires paying for your own infrastructure with completely predictable costs.

Source
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