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APIs · head to head

Appwrite vs Firebase

Appwrite logo

Appwrite

APIs

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Firebase logo

Firebase

Mobile Development

Google's platform for building web and mobile applications with cloud backend

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Appwrite smaller ecosystem compared to Firebase; fewer third-party integrations and extensions; Firebase spark plan limited to 1 GiB storage, 50,000 daily reads, 20,000 daily writes
  • They diverge on capability: Appwrite covers Database, Firebase covers Real-time Database.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Appwrite and Firebase actually diverge.

Attributes where Appwrite and Firebase differ
AttributeAppwriteFirebase
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsCloud (Managed), Self-Hosted, DockeriOS, Android, Web, Flutter, C++, Unity
CategoryAPIsMobile Development
Founded20191998

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

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

  • Database
  • Multiple SDKs
  • File storage
  • Docker support
  • Self-hosted support
  • Kubernetes support

Only in Firebase

  • Real-time Database
  • Google Cloud
  • Cloud Storage
  • Web support
  • Mobile support

Both cover

  • REST API
  • Authentication
  • Cloud functions
  • Cloud support

What people use each for

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

Appwrite

  • API Developmentnot Firebase
  • API Gatewaynot Firebase
  • API Testingnot Firebase
  • API Documentationnot Firebase
  • Microservicesnot Firebase

Firebase

  • Mobile app backend developmentnot Appwrite
  • Real-time data synchronisationnot Appwrite
  • Web application backendnot Appwrite
  • Cross-platform app developmentnot 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

Firebase

  • Spark plan limited to 1 GiB storage, 50,000 daily reads, 20,000 daily writes
  • Spark plan restricts to 100 concurrent database connections
  • Spark plan limits Firebase Studio to 3 workspaces maximum
  • Document size capped at 1 MiB per document
  • Transaction time limited to 270 seconds with 60-second idle expiration
  • Maximum 100 databases per project (increase requires support request)

Pricing, plan by plan

Appwrite

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

Firebase

Free
  • SparkFree
    • No-cost usage with daily-refreshing quotas
    • Cloud Firestore: up to 1 GB storage, 20K writes/day, 50K reads/day
    • Cloud Functions: up to 2M invocations/month, 400K GB-seconds/month
  • Blaze$null/variable
    • Pay-as-you-go usage beyond free tier
    • Cloud Firestore: $5/GB after 1 GB, writes beyond 20K/day at overage rates
    • Cloud Functions: $0.40 per million invocations beyond 2M/month, $0.12/GB for outbound networking beyond 5 GB/month

Which should you pick?

Choose Appwrite if

  • You need database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud (Managed), Self-Hosted, Docker.
  • You also want multiple sdks.
Appwrite review

Choose Firebase if

  • You need real-time database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web, Flutter, C++, Unity.
  • You also want google cloud.
Firebase review

Questions people ask

Is Appwrite or Firebase better?
Neither clearly leads. Appwrite starts at Free and Firebase at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Appwrite or Firebase?
Appwrite starts at Free and Firebase at Free.
Does Appwrite or Firebase run on more platforms?
Appwrite runs on Cloud (Managed), Self-Hosted, Docker. Firebase runs on iOS, Android, Web, Flutter, C++, Unity.
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 Firebase is typically brought in for.
What can Appwrite do that Firebase cannot?
Appwrite covers Database, Multiple SDKs, File storage, Docker support. Firebase covers Real-time Database, Google Cloud, Cloud Storage, Web support. Both handle REST API, Authentication, Cloud functions, Cloud support.

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
Firebase: What are Firebase's free tier limits?

Firebase Spark plan includes no-cost daily-refreshing quotas: Cloud Firestore up to 1 GB storage with 20K writes and 50K reads per day; Cloud Functions up to 2M invocations monthly; Cloud Storage 5 GB-months with 100 GB downloads monthly; Hosting 10 GB storage and 360 MB daily data transfer; Realtime Database up to 1 GB storage. No payment method required.

Source
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
Firebase: How much does Firebase Blaze plan cost?

Firebase Blaze is pay-as-you-go beyond free tier limits. Pricing includes Cloud Firestore storage at $5/GB after 1 GB; Cloud Functions $0.40 per million invocations beyond 2M monthly; Cloud Storage $0.026/GB beyond 5 GB; Hosting $0.15/GB beyond 360 MB daily. New eligible customers receive $300 free credit.

Source
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
Firebase: Which Firebase services are always free regardless of tier?

A/B Testing, Analytics, App Check, Cloud Messaging, and Crashlytics are offered at no cost on both Spark and Blaze plans, with no usage limits stated.

Source
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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