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Appwrite vs Frontegg

Appwrite logo

Appwrite

Software

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Frontegg logo

Frontegg

Software

Customer identity and access management platform for SaaS applications

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; Frontegg detailed per-unit pricing beyond the free tier is not published, requiring use of an online calculator or sales contact to estimate costs.
  • They diverge on capability: Appwrite covers REST API, Frontegg covers Hosted login.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Appwrite and Frontegg actually diverge.

Attributes where Appwrite and Frontegg differ
AttributeAppwriteFrontegg
Pricing modelUnknownusage-based
PlatformsCloud (Managed), Self-Hosted, Dockerweb, api
Founded2019Unknown

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 Appwrite

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

Only in Frontegg

  • Hosted login
  • Enterprise SSO/SCIM
  • Multi-tenant organizations
  • Custom domains
  • M2M tokens
  • Fraud protection

What people use each for

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

Appwrite

  • API Developmentnot Frontegg
  • API Gatewaynot Frontegg
  • API Testingnot Frontegg
  • API Documentationnot Frontegg
  • Microservicesnot Frontegg

Frontegg

  • Adding enterprise SSO/SCIM to a B2B SaaS productnot Appwrite
  • Multi-tenant customer identity managementnot Appwrite
  • White-labeled, custom-domain login experiencesnot Appwrite
  • Securing AI agent access to a SaaS product via Agen.conot 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

Frontegg

  • Detailed per-unit pricing beyond the free tier is not published, requiring use of an online calculator or sales contact to estimate costs.
  • Advanced fraud protection and multiple environments are Enterprise-only, unavailable on the Pay As You Go plan.
  • The 7,500 free monthly active users is comparatively modest next to some competitors' free tiers.
  • As a broader CIAM platform, it can be more complex to integrate than lighter-weight developer-first auth tools for smaller apps.

Pricing, plan by plan

Appwrite

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

Frontegg

Free
  • Pay As You GoFree
    • 7,500 monthly active users included
    • 5 enterprise connections (SSO/SCIM)
    • Unlimited organizations
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom pricing
    • Multiple environments
    • Advanced fraud protection

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.
Appwrite review

Choose Frontegg if

  • You need hosted login.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want enterprise sso/scim.
Frontegg review

Questions people ask

Is Appwrite or Frontegg better?
Neither clearly leads. Appwrite starts at Free and Frontegg at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Appwrite or Frontegg?
Appwrite starts at Free and Frontegg at Free.
Does Appwrite or Frontegg run on more platforms?
Appwrite runs on Cloud (Managed), Self-Hosted, Docker. Frontegg runs on web, 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 Frontegg is typically brought in for.
What can Appwrite do that Frontegg cannot?
Appwrite covers REST API, Authentication, Database, Multiple SDKs. Frontegg covers Hosted login, Enterprise SSO/SCIM, Multi-tenant organizations, Custom domains.

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
Frontegg: What does Frontegg cost?

Frontegg's Pay As You Go plan is free up to 7,500 monthly active users, after which pricing scales with users, enterprise connections and M2M tokens via an online calculator; Enterprise pricing is custom.

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
Frontegg: Is there a free plan and what are its limits?

Yes, the free Pay As You Go plan includes 7,500 monthly active users, 5 enterprise SSO/SCIM connections, unlimited organizations, and a custom domain.

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
Frontegg: How is usage metered?

Pricing is consumption-based, driven by monthly active users, monthly enterprise connections (SSO/SCIM), and monthly M2M tokens, with customers paying only for usage beyond the free 7,500-user threshold.

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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