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APIs · head to head

Appwrite vs Skaleet

Appwrite logo

Appwrite

APIs

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Skaleet logo

Skaleet

APIs

Cloud-native core banking and payment hub with deployments measured in months

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Appwrite has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Appwrite smaller ecosystem compared to Firebase; fewer third-party integrations and extensions; Skaleet the installed base is in the tens rather than the hundreds, so the pool of consultants and systems integrators who know the platform is small and expensive.
  • They diverge on capability: Appwrite covers REST API, Skaleet covers Cloud-native core.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Appwrite and Skaleet actually diverge.

Attributes where Appwrite and Skaleet differ
AttributeAppwriteSkaleet
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsCloud (Managed), Self-Hosted, DockerWeb, REST API, Linux
Founded2019Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Skaleet

  • Cloud-native core
  • Payment hub
  • Card management
  • Lending
  • API-first
  • Configurable products

What people use each for

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

Appwrite

  • API Developmentnot Skaleet
  • API Gatewaynot Skaleet
  • API Testingnot Skaleet
  • API Documentationnot Skaleet
  • Microservicesnot Skaleet

Skaleet

  • A banking group launching a digital savings or deposit brand in a new country within a yearnot Appwrite
  • A bank modernising payments to ISO 20022 without replacing its whole corenot Appwrite
  • A payroll or HR software company adding embedded banking to its productnot Appwrite
  • A payment service provider needing a ledger and accounts under its existing licencenot 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

Skaleet

  • The installed base is in the tens rather than the hundreds, so the pool of consultants and systems integrators who know the platform is small and expensive.
  • Speed references are mostly greenfield launches inside large groups, which is an easier problem than migrating an existing book off a legacy core.
  • It is European-centric, with payment rails and regulatory work concentrated on SEPA and EU requirements rather than global coverage.
  • As a smaller vendor carrying a bank core, it attracts hard concentration and viability questions in procurement that larger competitors do not face.
  • Pricing is unpublished and scaled by accounts and transactions, so a bank whose volumes grow faster than forecast faces cost escalation it did not model.

Pricing, plan by plan

Appwrite

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

Skaleet

On request
  • Skaleet Core Banking Platform$undefined/year
    • Subscription licence scaled by accounts and transaction volume
    • Payment hub licensable separately from the full core
    • Implementation and configuration charged as a project

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 Skaleet if

  • You need cloud-native core.
  • You work on Web, REST API, Linux.
  • You also want payment hub.
Skaleet review

Questions people ask

Is Appwrite or Skaleet better?
Neither clearly leads. Appwrite starts at Free and Skaleet at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Appwrite or Skaleet?
Appwrite has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Appwrite and On request for Skaleet.
Does Appwrite or Skaleet run on more platforms?
Appwrite runs on Cloud (Managed), Self-Hosted, Docker. Skaleet runs on Web, REST API, Linux.
Can I use Appwrite for free?
Yes. Appwrite has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Skaleet starts at On request.
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 Skaleet is typically brought in for.
What can Appwrite do that Skaleet cannot?
Appwrite covers REST API, Authentication, Database, Multiple SDKs. Skaleet covers Cloud-native core, Payment hub, Card management, Lending.

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
Skaleet: What was Skaleet called before?

TagPay. The company rebranded to Skaleet while keeping the same platform lineage.

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
Skaleet: Can I buy just the payment hub?

Yes. The payment engine is licensable standalone and can sit over an existing core, which is a common first step.

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
Skaleet: How fast are real deployments?

Named European deployments have gone live in six to twelve months, including a Crédit Agricole savings platform live in Germany in eight months.

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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