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Technology · head to head

Asana vs Backendless

Asana logo

Asana

Technology

Manage your team's work, projects, & tasks online

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Backendless logo

Backendless

API Management

Visual app development platform with REST APIs and cloud backend

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Asana the free Personal tier is capped at 2 users, so it does not cover a small team; Backendless free tier limited to 50 API requests per minute and 20 database tables
  • They diverge on capability: Asana covers Multiple project views, Backendless covers REST API.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Asana and Backendless actually diverge.

Attributes where Asana and Backendless differ
AttributeAsanaBackendless
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidCloud, Visual builder
CategoryTechnologyAPI Management
Founded20082012

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), 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 Asana

  • Multiple project views
  • Task dependencies
  • Milestones
  • Portfolios
  • Goals & OKRs
  • Workflow automation
  • Resource management
  • Reporting dashboards

Only in Backendless

  • REST API
  • Real-time database
  • Cloud code
  • Custom integrations
  • Webhooks
  • Cloud functions
  • Cloud support
  • Visual builder support

What people use each for

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

Asana

  • Project planning & trackingnot Backendless
  • Campaign managementnot Backendless
  • Product launchesnot Backendless
  • Event planningnot Backendless
  • Agile & Scrum managementnot Backendless

Backendless

  • API Developmentnot Asana
  • API Gatewaynot Asana
  • API Testingnot Asana
  • API Documentationnot Asana
  • Microservicesnot Asana

Where each one falls short

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

Asana

  • The free Personal tier is capped at 2 users, so it does not cover a small team
  • Timeline and Gantt views, reporting dashboards and time tracking all require Starter at $10.99 per user per month
  • Portfolios, goals, workload management and approvals need Advanced at $24.99 per user per month
  • Salesforce, Tableau and Power BI integrations are Advanced or above
  • Monthly billing costs more, at $13.49 and $30.49 against the annual rates

Backendless

  • Free tier limited to 50 API requests per minute and 20 database tables
  • Smaller community and integration ecosystem compared to Firebase or AWS
  • Customization beyond codeless tools requires developer expertise
  • Limited documentation for advanced use cases and edge cases

Pricing, plan by plan

Asana

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Asana review.

Backendless

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 50 API requests/minute
    • 20 database tables
    • 1 GB file storage
  • Scale Variable$15/month
    • Unlimited API requests/month
    • 100 database tables
    • 10 GB file storage
  • Scale Fixed$15/month
    • Same as Scale Variable
    • Fixed monthly pricing

Which should you pick?

Choose Asana if

  • You need multiple project views.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want task dependencies.
Asana review

Choose Backendless if

  • You need rest api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Visual builder.
  • You also want real-time database.
Backendless review

Questions people ask

Is Asana or Backendless better?
Neither clearly leads. Asana starts at Free and Backendless at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Asana or Backendless?
Asana starts at Free and Backendless at Free.
Does Asana or Backendless run on more platforms?
Asana runs on Web, iOS, Android. Backendless runs on Cloud, Visual builder.
Can I use Asana for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Asana best used for?
Asana is most often used for project planning & tracking, campaign management, product launches, event planning. Of those, project planning & tracking and campaign management are not what Backendless is typically brought in for.
What can Asana do that Backendless cannot?
Asana covers Multiple project views, Task dependencies, Milestones, Portfolios. Backendless covers REST API, Real-time database, Cloud code, Custom integrations.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Asana: Does Asana have a free tier?

Yes. Asana offers a free Personal plan for up to 2 users, plus free trial access to paid plans.

Source
Backendless: Does Backendless have a free tier?

Backendless Free plan ($0/month) includes 50 API requests per minute, 20 database tables, 1 GB file storage, 1 visualization, 2 security roles, and basic cloud code capabilities.

Source
Asana: What is the starting price for Asana paid plans?

Asana Starter plan begins at $10.99 per user per month when billed annually, or $13.49 per user when billed monthly.

Source
Backendless: What features does the Scale plan include?

Scale plan ($15+/month) provides unlimited API requests per month, 100 database tables, 10 GB file storage, 5 visualizations, 10 custom API keys, daily backups, free SSL certificates, and 1,000 real-time connections.

Source
Asana: Does Asana integrate with other work tools?

Yes. Asana offers 200+ integrations including Slack, Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, Jira, and Zoom.

Source
Backendless: Can I add more storage or increase API limits?

Yes, Backendless offers Function Packs ranging from $5-$399/month to increase specific limits such as storage, API requests, or security features.

Source
Backendless: Does Backendless support offline functionality?

Backendless supports real-time sync and offline capabilities for mobile apps, allowing data to sync when connectivity is restored.

Source
Backendless: Is Backendless Pro available for self-hosting?

Yes, Backendless Pro Community Edition is available under free licensing for core functionality. Managed Backendless is a paid option for self-hosted deployments with request-based pricing.

Source
Backendless: What are Backendless's integration limitations?

While Backendless supports many integrations, it has a smaller integration library compared to competitors. Finding solutions to edge cases or complex setups may require more development effort.

Source
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