Softwr

APIs · head to head

Backendless vs Basis Theory

Backendless logo

Backendless

APIs

Visual app development platform with REST APIs and cloud backend

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Basis Theory logo

Basis Theory

APIs

Developer tokenisation platform that holds card and sensitive data inside a PCI Level 1 environment you do not operate

From
$995/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Backendless has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Backendless free tier limited to 50 API requests per minute and 20 database tables; Basis Theory the Starter plan is 995 US dollars a month before any volume, which is a real floor for an early stage company and puts the product out of reach of teams tokenising a few thousand records.
  • They diverge on capability: Backendless covers REST API, Basis Theory covers Tokenisation API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Backendless and Basis Theory actually diverge.

Attributes where Backendless and Basis Theory differ
AttributeBackendlessBasis Theory
Starting priceFree$995/month
Pricing modelUnknownPer month by token volume
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsCloud, Visual builderWeb, iOS, Android, Linux
Founded2012Unknown

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 Backendless

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

Only in Basis Theory

  • Tokenisation API
  • Hosted elements
  • Outbound proxy
  • PCI attestation of compliance
  • Processor portability
  • Reactors
  • Access controls and audit
  • PII and PHI options

What people use each for

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

Backendless

  • API Developmentnot Basis Theory
  • API Gatewaynot Basis Theory
  • API Testingnot Basis Theory
  • API Documentationnot Basis Theory
  • Microservicesnot Basis Theory

Basis Theory

  • A payments company that wants card on file without bringing its own infrastructure into PCI scope and paying for the assessment that followsnot Backendless
  • A merchant locked into a processor by that processor vault that wants to hold its own tokens and route to more than one acquirernot Backendless
  • A fintech collecting bank account and identity data that needs it isolated from its application database before an enterprise security reviewnot Backendless
  • A team that needs to send stored card data to a third party for a one-off integration without that data traversing its own serversnot Backendless

Where each one falls short

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

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

Basis Theory

  • The Starter plan is 995 US dollars a month before any volume, which is a real floor for an early stage company and puts the product out of reach of teams tokenising a few thousand records.
  • Starter is limited to the US region, so a company with European data residency requirements is pushed into a quoted Scale or Enterprise agreement immediately.
  • Log retention on Starter is 24 hours, which is well below what most security teams expect for a system holding cardholder data and forces an upgrade for reasons unrelated to volume.
  • Migrating away means moving card data out of the vault, which requires processor and assessor involvement and is slow, so the portability argument that attracts buyers cuts against them at exit.
  • An attestation of compliance covers the vendor environment, not your assessment; your assessor still decides what is in scope, and buyers occasionally discover their integration pattern pulled systems back into scope anyway.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Basis Theory

$995/month
  • Starter$995/month
    • 20,000 tokens included
    • Production PCI Level 1 environment
    • US region only
  • Scale$undefined/month
    • Quoted
    • Higher token volumes
    • Additional regions
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Quoted
    • Additional compliance options for PII and PHI
    • Responses for 95 percent of PCI SAQ D

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Basis Theory if

  • You need tokenisation api.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Linux.
  • You also want hosted elements.
Basis Theory review

Questions people ask

Is Backendless or Basis Theory better?
Neither clearly leads. Backendless starts at Free and Basis Theory at $995/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Backendless or Basis Theory?
Backendless has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Backendless and $995/month for Basis Theory.
Does Backendless or Basis Theory run on more platforms?
Backendless runs on Cloud, Visual builder. Basis Theory runs on Web, iOS, Android, Linux.
Can I use Backendless for free?
Yes. Backendless has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Basis Theory starts at $995/month.
What is Backendless best used for?
Backendless is most often used for api development, api gateway, api testing, api documentation. Of those, api development and api gateway are not what Basis Theory is typically brought in for.
What can Backendless do that Basis Theory cannot?
Backendless covers REST API, Real-time database, Cloud code, Custom integrations. Basis Theory covers Tokenisation API, Hosted elements, Outbound proxy, PCI attestation of compliance.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Basis Theory: Does this make us PCI compliant?

It removes cardholder data from your systems and gives you an AOC plus documented responses for most of a SAQ D. Your assessor still determines your scope, and a careless integration can pull systems back in.

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
Basis Theory: What does it cost to start?

995 US dollars a month on Starter, including 20,000 tokens, a production PCI Level 1 environment and US hosting. Higher tiers are quoted.

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
Basis Theory: Can we switch payment processors without re-collecting cards?

Yes, that is the main non-compliance reason to buy it. You hold the tokens and detokenise into whichever processor you route to.

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
Basis Theory: Is data stored outside the United States?

Not on Starter, which is US only. Other regions require a Scale or Enterprise agreement.

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
Share

Related pages

More on Backendless

More on Basis Theory

Keep looking

Other head to heads