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APIs · head to head

Backendless vs Rutter

Backendless logo

Backendless

APIs

Visual app development platform with REST APIs and cloud backend

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Rutter logo

Rutter

APIs

One API across accounting, commerce, payments and advertising platforms

From
On request
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; Rutter a unified schema exposes only the fields common across platforms, so the platform-specific detail underwriting models want usually requires passthrough calls and per-platform code, which is the work the unified API was bought to avoid.
  • They diverge on capability: Backendless covers REST API, Rutter covers Accounting and ERP.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Backendless and Rutter actually diverge.

Attributes where Backendless and Rutter differ
AttributeBackendlessRutter
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsCloud, Visual builderWeb, API
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 Rutter

  • Accounting and ERP
  • Commerce data
  • Payments data
  • Advertising data
  • Write operations
  • Passthrough requests
  • Observability tooling
  • Sandbox

What people use each for

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

Backendless

  • API Developmentnot Rutter
  • API Gatewaynot Rutter
  • API Testingnot Rutter
  • API Documentationnot Rutter
  • Microservicesnot Rutter

Rutter

  • A revenue-based lender that must pull a merchant's sales, payouts and general ledger before pricing a facilitynot Backendless
  • A spend management product that needs to push bills and journal entries back into whichever accounting system its customer runsnot Backendless
  • A B2B payments platform reconciling invoices across customers using four different ERPsnot Backendless
  • An insurance or benefits provider that needs verified business financials without asking the customer to upload PDFsnot 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

Rutter

  • A unified schema exposes only the fields common across platforms, so the platform-specific detail underwriting models want usually requires passthrough calls and per-platform code, which is the work the unified API was bought to avoid.
  • Write operations into accounting systems are where these products break, because each system validates differently, and a rejected journal entry surfaces as a support ticket against you rather than against the ERP.
  • No pricing is published beyond a sandbox trial, so cost cannot be compared against alternatives without a sales process, and pricing tends to scale with connected accounts.
  • QuickBooks Desktop and other on-premises systems require a local connector or hosted agent, which introduces installation steps your customers must complete and support burden you inherit.
  • Sync freshness varies by platform and by customer authorisation state, so a product promising near real-time figures will find some connections update far less often than the marketing implies.

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

Rutter

On request
  • Starter$undefined/month
    • Thirty day sandbox trial
    • Test integrations with QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks and Zoho Books
    • Documentation and workflow guides
  • Full Access$undefined/year
    • Production access across all platforms
    • Includes NetSuite, QuickBooks Desktop and Sage Intacct
    • Write operations and passthrough

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 Rutter if

  • You need accounting and erp.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want commerce data.
Rutter review

Questions people ask

Is Backendless or Rutter better?
Neither clearly leads. Backendless starts at Free and Rutter at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Backendless or Rutter?
Backendless has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Backendless and On request for Rutter.
Does Backendless or Rutter run on more platforms?
Backendless runs on Cloud, Visual builder. Rutter runs on Web, API.
Can I use Backendless for free?
Yes. Backendless has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Rutter starts at On request.
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 Rutter is typically brought in for.
What can Backendless do that Rutter cannot?
Backendless covers REST API, Real-time database, Cloud code, Custom integrations. Rutter covers Accounting and ERP, Commerce data, Payments data, Advertising data.

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
Rutter: Does Rutter support QuickBooks Desktop?

Yes, which distinguishes it from unified APIs that only cover cloud accounting, and matters because many small businesses still run it.

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
Rutter: Can Rutter write data back?

Yes. Invoices, bills and journal entries can be pushed into supported accounting systems, not only read.

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
Rutter: Is there a free tier?

There is a thirty day sandbox trial with test data. Production access requires a paid plan with quoted pricing.

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
Rutter: What if the unified model lacks a field I need?

Rutter supports passthrough requests to the underlying platform API, though using them reintroduces platform-specific code.

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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