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Software · head to head

Cognito Forms vs Xano

Cognito Forms logo

Cognito Forms

Software

Powerful forms made easy

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Xano logo

Xano

Software

The low-code backend platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cognito Forms individual free plan caps at 100 entries per month and 1 user; Xano limited real-time capabilities; websocket support underdeveloped and not suitable for real-time applications

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cognito Forms and Xano actually diverge.

Attributes where Cognito Forms and Xano differ
AttributeCognito FormsXano
Pricing modelfreemiumusage-based
PlatformsWebWeb, Cloud, BYOC
FoundedUnknown2014

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 Cognito Forms

Nothing recorded that Xano does not also cover.

Only in Xano

  • API builder
  • Database management
  • Data transformation
  • Real-time sync
  • Webhooks
  • Authentication
  • Scheduling
  • REST API

What people use each for

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

Cognito Forms

No use cases recorded yet. See the Cognito Forms review.

Xano

  • Workflow Automationnot Cognito Forms
  • Data Integrationnot Cognito Forms
  • Process Automationnot Cognito Forms
  • App Integrationnot Cognito Forms
  • API Connectivitynot Cognito Forms

Where each one falls short

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

Cognito Forms

  • Individual free plan caps at 100 entries per month and 1 user
  • Pro plan ($24/mo monthly, $19/mo billed annually) still limits to 2 users and 2,000 entries per month
  • HIPAA compliance and single sign-on are restricted to the Enterprise tier ($174/mo monthly, $129/mo annual)

Xano

  • Limited real-time capabilities; websocket support underdeveloped and not suitable for real-time applications
  • Performance concerns at scale; users report crashes, dropped queries, and no RAM visibility on any plan
  • Interface designed for mouse input only, does not work well with touch-screen tablets
  • Limited version control, data backup and restore features, and data management logging capabilities
  • Requires pairing with a frontend builder, adding cost, complexity, and integration overhead

Pricing, plan by plan

Cognito Forms

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cognito Forms review.

Xano

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Limited requests
    • Basic features
  • Professional$99/month
    • 100K requests
    • Advanced features
  • Business$299/month
    • 500K requests
    • Premium support

Which should you pick?

Choose Cognito Forms if

  • You want to start without paying.
Cognito Forms review

Choose Xano if

  • You need api builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud, BYOC.
  • You also want database management.
Xano review

Questions people ask

Is Cognito Forms or Xano better?
Neither clearly leads. Cognito Forms starts at Free and Xano at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cognito Forms or Xano?
Cognito Forms starts at Free and Xano at Free.
Does Cognito Forms or Xano run on more platforms?
Cognito Forms runs on Web. Xano runs on Web, Cloud, BYOC.
Can I use Cognito Forms for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What can Cognito Forms do that Xano cannot?
Xano covers API builder, Database management, Data transformation, Real-time sync.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Xano: Does Xano offer a free plan?

Yes. Xano offers a free plan with unlimited APIs and a rate limit. The free plan includes watermarked stored images. Paid plans start at $85 per month.

Source
Xano: What databases does Xano use?

Xano provides managed PostgreSQL database with no migrations or DevOps overhead required. It includes automatic backups, scaling, and full ACID transaction support.

Source
Xano: Does Xano require coding knowledge?

Xano is a no-code platform but requires foundational understanding of backend concepts like database structure, APIs, authentication, and logic flow. The learning curve is steep, requiring weeks or months to become proficient.

Source
Xano: What integrations does Xano support?

Xano integrates with Snowflake, Datadog, AWS, GCP, Azure, Stripe, Segment, and works with frontend platforms like Bubble, Webflow, FlutterFlow, and Lovable.

Source
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Related pages

More on Cognito Forms

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