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Developer Tools · head to head

Cortex vs ProtoPie

Cortex logo

Cortex

Developer Tools

Internal developer portal that scores service ownership and maturity rather than just cataloguing services

From
On request
Free plan
No
Visit CortexFull review
ProtoPie logo

ProtoPie

Design

Create advanced interactive prototypes

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit ProtoPieFull review

The short version

  • ProtoPie is a tool for creating highly interactive prototypes without coding.
  • ProtoPie starts at $25/mo; Cortex prices on request.
  • Only Cortex lists service catalogue; only ProtoPie lists interactive prototyping.
  • Where ProtoPie falls short: the free plan allows 2 prototypes, 8 scenes per prototype and 50MB of cloud storage.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cortex and ProtoPie actually diverge.

Attributes where Cortex and ProtoPie differ
AttributeCortexProtoPie
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelQuoteFreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, APIWindows, macOS, Web, iOS, Android
CategoryDeveloper ToolsDesign

Not yet recorded: founded for Cortex.

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 Cortex

  • Service catalogue
  • Scorecards
  • Initiatives
  • Self-service templates
  • Query language
  • Eng intelligence
  • Integrations layer
  • On-call and ownership mapping

Only in ProtoPie

  • Interactive prototyping
  • Data binding
  • Advanced interactions
  • Animation
  • Collaboration
  • Cloud sharing
  • Device testing
  • Code export

What people use each for

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

Cortex

  • A platform team that needs to prove to leadership how far a Kubernetes or framework migration has actually progressed across hundreds of servicesnot ProtoPie
  • An organisation where ownership of production services is genuinely unknown after reorganisations or acquisitionsnot ProtoPie
  • Enforcing production readiness standards on new services at creation time rather than at incident reviewnot ProtoPie
  • Replacing a self-hosted Backstage that is consuming a full-time engineer or two just to stay upgradednot ProtoPie

ProtoPie

  • Interactive prototype designnot Cortex
  • User testing and handoff managementnot Cortex
  • Team design collaborationnot Cortex

Where each one falls short

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

Cortex

  • Pricing is quote only, so a platform team cannot build a business case or compare against the true cost of self-hosted Backstage without entering a sales cycle first
  • The catalogue is only as accurate as the metadata you supply, so an organisation with inconsistent repository conventions spends its first quarter cleaning data before any scorecard means anything
  • Scorecards create political friction: publishing a per-team grade turns an engineering standard into a performance metric, and teams will game the rules rather than fix the underlying issue
  • It is closed source and hosted, so organisations with strict data residency or air-gap requirements have limited options compared with running Backstage themselves
  • Value scales with organisation size, so a company with fifty engineers and thirty services will find the catalogue tells them nothing they did not already know while still paying an enterprise contract

ProtoPie

  • The free plan allows 2 prototypes, 8 scenes per prototype and 50MB of cloud storage
  • Free prototypes carry a watermark and shareable links require the Basic plan
  • Saving prototypes locally requires the Pro plan
  • Team libraries and handoff recordings require the Pro plan
  • Basic caps storage at 500MB and prototypes at 20
  • Single sign on, private servers, custom fonts and custom hardware integrations are Enterprise only
  • Enterprise requires a minimum of 3 seats and is priced by quote
  • Connect Core is a paid add on at $20 per user per month

Pricing, plan by plan

Cortex

On request
  • CortexOn request
    • Service catalogue and ownership mapping
    • Scorecards and initiatives
    • Self-service templates

ProtoPie

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 prototypes
    • 8 scenes per prototype
    • 50MB cloud storage
  • Basic$25/mo
    • 20 prototypes
    • 10 scenes per prototype
    • 500MB storage
  • Pro$47/mo
    • Unlimited prototypes
    • Unlimited handoff recordings
    • 5GB team storage

Which should you pick?

Choose Cortex if

  • You need service catalogue.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want scorecards.
Cortex review

Choose ProtoPie if

  • You need interactive prototyping.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want data binding.
ProtoPie review

Questions people ask

Is Cortex or ProtoPie better?
Neither clearly leads. Cortex starts at On request and ProtoPie at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cortex or ProtoPie?
ProtoPie has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cortex and Free for ProtoPie.
Does Cortex or ProtoPie run on more platforms?
Cortex runs on Web, API. ProtoPie runs on Windows, macOS, Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use ProtoPie for free?
Yes. ProtoPie has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cortex starts at On request.
What is Cortex best used for?
Cortex is most often used for a platform team that needs to prove to leadership how far a kubernetes or framework migration has actually progressed across hundreds of services, an organisation where ownership of production services is genuinely unknown after reorganisations or acquisitions, enforcing production readiness standards on new services at creation time rather than at incident review, replacing a self-hosted backstage that is consuming a full-time engineer or two just to stay upgraded. Of those, a platform team that needs to prove to leadership how far a kubernetes or framework migration has actually progressed across hundreds of services and an organisation where ownership of production services is genuinely unknown after reorganisations or acquisitions are not what ProtoPie is typically brought in for.
What can Cortex do that ProtoPie cannot?
Cortex covers Service catalogue, Scorecards, Initiatives, Self-service templates. ProtoPie covers Interactive prototyping, Data binding, Advanced interactions, Animation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cortex: How is Cortex different from Backstage?

Backstage is an open source framework you build and staff. Cortex is a hosted product with scorecards and initiatives out of the box and no platform team required to keep it running.

ProtoPie: How much does ProtoPie cost?

ProtoPie offers a free plan ($0/month), Basic at $25/month, and Pro at $47/month per editor. Annual billing offers up to 26% savings. Enterprise pricing is custom for minimum 3 seats.

Source
Cortex: Is pricing published?

No. Cortex requires a sales conversation and prepares a custom proposal.

ProtoPie: Is there a free version of ProtoPie?

Yes. The free plan includes 2 prototypes, 8 scenes per prototype, and 50MB cloud storage. Perfect for trying the platform.

Source
Cortex: Can it self-host?

It is offered as a hosted product; on-premise arrangements are handled through sales rather than published.

ProtoPie: What is included in the Pro plan?

Pro plan at $47/month includes unlimited prototypes, unlimited handoff recordings, 5GB team storage, local saving, and team libraries per editor.

Source
Cortex: What is the main adoption risk?

Bad or missing service metadata. The catalogue and every scorecard on top of it inherit whatever quality your repositories already have.

ProtoPie: What add-on products does ProtoPie offer?

Connect Core ($20/month per user), Connect Enterprise and Connect Embedded (custom pricing), and User Testing (custom pricing, annual-only for Pro plan users).

Source
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