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Software · head to head

Freshservice vs PocketBase

Freshservice logo

Freshservice

Software

Modern IT service management

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PocketBase logo

PocketBase

Software

Open-source backend with REST API, real-time subscriptions and Admin UI

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only PocketBase has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Freshservice change, problem and release management require the Pro plan at $99 per agent per month, so core ITIL processes sit two tiers up; PocketBase not recommended for production critical applications until reaching v1.0.0
  • They diverge on capability: Freshservice covers Incident management, PocketBase covers REST API.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Freshservice and PocketBase actually diverge.

Attributes where Freshservice and PocketBase differ
AttributeFreshservicePocketBase
Starting price$19/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidLinux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD
Founded20102021

Identical on both: 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 Freshservice

  • Incident management
  • Asset management
  • Change management
  • Knowledge base
  • Automation
  • Reporting
  • Slack
  • Microsoft Teams

Only in PocketBase

  • REST API
  • Real-time subscriptions
  • Admin UI
  • SQLite
  • Webhooks
  • File storage
  • Go support
  • Docker support

What people use each for

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

Freshservice

  • IT service management and internal help desk ticketingnot PocketBase
  • Asset management and change control for IT teamsnot PocketBase

PocketBase

  • Embedded realtime database with REST APInot Freshservice
  • Backend-as-a-service for single-file deploymentsnot Freshservice
  • Rapid application development with email/OAuth2 authenticationnot Freshservice
  • File storage and media attachment managementnot Freshservice
  • Lightweight alternative to Firebase or traditional backend infrastructurenot Freshservice
  • Go and JavaScript customisable application frameworknot Freshservice

Where each one falls short

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

Freshservice

  • Change, problem and release management require the Pro plan at $99 per agent per month, so core ITIL processes sit two tiers up
  • Every plan includes only 100 ITAM asset units, with more sold separately regardless of tier
  • Orchestration transactions are metered monthly, from 1,000 on Starter to 20,000 on Enterprise, with extra packs at $250 per 1,000
  • The Freddy AI copilot is a $29 per agent per month add on on top of Pro or Enterprise
  • Sandbox and audit logs are Enterprise only, which carries no published price

PocketBase

  • Not recommended for production critical applications until reaching v1.0.0
  • Full backward compatibility not guaranteed before v1.0.0 (breaking changes possible with version updates)
  • Pull requests for new features are disabled due to spam concerns (feature contributions limited)

Pricing, plan by plan

Freshservice

$19/month
  • Starter$19/month
    • Incident management
    • Knowledge base
    • Self-service portal
  • Growth$49/month
    • Asset management
    • Approval workflows
    • SLA management
  • Pro$95/month
    • Problem management
    • Change management
    • Release management
  • Enterprise$119/month
    • Freddy AI
    • Audit logs
    • Custom SSL

PocketBase

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the PocketBase review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Freshservice if

  • You need incident management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want asset management.
Freshservice review

Choose PocketBase if

  • You need rest api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD.
  • You also want real-time subscriptions.
PocketBase review

Questions people ask

Is Freshservice or PocketBase better?
Neither clearly leads. Freshservice starts at $19/month and PocketBase at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Freshservice or PocketBase?
PocketBase has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $19/month for Freshservice and Free for PocketBase.
Does Freshservice or PocketBase run on more platforms?
Freshservice runs on Web, Ios, Android. PocketBase runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD.
Can I use PocketBase for free?
Yes. PocketBase has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Freshservice starts at $19/month.
What is Freshservice best used for?
Freshservice is most often used for it service management and internal help desk ticketing, asset management and change control for it teams. Of those, it service management and internal help desk ticketing and asset management and change control for it teams are not what PocketBase is typically brought in for.
What can Freshservice do that PocketBase cannot?
Freshservice covers Incident management, Asset management, Change management, Knowledge base. PocketBase covers REST API, Real-time subscriptions, Admin UI, SQLite.
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