Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

Logto vs Parse Server

Logto logo

Logto

Cybersecurity

Open-source identity and authentication infrastructure for apps and APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Parse Server logo

Parse Server

APIs

Open-source Backend as a Service platform with REST and GraphQL APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Logto advanced features like RBAC, organizations, MFA, and enterprise SSO are billed as separate paid add-ons rather than included in Pro.; Parse Server deployment complexity and scaling challenges require operational expertise
  • They diverge on capability: Logto covers Prebuilt sign-in UI, Parse Server covers REST API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Logto and Parse Server actually diverge.

Attributes where Logto and Parse Server differ
AttributeLogtoParse Server
Pricing modelfreemiumopen-source
Platformsweb, apiNode.js, Express, REST API, GraphQL API
CategoryCybersecurityAPIs
FoundedUnknown2011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Logto

  • Prebuilt sign-in UI
  • Social connectors
  • Role-based access control
  • Multi-factor authentication
  • Machine-to-machine apps
  • Audit logs

Only in Parse Server

  • REST API
  • GraphQL API
  • Authentication
  • Node.js
  • Cloud functions
  • File storage
  • Webhooks
  • Node.js support

What people use each for

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

Logto

  • Adding sign-in to a new SaaS productnot Parse Server
  • Implementing SSO for B2B customersnot Parse Server
  • Securing internal APIs with M2M tokensnot Parse Server
  • Adding RBAC and organizations to a multi-tenant appnot Parse Server

Parse Server

  • API Developmentnot Logto
  • API Gatewaynot Logto
  • API Testingnot Logto
  • API Documentationnot Logto
  • Microservicesnot Logto

Where each one falls short

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

Logto

  • Advanced features like RBAC, organizations, MFA, and enterprise SSO are billed as separate paid add-ons rather than included in Pro.
  • Enterprise pricing is not published and requires contacting sales.
  • Token-based billing can make cost forecasting harder than flat per-MAU pricing for high-traffic apps.

Parse Server

  • Deployment complexity and scaling challenges require operational expertise
  • Requires database management skills for MongoDB or PostgreSQL administration
  • Smaller community and ecosystem compared to Firebase or cloud alternatives
  • Query depth bypass vulnerability allowing denial-of-service attacks via complex REST/GraphQL queries
  • Stored XSS vulnerability through SVG file uploads requires patching

Pricing, plan by plan

Logto

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 50,000 MAU
    • 50K tokens included
    • 3 applications
  • Pro$24/month
    • Unlimited MAU and applications
    • 3 included API resources
    • Passkey sign-in

Parse Server

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Self-hosted Parse Server
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Logto if

  • You need prebuilt sign-in ui.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want social connectors.
Logto review

Choose Parse Server if

  • You need rest api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Node.js, Express, REST API, GraphQL API.
  • You also want graphql api.
Parse Server review

Questions people ask

Is Logto or Parse Server better?
Neither clearly leads. Logto starts at Free and Parse Server at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Logto or Parse Server?
Logto starts at Free and Parse Server at Free.
Does Logto or Parse Server run on more platforms?
Logto runs on web, api. Parse Server runs on Node.js, Express, REST API, GraphQL API.
Can I use Logto for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Logto best used for?
Logto is most often used for adding sign-in to a new saas product, implementing sso for b2b customers, securing internal apis with m2m tokens, adding rbac and organizations to a multi-tenant app. Of those, adding sign-in to a new saas product and implementing sso for b2b customers are not what Parse Server is typically brought in for.
What can Logto do that Parse Server cannot?
Logto covers Prebuilt sign-in UI, Social connectors, Role-based access control, Multi-factor authentication. Parse Server covers REST API, GraphQL API, Authentication, Node.js.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Logto: What does Logto cost?

Logto offers a Free plan at $0/month, a Pro plan starting at $24/month with 50K free tokens included, and a custom-priced Enterprise plan. Extra add-ons like RBAC or MFA are billed separately on Pro.

Source
Parse Server: Is Parse Server self-hosted or cloud-managed?

Parse Server is entirely self-hosted and open-source, running on your own infrastructure with no monthly subscription required; you manage the MongoDB or PostgreSQL database and deployment.

Logto: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

Yes. The Free plan supports up to 50,000 monthly active users, 3 total applications, 1 machine-to-machine app, 3 social connectors, 1 webhook, and 3-day audit log retention.

Source
Parse Server: What databases does Parse Server support?

Parse Server works with MongoDB and PostgreSQL as data stores, giving you flexibility to choose your preferred database system for your application.

Logto: How is usage metered?

Logto uses token-based billing: only access tokens issued for authentication and authorization activity are counted, rather than charging purely per MAU.

Source
Parse Server: What APIs does Parse Server provide?

Parse Server automatically generates both REST and GraphQL APIs based on your application schema, and you can extend these with custom queries, mutations, and remote schemas.

Source
Parse Server: What SDKs are available for Parse Server?

Parse provides native SDKs for iOS (Swift/Objective-C), Android, JavaScript/Node.js, PHP, and .NET, plus REST and GraphQL access for any other platform.

Source
Parse Server: Does Parse Server include user authentication?

Yes. Parse Server includes out-of-the-box user management with support for email/password authentication, OAuth providers (Facebook, Twitter, Google, GitHub, LDAP), push notifications, and campaigns.

Share

Related pages

More on Logto

More on Parse Server

Keep looking

Other head to heads