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Software · head to head

Logto vs PocketBase

Logto logo

Logto

Software

Open-source identity and authentication infrastructure for apps and APIs

From
Free
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

  • 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.; PocketBase not recommended for production critical applications until reaching v1.0.0
  • They diverge on capability: Logto covers Prebuilt sign-in UI, PocketBase covers REST API.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Logto and PocketBase actually diverge.

Attributes where Logto and PocketBase differ
AttributeLogtoPocketBase
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Platformsweb, apiLinux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD
FoundedUnknown2021

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 Logto

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

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.

Logto

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

PocketBase

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

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

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

PocketBase

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the PocketBase review.

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 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 Logto or PocketBase better?
Neither clearly leads. Logto starts at Free and PocketBase at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Logto or PocketBase?
Logto starts at Free and PocketBase at Free.
Does Logto or PocketBase run on more platforms?
Logto runs on web, api. PocketBase runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD.
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 PocketBase is typically brought in for.
What can Logto do that PocketBase cannot?
Logto covers Prebuilt sign-in UI, Social connectors, Role-based access control, Multi-factor authentication. PocketBase covers REST API, Real-time subscriptions, Admin UI, SQLite.

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
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
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
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