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APIs · head to head

PocketBase vs Saleor

PocketBase logo

PocketBase

APIs

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Saleor logo

Saleor

E-Commerce

Open-source, headless e-commerce platform with a GraphQL API

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: PocketBase requires technical expertise to deploy and maintain; Saleor saleor requires development resources to build a storefront, since it ships as an API-only backend without a front-end store out of the box.
  • They diverge on capability: PocketBase covers REST API, Saleor covers GraphQL API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PocketBase and Saleor actually diverge.

Attributes where PocketBase and Saleor differ
AttributePocketBaseSaleor
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsLinux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSDweb, api
CategoryAPIsE-Commerce
Founded20212019

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 PocketBase

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

Only in Saleor

  • GraphQL API
  • Admin dashboard
  • Webhooks and apps
  • Omnichannel order processing
  • Configurator CLI
  • OpenTelemetry tracing
  • OpenID Connect support

What people use each for

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

PocketBase

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

Saleor

  • Custom headless storefrontsnot PocketBase
  • Composable commerce architecturesnot PocketBase
  • Omnichannel retail and B2B commercenot PocketBase
  • Developer-built e-commerce requiring deep API accessnot PocketBase

Where each one falls short

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

PocketBase

  • Requires technical expertise to deploy and maintain
  • No built-in hosting provided
  • Community support only

Saleor

  • Saleor requires development resources to build a storefront, since it ships as an API-only backend without a front-end store out of the box.
  • Self-hosting requires managing infrastructure, scaling, and updates, which adds operational overhead compared to fully managed platforms.
  • Saleor Cloud's paid tiers start at $1,599/month, making the managed offering costly for small merchants compared to typical SaaS store builders.
  • The GraphQL-first, code-driven approach has a steeper learning curve for non-technical users than drag-and-drop e-commerce builders.

Pricing, plan by plan

PocketBase

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the PocketBase review.

Saleor

Free
  • Sandboxes (Cloud)Free
    • Free forever tier for prototyping and development
  • Select (Cloud)$1599/month
    • Up to $200,000 GMV monthly
    • 0.8% fee on orders exceeding GMV limit
    • Dedicated Slack channel
  • Volume (Cloud)$3999/month
    • Up to $1,000,000 GMV monthly
    • 0.4% fee on orders exceeding GMV limit
    • Dedicated Slack channel
  • Enterprise (Cloud)$undefined/mo
    • Custom GMV limits
    • Fees negotiable as low as 0.2%
    • Project delivery lead

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Saleor if

  • You need graphql api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want admin dashboard.
Saleor review

Questions people ask

Is PocketBase or Saleor better?
Neither clearly leads. PocketBase starts at Free and Saleor at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PocketBase or Saleor?
PocketBase starts at Free and Saleor at Free.
Does PocketBase or Saleor run on more platforms?
PocketBase runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD. Saleor runs on web, api.
Can I use PocketBase for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is PocketBase best used for?
PocketBase is most often used for embedded realtime database with rest api, backend-as-a-service for single-file deployments, rapid application development with email/oauth2 authentication, file storage and media attachment management. Of those, embedded realtime database with rest api and backend-as-a-service for single-file deployments are not what Saleor is typically brought in for.
What can PocketBase do that Saleor cannot?
PocketBase covers REST API, Real-time subscriptions, Admin UI, SQLite. Saleor covers GraphQL API, Admin dashboard, Webhooks and apps, Omnichannel order processing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PocketBase: How much does PocketBase cost?

PocketBase is completely free and open-source. It is a self-hosted backend solution with database, authentication, and file storage capabilities at no cost.

Source
Saleor: Is Saleor free to use?

Yes. Saleor is open source under the BSD-3-Clause license and can be self-hosted for free. Saleor Cloud also offers a free Sandboxes tier for prototyping and development.

Source
PocketBase: Is PocketBase open-source?

Yes, PocketBase is open-source software. You can download, modify, and deploy it yourself at no cost with no licensing restrictions.

Source
Saleor: How much does Saleor Cloud cost?

Saleor Cloud paid plans start at $1,599/month for the Select plan (up to $200,000 monthly GMV), with Volume at $3,999/month and custom Enterprise pricing for larger merchants.

Source
Saleor: Does Saleor provide a storefront out of the box?

No. Saleor is an API-only, headless commerce backend built on GraphQL; storefronts must be built separately using the API and are not bundled with the platform.

Source
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