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APIs · head to head

PocketBase vs Skaleet

PocketBase logo

PocketBase

APIs

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Skaleet logo

Skaleet

APIs

Cloud-native core banking and payment hub with deployments measured in months

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only PocketBase has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: PocketBase requires technical expertise to deploy and maintain; Skaleet the installed base is in the tens rather than the hundreds, so the pool of consultants and systems integrators who know the platform is small and expensive.
  • They diverge on capability: PocketBase covers REST API, Skaleet covers Cloud-native core.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PocketBase and Skaleet actually diverge.

Attributes where PocketBase and Skaleet differ
AttributePocketBaseSkaleet
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSDWeb, REST API, Linux
Founded2021Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (APIs).

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 Skaleet

  • Cloud-native core
  • Payment hub
  • Card management
  • Lending
  • API-first
  • Configurable products

What people use each for

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

PocketBase

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

Skaleet

  • A banking group launching a digital savings or deposit brand in a new country within a yearnot PocketBase
  • A bank modernising payments to ISO 20022 without replacing its whole corenot PocketBase
  • A payroll or HR software company adding embedded banking to its productnot PocketBase
  • A payment service provider needing a ledger and accounts under its existing licencenot 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

Skaleet

  • The installed base is in the tens rather than the hundreds, so the pool of consultants and systems integrators who know the platform is small and expensive.
  • Speed references are mostly greenfield launches inside large groups, which is an easier problem than migrating an existing book off a legacy core.
  • It is European-centric, with payment rails and regulatory work concentrated on SEPA and EU requirements rather than global coverage.
  • As a smaller vendor carrying a bank core, it attracts hard concentration and viability questions in procurement that larger competitors do not face.
  • Pricing is unpublished and scaled by accounts and transactions, so a bank whose volumes grow faster than forecast faces cost escalation it did not model.

Pricing, plan by plan

PocketBase

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the PocketBase review.

Skaleet

On request
  • Skaleet Core Banking Platform$undefined/year
    • Subscription licence scaled by accounts and transaction volume
    • Payment hub licensable separately from the full core
    • Implementation and configuration charged as a project

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 Skaleet if

  • You need cloud-native core.
  • You work on Web, REST API, Linux.
  • You also want payment hub.
Skaleet review

Questions people ask

Is PocketBase or Skaleet better?
Neither clearly leads. PocketBase starts at Free and Skaleet at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PocketBase or Skaleet?
PocketBase has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for PocketBase and On request for Skaleet.
Does PocketBase or Skaleet run on more platforms?
PocketBase runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD. Skaleet runs on Web, REST API, Linux.
Can I use PocketBase for free?
Yes. PocketBase has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Skaleet starts at On request.
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 Skaleet is typically brought in for.
What can PocketBase do that Skaleet cannot?
PocketBase covers REST API, Real-time subscriptions, Admin UI, SQLite. Skaleet covers Cloud-native core, Payment hub, Card management, Lending.

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
Skaleet: What was Skaleet called before?

TagPay. The company rebranded to Skaleet while keeping the same platform lineage.

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
Skaleet: Can I buy just the payment hub?

Yes. The payment engine is licensable standalone and can sit over an existing core, which is a common first step.

Skaleet: How fast are real deployments?

Named European deployments have gone live in six to twelve months, including a Crédit Agricole savings platform live in Germany in eight months.

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