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APIs · head to head

PocketBase vs Temenos Transact

PocketBase logo

PocketBase

APIs

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Temenos Transact logo

Temenos Transact

APIs

Established core banking system used by banks in over a hundred countries

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; Temenos Transact the codebase originates in the 1990s, so banks on older releases face major upgrade programmes to reach current versions, and many defer them for years.
  • They diverge on capability: PocketBase covers REST API, Temenos Transact covers Country model banks.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PocketBase and Temenos Transact actually diverge.

Attributes where PocketBase and Temenos Transact differ
AttributePocketBaseTemenos Transact
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSDWeb, Linux, Windows, REST API
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 Temenos Transact

  • Country model banks
  • Multi-product core
  • Payments processing
  • API layer
  • Cloud deployment
  • Accounting engine

What people use each for

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

PocketBase

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

Temenos Transact

  • A bank in an emerging market needing local regulatory compliance without building it from scratchnot PocketBase
  • An institution running Islamic banking products alongside conventional ones on one corenot PocketBase
  • A bank that needs a large pool of experienced implementation consultants to de-risk a migrationnot PocketBase
  • A group standardising subsidiaries in several countries onto one core banking systemnot 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

Temenos Transact

  • The codebase originates in the 1990s, so banks on older releases face major upgrade programmes to reach current versions, and many defer them for years.
  • Total cost is dominated by implementation partner fees rather than licence, and those programmes routinely overrun their original estimates.
  • Product changes that cloud-native cores treat as configuration can require development work and a release cycle, which slows time to market for new products.
  • Heavy customisation is common and it makes every subsequent upgrade harder, creating a compounding cost that banks feel a decade after go-live.
  • Temenos has repeatedly restructured its product line and naming, so buyers must check carefully which components a proposal actually includes and which are separately licensed.

Pricing, plan by plan

PocketBase

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the PocketBase review.

Temenos Transact

On request
  • Temenos Transact$undefined/year
    • Perpetual or subscription licence scaled by assets, accounts or users
    • Annual maintenance typically a percentage of licence value
    • Implementation delivered by partners and charged separately

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 Temenos Transact if

  • You need country model banks.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Windows, REST API.
  • You also want multi-product core.
Temenos Transact review

Questions people ask

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

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
Temenos Transact: Is Transact the same as T24?

Yes. T24 was renamed Temenos Transact; older installations and much of the consultant population still use the T24 name.

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
Temenos Transact: Can it run in the cloud?

Yes, it is offered on public cloud, though many existing installations remain on-premises and moving them is a project.

Temenos Transact: What drives the cost?

Licence scaled by size, annual maintenance as a percentage of licence, and implementation partner fees that usually exceed the software cost.

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