API Management · head to head
Stoplight vs Backendless
Stoplight
API Management
API design, documentation, and governance platform
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Backendless
API Management
Visual app development platform with REST APIs and cloud backend
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Stoplight the free plan allows one project and one user; Backendless free tier limited to 50 API requests per minute and 20 database tables
- They diverge on capability: Stoplight covers API Design, Backendless covers REST API.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Stoplight and Backendless actually diverge.
| Attribute | Stoplight | Backendless |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | Unknown |
| Platforms | Web, Cloud | Cloud, Visual builder |
| Founded | 2014 | 2012 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (API Management).
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 Stoplight
- API Design
- API Documentation
- Governance
- GitHub
- GitLab
- Jenkins
- Azure DevOps
- Web support
Only in Backendless
- REST API
- Real-time database
- Cloud code
- Custom integrations
- Webhooks
- Cloud functions
- Visual builder support
Both cover
- Cloud support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Stoplight
- Designing and documenting OpenAPI specifications visuallynot Backendless
- Serving interactive API docs and instant mock servers from a specnot Backendless
Backendless
- API Developmentnot Stoplight
- API Gatewaynot Stoplight
- API Testingnot Stoplight
- API Documentationnot Stoplight
- Microservicesnot Stoplight
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Stoplight
- The free plan allows one project and one user
- Private projects, multi branch support and custom domains start at the Startup plan, $113 a month billed annually
- SSO and shared style guides are Pro Team only, at $362 a month billed annually
- Seats beyond each plan's allowance are $11 to $27 each per month depending on tier and billing period
Backendless
- Free tier limited to 50 API requests per minute and 20 database tables
- Smaller community and integration ecosystem compared to Firebase or AWS
- Customization beyond codeless tools requires developer expertise
- Limited documentation for advanced use cases and edge cases
Pricing, plan by plan
Stoplight
Free- FreeFree
- API design
- Documentation
- Community support
- Pro$75/monthly
- Governance
- Advanced testing
- Team collaboration
- Enterprise$undefined/monthly
- Custom deployment
- SLA
- Priority support
Backendless
Free- FreeFree
- 50 API requests/minute
- 20 database tables
- 1 GB file storage
- Scale Variable$15/month
- Unlimited API requests/month
- 100 database tables
- 10 GB file storage
- Scale Fixed$15/month
- Same as Scale Variable
- Fixed monthly pricing
Which should you pick?
Choose Stoplight if
- You need api design.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Cloud.
- You also want api documentation.
Choose Backendless if
- You need rest api.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Cloud, Visual builder.
- You also want real-time database.
Questions people ask
- Is Stoplight or Backendless better?
- Neither clearly leads. Stoplight starts at Free and Backendless at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Stoplight or Backendless?
- Stoplight starts at Free and Backendless at Free.
- Does Stoplight or Backendless run on more platforms?
- Stoplight runs on Web, Cloud. Backendless runs on Cloud, Visual builder.
- Can I use Stoplight for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Stoplight best used for?
- Stoplight is most often used for designing and documenting openapi specifications visually, serving interactive api docs and instant mock servers from a spec. Of those, designing and documenting openapi specifications visually and serving interactive api docs and instant mock servers from a spec are not what Backendless is typically brought in for.
- What can Stoplight do that Backendless cannot?
- Stoplight covers API Design, API Documentation, Governance, GitHub. Backendless covers REST API, Real-time database, Cloud code, Custom integrations. Both handle Cloud support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Backendless: Does Backendless have a free tier?
Backendless Free plan ($0/month) includes 50 API requests per minute, 20 database tables, 1 GB file storage, 1 visualization, 2 security roles, and basic cloud code capabilities.
SourceBackendless: What features does the Scale plan include?
Scale plan ($15+/month) provides unlimited API requests per month, 100 database tables, 10 GB file storage, 5 visualizations, 10 custom API keys, daily backups, free SSL certificates, and 1,000 real-time connections.
SourceBackendless: Can I add more storage or increase API limits?
Yes, Backendless offers Function Packs ranging from $5-$399/month to increase specific limits such as storage, API requests, or security features.
SourceBackendless: Does Backendless support offline functionality?
Backendless supports real-time sync and offline capabilities for mobile apps, allowing data to sync when connectivity is restored.
SourceBackendless: Is Backendless Pro available for self-hosting?
Yes, Backendless Pro Community Edition is available under free licensing for core functionality. Managed Backendless is a paid option for self-hosted deployments with request-based pricing.
SourceBackendless: What are Backendless's integration limitations?
While Backendless supports many integrations, it has a smaller integration library compared to competitors. Finding solutions to edge cases or complex setups may require more development effort.
Source