# Appwrite review

Open-source backend platform (BSD-3-Clause) with auth, databases, storage, and functions, free to self-host or from $25/month on Appwrite Cloud.

By Noah — last updated & pricing verified September 15, 2026.

> **Appwrite** is an open-source backend platform bundling the services most apps need — authentication, a database, file storage, serverless functions, messaging, and realtime subscriptions — behind a unified API, positioned as a self-hostable alternative to Firebase or Supabase. Developers can run it themselves via Docker on any Linux server at no cost, or use Appwrite Cloud for managed hosting.

The project is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and has accumulated 57.1K stars on GitHub. SDKs cover most major frontend frameworks (React, Next.js, Vue, Svelte, Astro, Angular, Nuxt) and mobile platforms (iOS, Android, Flutter, React Native), plus server-side SDKs for Node.js, Python, PHP, Ruby, Go, Rust, and Kotlin. Appwrite Cloud's free tier includes 5GB bandwidth, 2GB storage, 750K monthly function executions, and 75K monthly active users, but projects pause after a week of inactivity and support is community-only; the Pro tier at $25/month removes most of those caps and adds email support with daily backups.

## Facts

- Website: https://appwrite.io
- Pricing: Free tier · paid from $25/mo (verified undefined NaN, NaN)
- License: Open source
- Platforms: web, linux
- Best for: developer teams building web, mobile, or Flutter apps that want a Firebase-style backend (auth, database, storage, functions) they can self-host for free instead of relying solely on a vendor's cloud
- Standout feature: Fully self-hostable under a permissive BSD-3-Clause license, so teams can run the entire backend on their own infrastructure at no licensing cost instead of being locked into Appwrite's hosted cloud.
- Biggest weakness: The free Appwrite Cloud tier pauses projects after a week of inactivity and offers only community support, and self-hosting shifts the operational burden (updates, scaling, backups) onto the team instead of a managed vendor, which is a real cost some reviewers note as a steeper setup than a pure SaaS backend.
- Categories: [Backend and databases](https://findalternative.to/categories/backend-databases)

## Pricing snapshot

| Plan | Price | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free | $0/mo | 5GB bandwidth, 2GB storage, 750K monthly executions, 75K monthly active users, community support only; limited to 2 projects, which pause after 1 week of inactivity. |
| Pro | $25/mo | 2TB bandwidth, 150GB storage, 3.5M monthly executions, 200K monthly active users, email support with daily backups (7-day retention), unlimited databases/buckets/functions. |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom quote; uptime SLAs, 24/7 support, dedicated success manager, SOC-2/HIPAA/BAA compliance, SSO. |

## Pros and cons

- Pro: Fully open source (BSD-3-Clause) and self-hostable for free, avoiding vendor lock-in on a core backend.
- Pro: Single platform covers auth, database, storage, functions, and messaging instead of stitching together separate services.
- Pro: Broad SDK coverage across major frontend frameworks and mobile platforms including Flutter.
- Pro: Free Appwrite Cloud tier is usable for real projects, not just a sandbox, with 75K monthly active users included.
- Con: Free Cloud tier projects pause after a week of inactivity and get community-only support.
- Con: Self-hosting requires managing updates, scaling, and backups yourself, shifting operational work onto the team.
- Con: Reviewers note initial setup can be more complex than newcomers expect for a 'quick MVP' backend.
- Con: Enterprise features (SSO, compliance certifications, SLAs) require a custom-quote plan rather than being available at a fixed price.

## AI summary

- Appwrite is open source under the BSD-3-Clause license and has 57.1K GitHub stars.
- Self-hosting is free; Appwrite Cloud's Pro tier starts at $25/month with 150GB storage and 3.5M monthly executions.
- The free Appwrite Cloud tier includes 2GB storage and 75K monthly active users but pauses projects after 1 week of inactivity.
- Appwrite bundles authentication, databases, storage, serverless functions, messaging, and realtime APIs in one platform.
- SDKs cover React, Next.js, Vue, Svelte, iOS, Android, Flutter, React Native, and multiple server-side languages.
- Best for: developer teams wanting a self-hostable, Firebase-style backend without vendor lock-in
- Pricing: Free to self-host; Appwrite Cloud free tier available, Pro plan from $25/month, Enterprise custom-quoted.
- Top alternatives: Supabase, Firebase, PocketBase, Nhost, AWS Amplify
- Limitation: Free Cloud tier pauses inactive projects after a week and offers only community support.
- Limitation: Self-hosting shifts update, scaling, and backup responsibility onto the team.
- Limitation: Initial setup can be more complex than expected for a quick MVP.

## Alternatives

4 vetted alternatives to Appwrite: https://findalternative.to/appwrite — top picks: Supabase, Firebase, PocketBase

## Comparisons

- https://findalternative.to/compare/appwrite-vs-firebase
- https://findalternative.to/compare/appwrite-vs-supabase

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