Firebase vs Appwrite
Firebase is Google's proprietary backend-as-a-service, built around the NoSQL Firestore and Realtime Database, with deep native mobile SDK support. Appwrite is an open source backend under a BSD-3-Clause license, bundling a database, auth, storage, functions and messaging into one system you can self-host or run on Appwrite Cloud. Choose Firebase for Google's mobile-first tooling and ecosystem; choose Appwrite if you want an open source backend you can self-host.
Facts checked on against the official sources listed at the end. Usage numbers update daily.
Best for
Mobile apps that want Google's native SDKs and a pay-as-you-go free tier
Free plan. Paid from Blaze plan is pay-as-you-go on top of the same free limits, billed through Google Cloud.
Best for
Teams that want an open source backend with messaging bundled in, self-hostable
Free plan. Paid from $25 a month per project for the Pro plan.
Firebase vs Appwrite at a glance
| Compared on | Firebase | Appwrite |
|---|---|---|
| Database model | NoSQL document database (Firestore) or JSON tree (Realtime Database) | Its own document-oriented database |
| Self-hosting | Not possible; Firebase is a proprietary managed service only | Yes, the full open source platform under BSD-3-Clause |
| Mobile platform support | First-class native SDKs for Android, iOS, Unity and Flutter | SDKs for web, Flutter, iOS, Android and Node.js |
| Free plan structure | Spark plan: fixed no-cost usage limits, no payment method required, doesn't pause | 75,000 monthly requests, unlimited projects, no stated pausing |
| Built-in messaging | Not a core feature; notifications require separate Google or third-party tools | Messaging included in the Pro plan since a September 2025 pricing update |
| Serverless functions billing | Cloud Functions only run on the pay-as-you-go Blaze plan, not the free Spark plan | Functions available within the free plan's request allowance |
| Open source | No, Proprietary | Yes, BSD-3-Clause |
| Free plan | Yes: the Spark plan, with no-cost usage limits and no payment method required | Yes: 75,000 monthly requests, bandwidth and storage included, unlimited projects |
| Paid plans from | Blaze plan is pay-as-you-go on top of the same free limits, billed through Google Cloud | $25 a month per project for the Pro plan |
| Made by | Appwrite | |
| Launched | 2012 | 2019 |
What's the difference between Firebase and Appwrite?
Appwrite can be self-hosted, Firebase can't
Appwrite's entire platform is open source under a BSD-3-Clause license and can run on your own infrastructure. Firebase is a proprietary Google service with no self-hosted option; every Firebase project runs on Google's infrastructure.
Appwrite bundles messaging, Firebase doesn't
Appwrite folded Messaging and Sites (hosting) into its Pro plan as part of a September 2025 pricing update. Firebase has no equivalent built-in messaging product; sending notifications typically means integrating a separate Google or third-party service.
Firebase's serverless functions require a paid plan, Appwrite's don't
Firebase Cloud Functions only run on the pay-as-you-go Blaze plan, not the free Spark plan. Appwrite's functions are usable within the free plan's request allowance, without requiring an upgrade first.
Firebase has deeper native mobile SDK coverage
Firebase ships first-class SDKs for Android, iOS, Unity and Flutter, reflecting its origin as a mobile-focused platform. Appwrite covers web, Flutter, iOS, Android and Node.js, a solid but somewhat narrower native platform list, with no dedicated Unity SDK listed.
Firebase vs Appwrite pricing
Firebase's free Spark plan has fixed usage limits with no payment method required, then Blaze bills purely by usage. Appwrite's free plan is request-based, with a flat per-project Pro fee once you need more.
Firebase
Spark (free): fixed limits including 1 GiB Firestore storage, 50,000 daily reads, auth for 50,000 monthly active users, no Cloud Functions. Blaze (pay as you go): same free limits included, then billed per use, for example $0.40 per million Cloud Functions invocations beyond 2 million free.
- Spark (free)
- $0
- Blaze (pay as you go)
- Usage-based, e.g. Cloud Functions $0.40 per million invocations beyond 2M free
Appwrite
Free: 75,000 monthly requests, unlimited projects, community support. Pro: from $25 a month per project, with 2 TB bandwidth, higher storage and execution limits, Messaging and Sites included.
- Free
- $0 a month
- Pro
- From $25 a month per project
- Self-hosted
- $0, run your own infrastructure
Prices in USD from the official pricing pages on 29 September 2026. They change often, so confirm on firebase.google.com and appwrite.io before you commit.
Usage and activity
Appwrite has 11 times as many GitHub stars as Firebase (57.7k against 5.2k). Weekly npm downloads: 12M for firebase and 53.8k for appwrite. Releases on GitHub in the last 90 days: 5 for Firebase and 7 for Appwrite.
| Measure | Firebase | Appwrite |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | 5,155 | 57,697 |
| npm downloads a week | 12M (firebase) | 53.8k (appwrite) |
| Latest release | [email protected], 1 week ago | 2.5.0, 3 days ago |
| Releases in 90 days | 5 | 7 |
From the public GitHub and npm APIs, updated daily. Stars and downloads show developer interest, not product quality.
Should you choose Firebase or Appwrite?
Choose Firebase if
- You're building a native mobile app and want first-class Android, iOS or Unity SDKs
- You want a free tier with fixed limits and no payment method required to start
- You're already using Google Cloud and want billing through the same account
- You don't need to self-host and are comfortable with a fully managed service
Choose Appwrite if
- You want the option to self-host your entire backend on your own infrastructure
- You want messaging (email, SMS, push) bundled into the same platform as your backend
- You want serverless functions available even on the free plan
- You prefer an open source backend under a permissive license
Switching between Firebase and Appwrite
Moving from Firebase to Appwrite means converting Firestore's document collections into Appwrite's own collection model and rewriting Firebase Security Rules as Appwrite's permission system. Moving from Appwrite to Firebase means the reverse, and also means giving up self-hosting, since Firebase has no equivalent option.
Firebase vs Appwrite: common questions
Is Appwrite open source like Firebase?
Appwrite is open source under a BSD-3-Clause license and can be self-hosted. Firebase is a proprietary Google service with no open source or self-hosted option.
Does Appwrite include messaging?
Yes, since a September 2025 pricing update, Messaging and Sites (hosting) are included in Appwrite's Pro plan. Firebase has no equivalent built-in messaging product.
Is Firebase free?
Yes, the Spark plan has fixed no-cost usage limits and needs no payment method. Appwrite's free plan covers 75,000 monthly requests with unlimited projects.
Can I self-host Firebase?
No, Firebase is a proprietary managed service with no self-hosted option. Appwrite's full stack can be self-hosted for free.
Which has better mobile support?
Firebase, with first-class native SDKs for Android, iOS, Unity and Flutter, reflecting its mobile-first origins under Google. Appwrite supports web, Flutter, iOS, Android and Node.js.
Other options to consider
All databases tools
Supabase
Open source Postgres development platform with auth, instant APIs, realtime, storage and edge functions.
Redis
In-memory data store used as a cache, database and message broker, available self-hosted or as Redis Cloud.
MongoDB Atlas
MongoDB's fully managed cloud database service, with a free tier and usage-based paid tiers.
Neon
Serverless Postgres platform with autoscaling and instant branching, owned by Databricks.
Sources
More sources for each tool are on the Firebase and Appwrite pages.
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