List of open source, self hosted BaaS - Backend as a service

OpenSourceBaas.md

Backend as a Service

Note on sizes: a lot of those might be inaccurate as there might be many microservices required aside from the core release/docker image. I haven't tested these recently so I'm not sure

Supabase - ~94.9K stars

• Designed explicitly as an open source Firebase alternative
• Typescript based
• Docker support
• Full Postgres database with Realtime subscriptions

PocketBase - ~54.5K stars

• Release size: ~12 MB
• Go based, with Svelte frontend
• Distributed as a single portable executable (easy to deploy)
• Embedded SQLite database (WAL mode) with realtime subscriptions
• Extremely lightweight, ideal for small to medium projects

Appwrite - ~53.9K stars

• Docker image size: ~500 MB
• Written in JavaScript and PHP
• Docker based microservices architecture
• Realtime support across all services
• Advanced security features (virus-scanning, data encryption, auto SSL, rate-limiting)
• Cross-platform SDKs for Web, Flutter, Mobile, and Desktop
• Cloud Functions with +15 runtimes

Parse Server - ~21.3K stars

• Docker image Size: ~70 MB
• JavaScript based (Node.js/Express)
• The original open-source BaaS
• Supports MongoDB or PostgreSQL
• Has official Dockerfile

Nakama - ~11.9K stars

• Release Size: ~20 MB
• Go based
• Has official Docker images
• Requires CockroachDB or Postgres
• Specifically designed for gaming (matchmaking, leaderboards, chat, multiplayer)

Instant - ~9.5K stars

• Clojure based (backend) with TypeScript SDKs
• "Firebase, but for the modern web"
• Client-side database that handles optimistic updates, offline caching, and relational queries automatically
• Uses a triple-store on top of Postgres

Nhost - ~9K stars

• Written as a Firebase alternative with GraphQL support (via Hasura)
• Typescript based
• Includes docker-compose example
• Provides Auth, Storage, and Serverless Functions

Convex - ~8.6K stars

• Release Size: ~50 MB
• Rust and TypeScript based
• Recently open-sourced reactive backend
• Functions run transactionally and push updates to the client via WebSockets automatically
• Strong focus on Type safety

LoopBack 4 - ~5.1K stars

• More of an API development platform than a pre-packaged BaaS
• TypeScript and JavaScript based
• Good starting point if building a custom BaaS

bknd - ~3.4K stars

• Minimum Size: ~0.3 MB
• TypeScript based
• Visual backend for database management and workflows
• Lightweight and designed to run in diverse environments

Manifest - ~3.2K stars

• TypeScript based
• The "1-file backend" - define your database, admin panel, and API in a single YAML file
• Designed for rapid prototyping

Kuzzle - ~1.6K stars

• Docker image Size (kuzzle runner): ~200 MB
• JavaScript based
• Elasticsearch as a NoSQL document storage
• Has Docker Compose file

TrailBase - ~4.3K stars

• Release Size: ~20 MB
• Rust based
• Single-file executable using SQLite and V8 (for JS/TS server-side logic)
• Focuses on simplicity and performance

Conduit - ~800 stars

• TypeScript based
• Database support: MongoDB, PostgreSQL
• Modular architecture: Storage (S3, Azure, Google), Auth, Email, SMS, Chat

Para - ~550 stars

• Release Size: ~100 MB
• Java based
• Has official Docker images
• Database agnostic

Other services

These services aren't exactly Backend-as-a-Service (usually headless CMS or Database layers), but are often used in similar contexts.

Strapi - ~70.7K stars

Directus - ~33.7K stars

SurrealDB - ~29.1K stars

Userbase - ~2.3K stars

Discontinued BaaS

CloudBoost - ~1.4K stars

• Last commit in Nov 2020
• JavaScript based
• MongoDB database

Apache Usergrid - ~1K stars

• Last commit in Dec 2020
• Java based
• Cassandra database

SkyGear - ~400 stars

• Last commit in Jun 2020
• Go based

Further notes

• Platform as a service? Is one needed alongside BaaS? Dokku markets itself as mini heroku, maybe a good one to try first (e.g. Flynn, tsuru, openshift, dokku, cloud foundry)

Pocketbase is a single ~40 mb portable binary. That's why they don't provide docker images, it's almost pointless

bknd-io/bknd is a baas project I have seen recently.

Hi all,
I feel like ppl on this thread can help me out.
I'm about start building a new application/solution which will be used by our enterprise customers.
The problem is some will be require on prem deployment and some just want to use it as a SaaS.
I'm looking for a BaaS which allows me to both self host, for customers requiring on prem deployment on their hardware, and use cloud hosting for the ones that want SaaS because I don't want to host the service myself for them.
Any suggestions/thoughts along with reasoning would be appreciated?

I just noticed that you didn't include Back4app in your list. Back4app is an open-source BaaS platform based on Parse Server. It comes with self-hosting and multi-cloud setup and offers great ease to developers. Unlike Firebase, you can use Back4app without any vendor lock-in issues. Powerful support for REST & GraphQL APIs, real-time data management, cloud functions, a free tier without inserting banking details, push notifications, HIPAA, and GDPR compliance also differentiate this vendor among open-source self-hosting options. I think you must add it to your list.

You might also check out Run4j — a cloud-native script execution platform for Java devs. Think of it as a dev-first alternative to low-code BaaS tools, with real-time logs, API triggers, and AI-assisted scripting. Not traditional BaaS, but powerful if you need full code control + automation.

Great list - thanks!. You could also consider adding https://github.com/trailbaseio/trailbase (author here). It uses Rust + SolidJS + SQLite, https://trailbase.io/comparison/pocketbase/ talks a bit how it relates to and differs from PocketBase.

Thanks again for your list!

NIT: I'm not sure what you mean by SupaBase is "Typescript based". SupaBase is a microservices architecture around Postgres. It uses a wide range of languages including also Rust, Haskell and Elixir.

Unrelated cause this isnt self hosted but you can also use Cocobase https://cocobase.buzz