Firebase vs PocketBase
Is it time to switch? We break down the differences so you can stop bleeding money.
Choose PocketBase.
If you want to own your data, save money, and avoid vendor lock-in, PocketBase is open source and community-driven.
What Actually Matters
No fluff — just the differences that affect your decision
PocketBase is open source (MIT). Firebase is closed. If vendor lock-in keeps you up at night, this is the deciding factor.
PocketBase supports self-hosting via Docker. Firebase is SaaS-only — convenient, but you're renting, not owning.
PocketBase has the bigger crowd: 61.4k stars vs 0. More contributors, more integrations, more momentum.
PocketBase is built in Go — you can read the source, contribute, or fork it. Firebase is closed-source, so you're trusting their engineering.
Want seamless google ecosystem integration? Go Firebase. Need ships as a single binary — no dependencies? Go PocketBase. For most teams: pick the one you can own.
Firebase
Google's app development platform.
Why Choose Firebase
- ✓Seamless Google ecosystem integration
- ✓Generous free tier (Spark plan)
- ✓Real-time database out of the box
Drawbacks
- ×Vendor lock-in to Google
- ×Pricing can spike unpredictably at scale
PocketBase
Open Source realtime backend in 1 file
Why Choose PocketBase
- ✓Ships as a single binary — no dependencies
- ✓Deploy anywhere in seconds with zero config
- ✓Embedded SQLite with realtime subscriptions
Drawbacks
- ×SQLite only (for now)