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Head-to-head · Backend as a Service

Appwrite Realtime vs Nhost

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score Appwrite Realtime #2 in Backend as a Service 8.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Appwrite
Nhost #7 in Backend as a Service 7.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Nhost

Appwrite Realtime leads on 0 checks, Nhost on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreAppwrite Realtime · 8.5/10
  • Free planboth

Appwrite Realtime scores higher on our rubric for backend as a service: 8.5 against 7.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #7.

On database type, Appwrite Realtime gives you Multi-model where Nhost offers Relational.

Appwrite Realtime is the better fit for open-source realtime application backends. Nhost is the better fit for graphQL-first Postgres applications.

  • Appwrite Realtime fits best

    Open-source realtime application backends

  • Nhost fits best

    GraphQL-first Postgres applications

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Side by side

Feature Appwrite Realtime 8.5/10 Visit ↗ Nhost 7.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.5 7.8
Ranking #2 in Backend as a Service #7 in Backend as a Service
Best for Open-source realtime application backends GraphQL-first Postgres applications
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free plan + paid
Starting price — $25/mo
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Self-hosted Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms Web, iOS, Android Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Email, Community, Docs · 24/7 Email, Community, Docs · 24/7
Compliance SOC 2, GDPR, HIPAA, 2FA SOC 2, GDPR, 2FA
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Appwrite Realtime 4/4 · Nhost 4/4
Serverless functions ✓ ✓
Realtime data ✓ ✓
File storage ✓ ✓
Automatic APIs ✓ ✓
Specs
Database type Multi-model Relational
Authentication methods Not checked yet Not checked yet
Free authentication users 75000 users Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • WebSocket subscriptions with channels and event filtering
  • Permissions control which realtime updates clients receive
  • Includes databases, auth, storage, functions, SDKs, and self-hosting
  • Generated GraphQL queries, mutations, and realtime subscriptions
  • Authentication includes MFA, WebAuthn, OAuth, and magic links
  • Local Docker development, Git deployments, storage, and functions
Cons
  • Realtime is part of Appwrite rather than separately priced
  • Free limits projects to one database, bucket, and two functions
  • Enterprise features are reserved for the Enterprise plan
  • Team pricing rises to $599 per month
  • Dedicated clusters are an Enterprise add-on
  • GraphQL is central to the platform's API approach
Our verdict

Appwrite Realtime is a WebSocket-based API for live updates across Appwrite services. It is intended for developers building interactive web, iOS, Android, API, and backend applications that need live data synchronization. Realtime…

Read the review →

Nhost is a managed backend platform for developers building web and mobile applications around PostgreSQL and GraphQL. Each project gets a dedicated PostgreSQL database, with automatically generated queries, mutations, and realtime…

Read the review →
  1. Appwrite RealtimeBackend as a Service 8.5Free plan
  2. NhostBackend as a Service 7.8Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Appwrite Realtime — where it wins

    • WebSocket subscriptions with channels and event filtering
    • Permissions control which realtime updates clients receive
    • Includes databases, auth, storage, functions, SDKs, and self-hosting

    Where it doesn't

    • Realtime is part of Appwrite rather than separately priced
    • Free limits projects to one database, bucket, and two functions
    • Enterprise features are reserved for the Enterprise plan

  • Nhost — where it wins

    • Generated GraphQL queries, mutations, and realtime subscriptions
    • Authentication includes MFA, WebAuthn, OAuth, and magic links
    • Local Docker development, Git deployments, storage, and functions

    Where it doesn't

    • Team pricing rises to $599 per month
    • Dedicated clusters are an Enterprise add-on
    • GraphQL is central to the platform's API approach
  • Appwrite Realtime8.5/10 · Free plan

    A broad open-source backend platform with permission-aware realtime subscriptions.

    Visit AppwriteFull verdict →
  • Nhost7.8/10 · Free plan

    A capable GraphQL-first backend with PostgreSQL, realtime APIs, and a free starting tier.

    Visit NhostFull verdict →

More comparisons

All backend as a service comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update