Appwrite vs Nhost
Both are alternatives to Firebase. Here's how they stack up — verified facts, no spin.
Also searched as Nhost vs Appwrite — same comparison, one verdict.
Appwrite and Nhost are closely matched on ownership (92 vs 88) — this one comes down to pricing and to which trade-offs below you can live with.
Appwrite
The self-hosted backend that ships as one Docker command.
Appwrite bundles databases, authentication with 30-plus OAuth providers, storage, serverless functions and realtime into a product designed from the start to be self-hosted — one `docker compose up` and you have the whole backend running on your own machine. Where Supabase leads with Postgres, Appwrite leads with operational simplicity, and the SDK coverage across Flutter, web, Apple and Android is unusually complete. BSD-3-Clause, around 56.7k stars. It is the pick when you want to own the whole stack without becoming a database administrator to do it.
Nhost
Postgres plus instant GraphQL, for teams that think in queries.
Nhost pairs Postgres with Hasura to give you a GraphQL API generated straight from your schema, alongside authentication, storage and serverless functions. If your front end is React or Vue and your team already prefers GraphQL to REST, this is the shortest path from a database table to a typed query in the client. MIT, self-hostable, with a hosted tier. It is the smallest project here at around 9.3k stars, which is the caveat — the technology is sound and the ecosystem is thin.
Side by side
10 points of comparison, every one read from a verified field. Green marks the side that wins a row outright. A dash means we do not hold that fact — never that it is zero.
| Appwrite | Nhost | |
|---|---|---|
| Sovereignty ScoreOur transparent 0–100 composite for data ownership and exit cost. | 92 | 88 |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes |
| Local-first data | Yes | Yes |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | MIT |
| Pricing | Free and open source to self-host. Appwrite Cloud has a free tier and paid plans from about $15/month. | Free tier available; hosted plans from about $25/month. Self-hostable at no licence cost. |
| RAM to run it wellThe figure that actually matters, not the vendor's minimum. | 6 GB | — |
| Realistic running costWhat the box costs each month if you run it yourself. | $40–70/mo self-hosted, against Firebase pricing that is generous until suddenly it is not | — |
| Setup timeHonest first-install estimate, not the marketing quickstart. | 2 hours | — |
| Ongoing maintenanceThe part nobody budgets for. | Moderate to high. A dozen services means a dozen things that can be the problem. | — |
Appwrite edges it on the Sovereignty Score, but the right pick depends on the trade-offs below.
Appwrite
Strengths
- +Self-hosts in a single Docker Compose command — the lowest-friction option here
- +Excellent SDK coverage including Flutter, Apple and Android
- +Permissive BSD-3-Clause with no enterprise directory carve-out
- +Auth, storage, functions and realtime all in one binary set
Trade-offs
- −Its own database abstraction rather than raw Postgres — less portable data
- −Smaller ecosystem and fewer third-party integrations than Supabase
- −Query capability is thinner than SQL when the data model gets complex
- −Scaling beyond a single node needs planning
Nhost
Strengths
- +Instant GraphQL from your Postgres schema via Hasura
- +Real Postgres underneath, so the data stays portable
- +MIT licensed with a genuine self-host path
- +Strong typed-client story for React and Vue front ends
Trade-offs
- −Much smaller community than Supabase or Appwrite
- −GraphQL-first is a commitment, not a neutral default
- −Self-hosting means running Hasura and Postgres, not one binary
- −Fewer SDKs, and mobile support lags the others
Which one fits you
The trade-offs above, turned into a decision. Find the line that describes your team.
Choose Appwrite
if a lower exit cost matters more to you than any single feature, and self-hosts in a single Docker Compose command — the lowest-friction option here.
Choose Nhost
if instant GraphQL from your Postgres schema via Hasura.
Neither, yet
if both carry a real cost you should weigh first — its own database abstraction rather than raw Postgres — less portable data, and much smaller community than Supabase or Appwrite. If either of those is a dealbreaker for your team, the shortlist is wrong rather than the choice.
What it takes to run these yourself
Real requirements and honest running costs, not the vendor quickstart.
Appwrite vs Nhost — common questions
Is Appwrite a better fit than Nhost for backend as a service?
It depends on what you are optimising for, and the honest split is this: Appwrite scores 92 to Nhost's 88 on data ownership and exit cost, so it is the safer choice if you care about being able to leave. Nhost earns its place on a different axis — instant GraphQL from your Postgres schema via Hasura. Neither is a wrong answer for every team; the table above is the actual comparison.
What happens if we want to switch later?
Appwrite keeps its data local or in open formats, so leaving is an export rather than a negotiation. Nhost is still self-hostable, so the files stay on your server either way — but it is not local-first by design, so check what its export produces before you rely on it.
Can I self-host Appwrite or Nhost?
Both can be self-hosted. The difference is what it costs you in time rather than whether it is possible — see the setup and maintenance rows above.
Are Appwrite and Nhost both alternatives to Firebase?
Yes — both appear in our Firebase comparison, which is why they are worth putting side by side. People usually arrive here already having decided to move off Firebase and now choosing between the two replacements, which is a narrower and much easier question.
Related alternative guides
Facts verified 2026-07-31. Licenses and pricing change — spotted something out of date? That's a correction we want.