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Appwrite vs Nhost

Appwrite: Open-source backend platform with databases, auth, storage, functions and realtime, self-hosted or cloud. Nhost: Open-source backend platform on Postgres with Hasura GraphQL, auth, storage and functions.

key differences

  • Horizontal scaling is manual in Appwrite and none in Nhost.
  • Transactions: Appwrite offers limited ACID; Nhost offers full.
  • Only Nhost has transactions, joins, stored procedures.

choose appwrite for

  • +Self-hosted backend for mobile and web apps
  • +Firebase replacement with data sovereignty requirements
  • +Internal tools needing auth, storage and functions quickly

best at · OLTP, Content, Vector search

choose nhost for

  • +GraphQL-first web and mobile backends
  • +Firebase replacement on Postgres
  • +SaaS MVPs needing auth and storage quickly

best at · OLTP, Content, Vector search

AppwriteOpen-source backend platform with databases, auth, storage, functions and realtime, self-hosted or cloud.
NhostOpen-source backend platform on Postgres with Hasura GraphQL, auth, storage and functions.
overview
Primary model
Relational
Relational
Also supports
Document, Vector
Vector
Type
Backend platform
Backend platform
Status
Active
Active
Developer
Appwrite
Nhost AB
First release
2019
2020
Latest version
2.6.2 (Oct 24, 2026)
–
License
Open source (permissive)BSD 3-Clause License
Open source (permissive)MIT License
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
27.2
13.8
Rank
#106
#244
GitHub stars
57.8K
9.4K
Stack Overflow questions
216
–
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Horizontal scaling
Manual
None
Multi-region
None
None
ACID
Limited
Full
Consistency
Strong
Strong
Schema
Flexible
Strict
Architecture
Client server
Client server
deployment
Self-hosted
✓
✓
Vendor-managed cloud
✓
✓
Serverless
—
—
Embedded
—
—
Edge
—
—
Clouds
–
–
capabilities
Transactions
—
✓
Joins
—
✓
Secondary indexes
✓
✓
Full-text search
✓
✓
Vector search
✓
✓
Geospatial
—
—
JSON
✓
✓
Change data capture
—
—
Triggers
✓
✓
Stored procedures
—
✓
Materialized views
—
—
TTL / expiry
—
—
Pub/Sub
✓
✓
Columnar storage
—
—
In-memory
—
—
Durable persistence
✓
✓
Compression
—
—
Encryption at rest
—
—
Role-based access
✓
✓
Time travel
—
—
Branching
—
—
Online schema changes
—
—
Streaming ingest
—
—
Offline sync
—
—
Runs in WebAssembly
—
—
interfaces
Query languages
Appwrite Query API, GraphQL
GraphQL, SQL
Client languages
JavaScript, Dart, Swift, Kotlin, Python, PHP, Ruby, Go
JavaScript, Dart, Swift, Kotlin
Best for
OLTP, Content, Vector search
OLTP, Content, Vector search
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

Appwrite vs Nhost: FAQ

What is the difference between Appwrite and Nhost?

Appwrite: Open-source backend platform with databases, auth, storage, functions and realtime, self-hosted or cloud. Nhost: Open-source backend platform on Postgres with Hasura GraphQL, auth, storage and functions. Horizontal scaling is manual in Appwrite and none in Nhost. Transactions: Appwrite offers limited ACID; Nhost offers full. Only Nhost has transactions, joins, stored procedures.

When should I choose Appwrite over Nhost?

Choose Appwrite for self-hosted backend for mobile and web apps; firebase replacement with data sovereignty requirements; and internal tools needing auth, storage and functions quickly. Choose Nhost for GraphQL-first web and mobile backends; firebase replacement on Postgres; and SaaS MVPs needing auth and storage quickly.

Is Appwrite or Nhost more popular?

Appwrite ranks #106 on the WhichDB Score (27.2/100) and Nhost ranks #244 (13.8/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are Appwrite and Nhost open source?

Yes. Appwrite is open source. License: BSD 3-Clause License. Yes. Nhost is open source. License: MIT License.