SurrealDB vs Appwrite Cloud
A detailed comparison to help you choose between SurrealDB and Appwrite Cloud.
Quick Verdict
3.6/5
SurrealDB
0 reviews
3.9/5
Appwrite Cloud
0 reviews
Appwrite Cloud is rated higher (3.9 vs 3.6). SurrealDB is a multi-model database that handles relational, document, graph, and full-text queries in a single database. Schema-optional, built-in auth, and real-time subscriptions. Appwrite is an open source BaaS with database, authentication, storage, functions, and messaging. Self-hostable on Docker. Appwrite Cloud provides managed hosting.
SurrealDB Multi-model database with built-in real-time sync and WebSocket support | Appwrite Cloud Open-source backend platform with built-in database, auth, and APIs | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 3.6 (0 reviews) | 3.9 (0 reviews)✓ |
| Pricing model | freemium | freemium |
| Starting price | Free tier available | Free tier available |
| Best for | Teams building real-time, multi-model applications that would otherwise combine a document database, a search engine and a graph store | Developers and small teams who want a complete managed backend with a genuine self-hosting exit and refuse Firebase-style lock-in. |
| Specifications (entry plan) | ||
| CPU cores | 0 vCPU | — |
| RAM | 1 GB | — |
| Storage | 1 GB | — |
| Bandwidth | — | — |
| SLA uptime | — | — |
| Data-center count | 3 | — |
| €/GB RAM/mo | €0.00 | — |
| Features | ||
| IPv6 | ||
| DDoS protection | ||
| Automated backups | ||
| Snapshots | ||
| Managed option | ||
| Bare metal | ||
| GPU available | ||
| S3-compatible | ||
| Hourly billing | ✓ | |
| Free tier | ||
| Data-center locations | ||
| Regions | AWS Ireland (aws-euw1), AWS US East N. Virginia (aws-use1), AWS US West Oregon (aws-usw2) | — |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | free tieropen sourceself hostableapi access | free tieropen sourceself hostableapi access |
| Visit SurrealDB → | Visit Appwrite Cloud → | |
SurrealDB
Pros
- + One engine for relational, document, graph, time-series and geospatial data, plus full-text and vector search
- + Transparent published rate table with a real free instance (0.25 vCPU, 1 GB memory, 1 GB storage)
- + Hourly billing keeps development and prototype instances cheap
- + Granular permissions at table, document and field level defined in the schema
- + Self-hostable under BSL 1.1 with open-source (Apache 2.0 / MIT) SDKs as an exit path
Cons
- - Young database: 1.0 in 2023 and the storage engine is still being replaced
- - Only three AWS regions (Ireland, N. Virginia, Oregon) — nothing in APAC
- - Smaller ecosystem, tooling and hiring pool than PostgreSQL or MongoDB
- - Scale plan requires a three-node minimum; several advertised features are still marked coming soon
- - Custom SLAs only at Enterprise tier; backup retention policy for free instances is ambiguous in the docs
Appwrite Cloud
Pros
- + BSD 3-Clause open source with full self-hosting on any Docker host
- + Generous Pro resources: 2 TB bandwidth, 150 GB storage, 200K MAU at $25/month
- + Complete backend stack: auth, databases, storage, functions, realtime, messaging
- + Clear published overage rates and budget caps
- + Six regions across NA, EU, and APAC
Cons
- - No published uptime SLA on cloud plans
- - Free tier pauses projects after a week of inactivity; two-project limit
- - Per-project pricing multiplies cost for multi-project architectures
- - Smaller integration ecosystem than Firebase or Supabase
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