head to head · open source
PocketBase vs Bknd
PocketBase has 61,070 GitHub stars, 3,688 forks, 19 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. Bknd has 3,762 stars, 145 forks, 42 open issues and last shipped 6 months ago. PocketBase leads on adoption by 1,523% (61,070 vs 3,762 stars). PocketBase is written in Go under MIT; Bknd is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0. PocketBase has attracted 6% as many forks as stars, Bknd 4%. PocketBase was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| PocketBase | Bknd | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 61K | ★ 3.8K |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Go | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-16 | 2026-04-06 |
| Forks | ⑂ 3.7K | ⑂ 145 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick PocketBase if
- You weight community size — 61K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Go
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Bknd if
- You want the Bknd feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and Bknd fits your workflow better
About PocketBase
PocketBase is an open source backend framework written in Go that bundles a SQLite database, authentication, file storage, admin dashboard, and REST API into a single executable file. It lives in the Go ecosystem and targets developers who want a lightweight, self contained backend without managing separate services like PostgreSQL, Redis, or a separate auth server.
read the full PocketBase overview →
About Bknd
Bknd is a lightweight TypeScript backend platform that provides a visual backend for database management, authentication, media, and workflows. It is positioned as a Firebase and Supabase alternative that can run inside many JavaScript environments, including Next.js, React Router, Astro, Cloudflare, Bun, Node.js, and AWS Lambda.
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Frequently asked questions
Is PocketBase or Bknd more popular?
PocketBase has 61,070 GitHub stars and Bknd has 3,762. PocketBase has the larger community by that measure.
Are PocketBase and Bknd free?
Both are open source. PocketBase is licensed under MIT and Bknd under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between PocketBase and Bknd?
PocketBase is written in Go and Bknd in TypeScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, PocketBase or Bknd?
Choose PocketBase if you want the larger community (61,070 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose Bknd if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.