head to head · open source
PocketBase vs HeyForm
PocketBase has 61,070 GitHub stars, 3,688 forks, 19 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. HeyForm has 8,977 stars, 708 forks, 10 open issues and last shipped 9 days ago. PocketBase leads on adoption by 580% (61,070 vs 8,977 stars). PocketBase is written in Go under MIT; HeyForm is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0. PocketBase has attracted 6% as many forks as stars, HeyForm 8%. 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.
← all 8884 open source comparisons
Side by side
| PocketBase | HeyForm | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 61K | ★ 9.0K |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Go | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-16 | 2026-09-09 |
| Forks | ⑂ 3.7K | ⑂ 708 |
| 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 HeyForm if
- You want the HeyForm feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and HeyForm 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 HeyForm
HeyForm is an open source form builder written in TypeScript and released under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0. It lives in the JavaScript and TypeScript ecosystem, and its repository is organised as a monorepo of packages: a Node server, a React webapp, a form renderer, an embeddable JavaScript library, and shared utilities and type definitions used by both the server and the webapp. The project describes itself as an open source form builder built for small business success, and it is positioned as an open alternative to Typeform.
read the full HeyForm overview →
More in Developer Tools
Related comparisons
More Frameworks & Platforms projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the Frameworks & Platforms field.
Frequently asked questions
Is PocketBase or HeyForm more popular?
PocketBase has 61,070 GitHub stars and HeyForm has 8,977. PocketBase has the larger community by that measure.
Are PocketBase and HeyForm free?
Both are open source. PocketBase is licensed under MIT and HeyForm under AGPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between PocketBase and HeyForm?
PocketBase is written in Go and HeyForm 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 HeyForm?
Choose PocketBase if you want the larger community (61,070 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose HeyForm if its feature set, stack or AGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.