Cloud Firestore Alternatives – Which is the best?

This article will provide an overview of Cloud Firestore, and present the best five alternatives to it. It will cover the features, pros & cons, and pricing of each provider.

A high-end database is one of the most vital prerequisites for any business that aims to host high-performance apps and websites. There is a great deal of popular database service options available today.

One of the widely popular options is Firestore from the Google stable, known for the level of features and functionality it offers to developers. 

Firestore may not meet your needs in terms of relational queries or vendor lock-in. So, there are many credible Google Firestore alternatives that you should consider before committing to it. Doing so can help you make the right decision if you are evaluating hosting options. 

What is Firestore? 

Firestore or Cloud Firestore is a component of the Firebase development platform. Firestore is a cloud-hosted NoSQL database that can be accessed directly by web and mobile applications through native SDKs.

Developers can avail Java, C++, Node.js, Unity, and Go SDK options for Firestore, along with RPC and REST APIs. This database facilitates automatic scaling, offers reliability, ease-of-use, and high levels of performance.

Firestore utilizes the Access Management and Cloud Identity features of Google for authentication purposes. Using Firestore helps users synchronize their data across client applications via real-time listeners. Cloud Firestore stores data as documents that are situated within collections.

Documents offer support for various data types, including strings, nested objects, and numbers. Firestore provides a wide range of convenient features and functionalities for users.

Why developers use Firestore?

• It provides a fully managed services
• It is scalable
• It allows more complex queries vs. Firebase’s Real Time Database
• It is multi-region
• It provides real-time updates

Why are developers looking for Firestore alternatives?

• Firestore is NoSQL
• Firestore is a proprietary product from Firebase
• Firestore has vendor lock-in
• Firestore does not provide self-hosting options
• Data migration is easier using a SQL database

Best 5 Firestore Alternatives

Here is a list with the best alternatives to Firestore.

Back4App

Back4App refers to a relational backend based on Open-Source technologies. Developers utilize it for the creation of flexible and scalable applications at a fast pace.

Advantages

• Open-source
• Relational Queries
• Works with Postgres or NoSQL databases
• GraphQL or REST APIs
• Real-time

Features

• Spreadsheet like database abstraction
• Multitenant dashboard
• Serverless Architecture
• Multi-region
• Authentication, Push-Notifications, autogenerated APIs

Pricing

• Free tier available
• Shared hosting starts at $25/mo
• Dedicated servers starts at $250/mo

Backendless

Backendless is an application development platform created for the convenience of developers.

It is a MbaaS (Mobile backend as a service) solution offering various tools for efficient and more accessible development. Backendless offers cloud-based, managed, and dedicated servers for users. It is known for its user-defined APIs.

Backendless Advantages

• Easy of use
• Auto-generated APIs
• Dedicated Support
• 24/7 Monitoring
• Managed Migrations

Features

• Database – Backendless database is a secure and scalable solution facilitating both SQL and NoSQL functionality. 

• Caching – Caching is a feature that helps developers raise the rate at which their applications work. 

• Cloud Code – Cloud Code allows developers to customize the backend development code based on application requirements. 

• Geolocation – Geolocation is a feature that helps developers make their applications aware of locations, through geofencing and data object geo-relations. 

• Logging – Backendless facilities centralized log file management for enhancing application efficiency. It also offers advanced multi-level logging.

• Codeless – You can use visual methods for constructing code logic with the help of no-code APIs. 

Pricing

• Free tier available
• Backendless Cloud starts at $25/mo

Managed Postgres Services

Postgres or PostgreSQL is an open-source RDBMS (relational database management system) that relies on the SQL language. It facilitates efficient scaling and storage of data.

Postgres runs across all operating systems and is known for its features, reliability, and extensibility. It offers support for a vast number of primitive, document-based, and structured data types. 

There are several manages Postgres service available on the market. Couple of examples are:

• Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL
• Digital Ocean worry-free PostgreSQL hosting
• Elephant SQL Postgres as a service

Advantages of Postgres

• Open-source
• PostgreSQL support ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability).
• Flexible Full-text search
• Diverse types of data replication
• Multiple managed hosting options

Features

• Data integrity – Postgres data integrity features include primary keys, foreign keys, advisory locks, explicit locks, and exclusion constraints.

• Data types – Postgres supports many data types, including integers, strings, booleans, numerics, XML, JSON, polygons, lines, circles, and points.  

• Security – Postgres security features include SSPI, GSSAPI, LDAP, Certificate, and SCRAM-SHA-256 authentication. 

• Text search – Postgres offers search features including full-text search; international character sets support, accent-insensitive and case-insensitive collations. 

• Reliability – Postgres is reliable as it offers write-ahead logging, synchronous, asynchronous and logical replication, point-in-time recovery, and other disaster recovery features. 

• Extensibility – Postgres offers extensibility features, including SQL/JSON path expressions, customizable table storage interfaces, procedural languages support, and stored functions. 

Pricing

• Postgres is Free to download and local storage
• Managed services start at $15/mo

Parse

Parse refers to a popular open-source framework used for the development of application backends. The framework helps developers achieve speedy application development and reduces the effort required.

It is a robust solution for developing IoT, web, and mobile applications. Parse supports frontend technologies such as Java, Swift, Ionic, React Native, and Xamarim.

Advantages

• Open-source and downloadable
• Supports GraphQL APIs and live-queries
• Supports Postgres

Features

• Data modeling – Enables the simplified organization of data in a manner similar to spreadsheets

• GraphQL APIs – Users can create end-to-end dynamic GraphQL APIs with minimum coding. 

• Real-time notifications – Lets users send real-time notifications and simultaneous record updates

• File System – Parse adapters enable users to store data and host files across multiple service providers such as AWS, Google Cloud, and Back4App. 

• Email Notifications – Allows users to automate email verification processes to facilitate swift email address verifications and password resets. 

• Rest APIs – Parse enables the creation of dynamic and end-to-end REST APIs with minimal coding. 

• Social Logins – Developers can achieve social login features with Parse through the use of third-party authentication. 

Kinvey

Kinvey is a high-performance serverless app development platform that facilities the creation of sturdy, multi-channel applications. It makes use of front-end SDKs and a cloud backend.

Kinvey lets users lay focus on delivering optimal user experiences and enhances productivity through pre-built components. It is useful for data storage and integration, standard development features, and file storage.

Advantages

• Enterprise focus
• Truly native digital experiences
• Best in class security

Features

• Codesharing – Kinvey lets you create and manage multi-platform applications with ease through a convenient codesharing feature. 

• Angular and native script – Developers can experience all angular development advantages, and gain full access to native APIs. 

• Serverless backend – Users get access to a template-based approach for developing multi-channel app experiences.  

• Easy authentication – Developers can easily manage their authentication processes, and create login screens fast. 
  
• Data pipeline – Kinvey utilizes low-code microservices to enable the speedy management and visualization of enterprise systems. 

• Integration – Kinvey keeps app source code free and helps you utilize IDEs, source control and CI Tools. 

Pricing

• Free trial available
• Paid plans start at $2,500 per year

Amazon RDS

The first option we have here is Amazon Relational Database Service, which brings amazing reliability and services. It is provided by Amazon Web Services, which means the whole thing will be very efficient and simple.

Advantages

• Best optimizations regardless of the size and type of your application
• Not much maintenance efforts needed
• Uptime and performance are like no other option available

Features

• Provides database administration provisioning
• Scalability is an amazing feature if you are looking to develop scalable apps
• With the application performance configuration feature, you can ensure that your applications perform well
• Database monitoring feature allows you to keep track of things if they are going the right way or not
• SQL or Query Language based database is easier to integrate for many developers

Price

Pricing works under the Pay as you go model and details are available on the pricing page.

Digital Ocean Managed Hosting

It is a worry-free managed hosting provided by Digital Ocean. The dedicated CPUs also allow you to reduce the workload from your computer.

Advantages

• Daily backups
• Minute-wise performance graphs
• Automated failover support

Features

• The data will be encrypted on the networking level as well as on the hardware level
• Switching between plans and regions is not a difficult thing at all
• If you want to upgrade your database to the newer versions, then it can be done with only one click

Price

• Free tier available
• Managed Databases available at $15

Fauna

Fauna provides a transactional databases that you can use via the Cloud API in your application. One of the best things about this database is that it keeps things well-performing and highly productive.

Advantages

• Amazing user experience
• Better uptime and performance reliability
• Amazing customer support and service

Features

• Real-time document sharing
• Multi-Factor authentication
• Unlimited capacity to store data
• Third-party authentication services
• FQL and GraphQL working

Price

• Start for free
• Services start at $22.5 per month with pay as you grow.

CouchDB

CouchDB makes the NoSQL solutions simple and easy for you while upscaling the feature list and reliability that you can enjoy using it. It is available in multiple formats to meet all your requirements.

Advantages

• Single node database for easy working
• The clustered database is also available
• Provides the best reliability features

Features:

• Offline first data synchronization feature ensures to work with challenging networks.
• Build apps on different ecosystems and seamlessly share data among all
• Compatible with any software format because of HTTP and JSON protocols
• Globally distributed server network
• Perfect choice for mobile devices and web platforms

Price

Information about pricing is available upon contacting their team

Google Cloud SQL

The last one that we have here comes from Google. Google is already known for its exceptional Cloud services, and This Cloud SQL service continues the legacy. Here you get exceptional performance and user-friendly features to develop well-performing applications.

Advantages

• Managed database services
• MySQL working database
• Automatic scalability

Features

• Encrypted database
• Easy importing and exporting of data
• Automated, as well as on-demand backups, are available
• Manages things on Google Cloud console
• Supports several languages

Price

• Storage prices start at $0.09 per GB per month for HDD storage
• Storage prices start at $0.17 per GB per month for SSD storage

Firestore Alternatives – Comparison Table

Conclusion

These are five of the best alternatives to Firestore that we analyzed based on features, advantages, pricing, and hosting options. As an experienced developer, you might have made your choice already.

Firestore has many advantages, like providing a fully managed service, scalable solution, and multi-region deployment. Although it works perfectly for many situations, it may not be the ideal solution for other use cases that require a SQL database, more complex queries, and open-source technologies.

For these scenarios, Firestore alternatives like Back4App, Backendless, Postgres, Parse, and Kinvey may be an excellent option to replace Firestore.

Nevertheless, this list would be beneficial for those who are yet to choose or plan to change the infrastructure they are currently using.

General FAQ