BaaS vs SaaS: What’s the difference?

BaaS vs SaaS: Do you know the difference?

There is a range of new business models popping up, taking advantage of the technological revolution. Two of the most popular options are Backend as a Service (Baas) and Software as a Service (SaaS).

Though, at first glance, they can appear to be similar. However, there are some substantial differences between these two models. Let’s look at Baas vs. SaaS to give you a better understanding of these terms.

What is a BaaS: Backend as a Service?

Let’s start by looking at what BaaS is and how it can help your business to grow. When you create a mobile application, there are two main types of development.

The front-end, which is what the users will get to see and experience. Then, you have the back-end development, which houses the more technical tools that developers use to improve the app. Often, when you want to add in a new back-end function, it will take a lot of time to test and improve each one.

However, BaaS companies make this easier for you. For example, they can offer a range of APIs and features like push notifications, social login, data models, giving you access to various innovative functions. For example, they can help your users connect to your app via social media single sign-on. Also, they allow you to run your app in a fully managed infrastructure environment.

This is one of the newest innovations in the service industry, as it only started to become popular in 2011. However, since then, this idea has begun to gain traction, making it easier than ever for people to develop stylish, functional apps. All you need to do is find the right BaaS program and add it to your existing app. Now that we understand a little more about what BaaS is and how it works let’s look at SaaS.

Examples of BaaS companies are Back4App, Firebase, Backendless, Kinvey.

What is Software: Software as a Service?

Software is the programs that you use on your computer. For example, if you wanted to write a document, you might open a software solution, like Word. Historically, when a business wanted to use a program like this, they had to create and host it themselves.

This could be a costly and time-consuming process. For this reason, SaaS companies started to rise in popularity. They offer you the software, which you can access through the internet. The SaaS company will pay for creating the software and will host it themselves.

In exchange for this service, they charge a small subscription fee each month, which allows them to offer their services for a low price. Since they were released, this type of service has become increasingly popular, with a range of SaaS companies gaining mainstream attention.

However, it also means that there is a lot of competition in this space, with multiple types of SaaS companies operating in a similar niche. This has spurred more innovation, as they all try to make sure that their program gives more benefits to the user.

Examples of BaaS companies are Dropbox, MailChimp, DocuSign, Zendesk, etc.

Differences between BaaS and SaaS

Now that we know what both of these terms mean, we can look at some of the differences between them. First, as we mentioned earlier, Backend as a Service is a much newer concept than Software as a Service. For this reason, there is less competition in this space as this area continues to grow. In addition, there is less range of products for the customers to choose from.

Another significant difference is the functions that these services fulfill. BaaS is explicitly focused on helping developers build their platforms. Most of their products feature ways of assisting people in creating repeatable code like push notifications, social login, email notifications, etc.

On the other hand, SaaS applications can be used in a wide range of situations. For example, you can find a service that can help you with anything from accounting to video editing. For this reason, it tends to be easier for SaaS companies to break through into the mainstream, building a large base of users in a shorter time.

Because these two services operate differently, they tend to have a different way of letting people trial the service. To give people a sense of what it’s like to use the software, SaaS companies tend to offer a free trial for the first month.

On the other hand, BaaS companies might develop and release some apps for free. In addition, some BaaS companies may choose to release their products as Open Source. This allows the customer to use and customize the frameworks for free.

Finally, it tends to be easier for people to switch from one SaaS company to another. There are plenty of options to choose from in most cases, so if one service doesn’t work, you can try another. As we discussed, BaaS is newer, so there are fewer options.

Also, for these services to work, developers will need to write and connect the backend code into their applications. If a newer service comes along, it can be challenging to remove that without affecting the whole backend of the application.

Conclusion

Today, there is a new generation of start-ups who use offer a range of innovative solutions to businesses. Two of the most popular options are Backend as a Service (BaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS).

We looked at the differences in their approach. Ultimately, the best one for your purposes will depend on the unique situation that you are facing. Now, you will be able to weigh up SaaS vs BaaS to make a more informed decision.