The Best 10 Backends For React!

The section of an app or website communicated with the end user refers to the client side. Similarly, the part of a site or app that deals with server-side operations is called backend.

Choosing the correct backend for your frontend is crucial. Mainly, if you use the React library for frontend operations, employing a suitable backend for React will be a daunting task.

React is basically a JS library utilized to craft native, highly interactive, and scalable UIs in the breeze.

Founded in 2013, React uses a declarative and component-centric approach to design user interfaces. Moreover, this open-source library has 45.1k repository forks and 221k stars on GitHub.

Contrarily, if we talk about its market dominance among the popular JavaScript libraries, it holds a 4.5% share and 5.6% usage percentage, according to W3Techs.

Correspondingly, a survey by Statista claims that React is the 2nd most used web framework with 40.58% votes. 

So, it is essential to choose the best backend for React that doubles the chances of success for your project. So, this article will discuss the types of React backends and the top solutions. 

Why My App Need a Backend?

React developers typically emphasize the client side of the application to get maximum user experience.

Hereof, dev teams handle data using state and user interplay. However, advanced applications need a backend to deal with data. 

A backend is responsible for obtaining, querying, backlogging and revising app datasets. Unlike the frontend, app users can’t interact and approach the backend.  

The two major segments of a backend are the following:

Databases – Utilized to gather, access, and run any type of data.

APIs – These are used for data retrievals and to authorize different apps to communicate with each other.

Types of React Backends

React developers must employ the right type of backend for their application. That is why we are sharing the commonly used React backend types below:

Content Management Systems

If you want to administer, craft and present your React backend content without particular coding skills, CMS or content management system should be your preference.

CMS provides a complete set of tools to handle your data on the fly. This backend type has pre-installed editors to display, organize and update the server-side data.

Hereof, the use of headless CMS is becoming popular because it gives more freedom over choosing a frontend technology. Besides, it stringently handles the content and utilizes APIs (REST or GraphQL). 

The powerful and developer-friendly CMSs are Strapi, GraphCMS, Contentful and KeystoneJS.

Backend as a Service

Backend as a Service or BaaS is the right solution for your React app if you need to deal with complicated server-side chores.

Yes, if you are looking for real-time data management, built-in user authentication, serverless functions, push notifications, cloud storage, etc., you should prefer BaaS over CMSs.

Backend as a Service platforms take care of all React backend operations and lets you focus on the core competencies and client-side tasks.

The finest BaaS backends for React are Back4app, Firebase, Supabase and Appwrite. 

Custom Backend

Contrarily, if you need a highly tailored React backend and have a team of skilled developers, you can also choose a custom option.

Indeed, enterprises highly prefer custom backends because they have more control over data and advanced customization options. 

The server-side technologies you can adopt to build a React backend are Node.js, PostgreSQL, Next.js, Fastify and Nest.js. Moreover, cloud platforms like Heroku and Render are ideal for hosting custom backends seamlessly. 

Top 10 React Backends

So, what backend to use with React? Let’s discover one of the best React backends with their core credentials.

1. Back4app

Back4app is one of the smartest BaaS solutions that end your research regarding a React backend. You simply need to register with your app keys on this cloud vendor.

After downloading the SDK, it is quick to craft and set up the backend for your React application through this CSP.

This is a user-friendly BaaS platform where you don’t need technical expertise to deal with the server-side operations of your React app.

Indeed, it simplifies the executing servers, storage, databases, and backend functionalities. 

Moreover, Back4app is an open-source and economical backend solution that comes with a free tier option.

Also, it permits companies to extend their backend infrastructure at any time. The robust backing of artificial intelligence and real-time data querying make it a significant backend for your React UI.

Follow this complete guide to explore deploying a React app on Back4app.

Features

• Realtime Database – Modern applications prefer real-time databases to fetch, query and gather data spontaneously. Fortunately, Back4app has this fantastic feature to answer events quickly and examine created data in the meantime. 

• SDKs & APIs – Back4app performs data-retrieving jobs through native SDKs and APIs. First of all, if we talk about APIs, this BaaS solution confers both REST and GraphQL APIs to fetch data in the breeze. Similarly, it relies on SDKs to smoothen the development process. 

• Storage – Whether you want to employ centralized storage functionality for your React app or seek blockchain storage, Back4app has both. Yes, it has cloud-based file and blockchain data storage offerings. 

• Authentication – This React backend comes with a comprehensive user management system. With this built-in feature, you don’t have to manage the app user manually. Indeed, it permits you to enable sign-ups through social and email accounts. 

Pricing

It costs nothing to begin using Back4app to craft and deploy your React backend. The free tier offerings are 1GB file storage, 25k requests/month, 250MB data storage, 1GB transfer and community support. 

The annual billing of the MVP program outsets at $15 per app/month. React developers and businesses can get 50GB file storage, 2GB data storage and 500,000 requests/month with ticket and community support under this plan. 

2. Firebase 

Firebase is another Backend as a Service platform that you can use to build a backend for your React application.

This simple backend service doesn’t require you to include Firebase on the JS app page. It authorizes the dev teams to leverage interpretive APIs to craft React projects with Firebase.

The key offerings that let the programmers work effortlessly with Firebase are real-time databases, authentication, modules, sandboxes and server-rendered data.

Furthermore, this is another free React backend for your app after Back4app, especially if your requirements fit its Spark plan offerings. 

You can also quickly extend the server and computation needs using this CSP. The powerful backing of Google’s cloud infrastructure makes it an ideal choice for businesses.

Features

• Realtime Databases – Firebase facilitates users with two NoSQL, secure and highly scalable DBs named Cloud Firestore and Realtime Database. These databases come with data fetching and querying properties in the meantime. Also, offline mode gives them an edge over other DBMSs. 

• Storage – This property allows you to present and backlog data, whether in video, audio or other file formats. Firebase SDKs also play a crucial role in building a connection between downloads or uploads and the internet.

• Authentication – User authorization is straightforward with Firebase. It doesn’t only let you sign up through different modes, but FirebaseUI also tailors your registration page. You can design the entire authentication process within ten lines of script.  

• Remote Config – This is an ideal feature to personalize your React backend for different app users. Remote config enables the developers to provide users with a highly customized app experience. That is why companies endorse this feature to increase user retention.

Pricing

Firebase has a no-cost solution named Spark plan. With this pricing model, you can access 600k write and deletes, 5GB cloud storage, 1500k reads and 10GB hosting for free.

The other plan of Firebase is called the Blaze plan. This pricing program follows the pay-as-you-go approach. You just have to pay for consumed instances only.

3. Appwrite

Appwrite is an incredible Backend as a Service provider that formally supports React and several other JavaScript frameworks and UIs.

With 99.99% guaranteed uptime, Appwrite has served more than 1 billion requests across the globe. 

To begin your React project with Appwrite, you must approach the Console page after registration. Then, it is seamless to create and deploy your React backend using Appwrite SDKs, API credentials, etc. 

Features

• Auth – A fully secure and automated user authentication system is a significant advantage of Appwrite. It empowers the dev teams to enable quick registrations through 30+ methods. Moreover, you can also set up the team roles and access.

• Databases – Providing highly scalable databases and tailored data validation models are also fundamental properties of this React backend. You can authorize your desired data technology using Appwrite.

• Serverless Functions – You can extend and execute serverless functions in an isolated environment. Hereof, you can deploy the backend through Git repositories and benefit from more than 30 runtimes.

• Real-time Connections – Appwrite confers a real-time API to developers to perform distinct programming events in the meantime. This trait has further advantages of unmetered subscriptions, backing for functions, databases, and pre-built permission tools.

Pricing

If your React app requirements are around 75k monthly users, 10GB bandwidth, 5 functions and 750k executions, you can employ a Starter plan for free.

On the other hand, you can also adopt a Pro program for $15/month per member. This program supplies 3.5 million executions, 200,000 monthly users and 300GB of bandwidth. 

4. Contentful

Contentful is a headless CMS that has the ability to craft one of the top-notch backends for React projects.

With significant improvement in conversation rate, this AI-powered platform lets developers emphasize the client side. 

Besides, it lowers the data composing efforts by offering drag-and-drop backend development components.

Its visual interface can be easily used and managed whether you are an experienced programmer or a novice developer.

Features

• Composable Content Platform – Unlike the conventional CMS, Contentful is a composable content solution. React developers can break down the backend content into tiny sections. So, it becomes easy to create, reuse and release products for different regions and customers.

• Seamless Integrations – Syncing your React backend with other helpful but third-party tools while using Contentful is simple. It provides support for 100+ app integrations in this regard.

• Visual Modeler – Developers can leverage the visual interface to construct highly effective content models. You can also connect these models with relevant datasets using drag-and-drop elements. 

• Community Support – Contentful has an ample community of 550k members. Similarly, this platform generates 80 billion API calls monthly and has designed around 38k websites. It signifies you can quickly access supportive resources for your React projects. 

Pricing

Contentful has a forever-free solution with limited instances. This free plan applies to 5 users, 2 locales, and 1 million monthly API calls.

However, the starting cost of its Basic program is $300/month. Two million API calls/month, 20 users and 4 locales are core highlights of the Basic plan. 

5. Hygraph

Are you looking for a GraphQL-native headless content management system to unify all resources and manage content with absolute composability?

If yes, don’t ignore Hygraph. This CMS establishes, modifies, localizes and manages the data with great flexibility. 

In addition, it is robust for development teams to connect your CMS with different frameworks, Webhooks and app marketplaces. 

Features

• Schema Builder – Hygraph has a low-code schema maker to delineate the architecture of your content application programming interface. Hereof, different features that assist in crafting data models are management SDKs, references, and field options.

• GraphQL Content API – This CMS greatly emphasizes the adaptability and efficiency of your React project. That is why it relies on the GraphQL API instead of REST. Documentation for all queries, ordering, mutations, etc., is available here.

• Worldwide Data Centers – Hygraph enables businesses to select a hosting location. Yes, its enterprise model confers more than 77 server locations. Fortunately, all leading hosting locations like Canada, the US, the UK, Germany and Australia are accessible. 

• Content Management – This is an advanced backend for your React app where you can schedule publishing, apply SEO functionalities, and conduct bulk actions. 

Pricing

The Community plan comes with a ‘free forever’ tagline. With this solution, you can host 100GB of traffic and entertain 1 million API calls monthly.

You can also employ ‘Professional’ or ‘Scale’ plans from Self Service to increase the limits. Their monthly prices begin at $199 and $799. 

6. Sanity.io

Sanity is another incredible headless CMS that has the ability to transfer content anywhere in real time.

This cloud-based React backend comes with complete composability and serves 1PB content and 20B API requests monthly.

Since the beginning, it has created 500k projects and 50 million documents. If we talk about its renowned customers, Shopify, Puma, and Cloudflare are at the top.  

Features

• Realtime Collaborations – You can edit, organize and publish your content in the meantime through Sanity Studio. Hereof, you can’t only get the previous changes with a keystroke but also customize the interfaces.

• Localization – Personalization has become crucial for businesses. Compared to traditional CMS, this headless solution lets companies fully localize their content according to different regions and languages. 

• Graph-Relational Object Queries – This query language gets the desired information from different data sets and only provides a particular response.  

• Content Lake – This product unifies the content and treats it as data. This data is preserved in the form of JSON, and you can approach it simultaneously. Its other features are quick mutation, global CDN, and fully managed infrastructure.

Pricing

Its Free plan covers 2 databases, unmetered content types and 20 users. The Growth plan costs you $15/month per seat. Around 50 user seats and scheduled publishing are available under this plan.

7. Strapi

With 59.6k repository stars and 7.4k forks on GitHub, Strapi is a powerful, headless, open-source content management system that formally supports React.

This 100% JS CMS provides a highly tailored interface to build backends using REST or GraphQL APIs.

It is simple to structure & modify content and build applications without any interruption with this platform. Delivery Hero, IBM, eBay, and NASA are vital Strapi customers.

Features

• Customizable API – You can get GraphQL or REST APIs without scripting a single line of code with Strapi. Later, you can sync this API with your client-side stack like React.

• Media Library – Developers can smoothly access all media features, from uploading images to integrating storage systems under the media library. This feature also offers live previews, different formats, SEO, etc.

• Roles & Permissions – You can assign different roles according to the job position of dev teammates through the admin interface. Role-based access not only enhances productivity but is also suitable for data security. 

Pricing

Strapi confers cloud and self-hosting options to its users. If we talk about a Self-hosted Community plan, it costs you nothing.

Withal, contact the sales team to explore the Enterprise program. Correspondingly, the monthly cost of the Develop plan under Cloud is $29 for 1k CMS entries and real-time logs.  

8. Render

Render is a PaaS provider that allows developers to build, automate and deploy their React backends on the fly.

To begin the process, you simply need to choose a service type from web servers, static sites, Cron jobs or Docker containers. 

Now, you can attach the Git repository, perform the containerized deployment and press Git Push to end the deployment.

Mainly, if you want to set up your React backend using a managed infrastructure, Render should be your choice.

Features

• Managed Databases – Render provides users with fully managed PostgreSQL and Redis databases. Therefore, you have both SQL and NoSQL choices on the table to support your project.

• Preview Environments – The unavailability of staging and examining environments is a prominent drawback of many cloud services. Fortunately, Render lets you preview your deployments to avoid infrastructure destructions and operational problems. 

• Scaling – Render relies on load balances to confer automated and manual scaling functionalities. It is quick to add around 100 instances at once through this PaaS solution.

Pricing

With 100GB bandwidth and 500/month, build minutes are available under its free tier plan named Individual. Nevertheless, the monthly and per-user cost of the Team plan begins at $19. 

9. Heroku

Heroku is another Platform as a Service (PaaS) provider that deploys the React backend with zero configuration.

With installed npm and Node.js and basic knowledge of Heroku and GitHub, it is simple for developers to deploy React apps on this CSP.

Similarly, Heroku has the ability to fulfill the development needs of businesses of all sizes. You can use it from startup to enterprise-level React applications without any worry.

Features

• Heroku Runtime – You can run your React backend in Dynos. These are basically smart containers that let the dev teams manage and run the applications in an isolated environment.

• Managed Databases – The presence of fully managed SQL and NoSQL databases is another advantage of using Heroku. It provides Redis, PostgreSQL and Apache Kafka.

• Heroku OpEx – Heroku optimizes the operational experience by providing all details regarding app performance. Besides, it informs you of the end user’s behavior towards different app offerings.

Pricing

Unlike the other backend services, Heroku doesn’t have a free tier. However, its Eco and Basic plan costs you $5 for 1000 dynos monthly. The price of its pro plans varies from service to service. 

10. PlanetScale

PlanetScale is a fully managed database platform that follows SQL data structure. Founded in 2018, this backend solution promises zero downtime imports, excellent branching and read-only regions. 

Notably, using PlanetScale with Prisma could be a great combination to deploy and build highly extensible React applications. The featured PlanetScale clients are Esty, Amazon, and Adobe.  

Features

• Vitess – This database platform operates with robust backing from Vitess. If we discuss Vitess, it is an open-source DB technology that aids in extending, rendering and crafting large-scale applications.

• Workflow – This feature refers to an array of tasks you perform to complete a particular dev job. Staging, no downtime migrations, schema change and recovery are key highlights of this trait.  

• Managed Infrastructure – You can emphasize React’s core competencies and client-side operations because PlanetScale has an entirely administered infrastructure. Yes, it deals with load balancers, automated failover, networking, etc. 

Pricing

PlanetScale bills you $39/month if you choose 1GB RAM and 1/8 vCPU under its Scaler Pro plan. The monthly charges of the Enterprise package begin at $3000/month.  

Conclusion

This article presents an extensive range of BaaS, PaaS and CMS backends for React. The selection of a React backend depends on your requirements.

Likewise, headless content management systems could be ideal if you need no-code solutions. BaaS platforms are suitable for low-code and more complex projects. 

However, choose PaaS solutions if you need fully managed infrastructures with containerized deployments.