PocketBase vs Typeform
Open-source backend in a single Go binary
vs. Conversational forms that feel human — dominant brand in online forms
Pricing tiers
PocketBase
Self-Hosted
MIT-licensed single binary. Run on any VPS / Docker / bare metal. No usage caps — only limited by your server.
$0 base (usage-based)
Typeform
Free
$0. Unlimited forms, only 10 responses/mo, Typeform branding, 3 questions/form max on some plans.
Free
Basic
$25/mo. 100 responses/mo. Remove branding. Unlimited questions.
$25/mo
Plus
$50/mo. 1,000 responses/mo. Custom domain, hidden fields, logic jumps.
$50/mo
Business
$83/mo. 10,000 responses/mo. Priority support, advanced analytics.
$83/mo
Enterprise
Custom. SSO, dedicated success manager, HIPAA, large response volumes.
Custom
Free-tier quotas head-to-head
Comparing self-hosted on PocketBase vs free on Typeform.
| Metric | PocketBase | Typeform |
|---|---|---|
| No overlapping quota metrics for these tiers. | ||
Features
PocketBase · 12 features
- Access Rules — Record-level access rules (filter expressions) referencing @request and @collect…
- Admin Dashboard — Built-in web UI for schema + data management.
- Auth — Email+password, OAuth2 (Google, GitHub, Facebook, Apple, Discord, Microsoft, etc…
- Backups — Built-in backup/restore with S3 upload option.
- Built-in Mailer — SMTP integration for verification, password reset, magic link emails.
- Collections — Schema-defined record types with fields, validations, and record/admin/auth acce…
- Embedded JS Engine — JavaScript VM (goja) lets you write hooks in JS without recompiling.
- Extend as Go Library — Embed PocketBase in a larger Go app, add custom routes and events.
- File Storage — Local filesystem or S3-compatible storage with access rules.
- Hooks — Server-side Go or JavaScript hooks that run on CRUD events (OnRecordBeforeCreate…
- Migrations — JS/Go migration scripts applied on startup.
- Realtime Subscriptions — SSE-based subscriptions to collection changes.
Typeform · 14 features
- 30+ Question Types — Video, rating, payment, choice, etc.
- Analytics — Completion rate, drop-off, by device.
- Calculations — Score + formula fields.
- Conversational Flow — One question at a time.
- Custom Domain — forms.yourbrand.com.
- Embed Options — Inline, popup, side tab, popover, slider.
- Hidden Fields — Inject params from URL/app.
- Logic Jumps — Branching logic (Plus+).
- OAuth (Typeform Connect) — Build apps that access user forms.
- Payments (Stripe) — Paid orders/donations.
- REST API — Manage forms + fetch responses.
- Template Library — 3,000+ templates.
- VideoAsk (separate product) — Async video Q&A.
- Webhooks — Real-time submission events.
Developer interfaces
| Kind | PocketBase | Typeform |
|---|---|---|
| SDK | Go API (extend as library), pocketbase (Dart), pocketbase (JS SDK) | @typeform/embed |
| REST | REST API | Responses API, Typeform Data API |
| OTHER | Admin Dashboard, Realtime SSE | Typeform Builder, Typeform Connect, Typeform Webhooks |
Staxly is an independent catalog of developer platforms. Some links to PocketBase and Typeform may be affiliate links — Staxly may earn a commission if you sign up through them, at no extra cost to you. Pricing is verified against vendor pages at publication time — reconfirm before buying.
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