SQLite allows one writer at a time, so write-heavy workloads contend. There is no horizontal scaling, and the project is pre-1.0, so APIs can change between versions.

Copy the data directory. That simplicity is a real advantage — easy backups are backups that actually happen.

Databases & Backends

PocketBase Hosting on Your Own VPS

Q: What VPS size does PocketBase need?

2 vCPU and 2 GB is comfortable. It is by some distance the lightest backend on this list.

Q: How does it compare to Supabase?

Far simpler — one process instead of seven, SQLite instead of Postgres. Better for small applications; the wrong choice for write-heavy or horizontally scaled ones.

Q: Do I get root access?

Yes, including the reverse proxy and systemd configuration.

A single-binary backend with SQLite, auth and realtime — remarkably light.

Deploy PocketBase Recommended specs

Size a server for PocketBase

Every stop is a real configuration you can deploy. Priced per 30 days, billed by the hour, exclusive of 18% GST.

vCPU 2 vCPU

Memory 4 GB

NVMe disk 40 GB

Bandwidth 5 TB

What PocketBase is

PocketBase is one executable. It contains an embedded SQLite database, a REST API, authentication, file storage, realtime subscriptions and an admin interface — and it runs from a single binary with no dependencies and no services to orchestrate.

That is a genuine contrast with Supabase or Appwrite, which assemble six or more services. PocketBase runs comfortably on the smallest VPS available, starts instantly, and backs up by copying a file. For a small application, a prototype, or an internal tool, the difference in operational effort is enormous.

The limits are equally real and worth knowing before you commit. SQLite means one writer at a time — excellent read concurrency, but write-heavy workloads will contend. There is no horizontal scaling; it is one process on one machine. And the project is pre-1.0, so APIs can still change between versions. It is superb within its envelope and the wrong tool outside it.

Why run PocketBase on a VPS

Runs on the smallest plan here, because it genuinely needs very little.

Backups are a file copy, which makes them easy to actually do.

Root access to run it behind your own reverse proxy and TLS.

Room to grow to a larger plan if reads outpace the smallest one.

PocketBase features

Embedded SQLite with a schema builder

REST API generated from collections

Authentication with OAuth providers

File storage with thumbnails

Realtime subscriptions

Admin dashboard

Extensible in Go or with JavaScript hooks

Recommended server

A starting point for PocketBase, not a hard floor — size it on the sliders.

Memory	2 GB is comfortable — this really is light
CPU	2 vCPU
Storage	40 GB, driven by uploaded files rather than the database
Operating system	Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or Debian 12

How deployment works

PocketBase runs as a single binary under systemd, behind NGINX for TLS. Because everything lives in one data directory, backup is a copy of that directory — which is the main operational advantage and worth automating on day one.

It is your server. PocketBase is installed directly on your VPS or VDS, not inside a container we manage. You get root over SSH, you can install anything alongside it, change its configuration, or remove it entirely. We do not hold a key to it.

What people run it for

Small applications

A complete backend without operating a stack of services.

Prototypes

From nothing to a working API in minutes.

Internal tools

Modest write volume where SQLite is entirely sufficient.

Mobile backends

Auth, storage and realtime for an app, on one small server.

PocketBase hosting questions

What is PocketBase hosting?

A VPS running PocketBase — one binary providing SQLite, a REST API, auth, file storage and realtime, with root access to the machine.

What VPS size does PocketBase need?

How does it compare to Supabase?

What are the limits?

How do backups work?

Do I get root access?

Related applications

Supabase Hosting Postgres with auth, storage and realtime APIs, on your own server.

Appwrite Hosting Backend services for web and mobile apps — auth, databases, storage and functions.

Redis Hosting In-memory cache, sessions and queues, priced as memory rather than per gigabyte.

Elasticsearch Hosting Full-text search and log analytics, with heap and retention under your control.

Deploy PocketBase on your own server

Root access, your choice of size, and no container between you and the application.

Deploy PocketBase All applications