PocketBase Alternative on Postgres: WoWSQL vs PocketBase

If you love PocketBase but need Postgres, the short answer is this: PocketBase is a single Go binary built on embedded SQLite, and its own FAQ says it has no plans to support other databases. So a PocketBase alternative on Postgres means switching to a Postgres backend-as-a-service. WoWSQL is one option. It gives you managed Postgres with auth, storage, realtime and a generated REST API, hosted in Mumbai or US East 1, with a free plan and paid plans at $25 and $99 a month.

This post compares the two honestly. PocketBase is excellent at what it sets out to do, and for many apps you should keep using it.

Key facts

• PocketBase (checked on pocketbase.io and GitHub, 29 October 2026): open source under the MIT licence, written in Go, embedded SQLite in WAL mode, v0.41.1 shown on the site. Self-hosted only, and it scales "only on a single server".
• PocketBase is pre-1.0: its README warns that full backward compatibility is not guaranteed before v1.0.0.
• WoWSQL: managed PostgreSQL with auth, storage, realtime, REST and MCP APIs. Regions are Mumbai (the default) and US East 1.
• WoWSQL pricing (wowsql.com/pricing, 29 October 2026): Free at $0 (256 MB database), Pro at $25 a month (10 GB database, daily backups with 7-day retention), Scale at $99 a month.
• SDK: new WowSQLClient({ projectUrl, apiKey }).table('posts') from @wowsql/sdk, with SDKs for 11 languages listed in the docs.
• Company: WoWSQL is built in India, DPIIT-recognised and part of NVIDIA Inception.

What PocketBase does well

PocketBase describes itself as an "open source backend in 1 file". You download one executable, run ./pocketbase serve, and you get a realtime database, email and OAuth2 login, file storage (local disk or S3) and an admin dashboard. You can also import it as a Go library, or extend it with JavaScript hooks, and still ship a single portable binary.

Its FAQ is refreshingly direct about scope. It was built for self-contained apps that run on one server, and the author says it can serve more than 10,000 persistent realtime connections on a small VPS. It is a personal open source project developed on a volunteer basis, with no company or paid team behind it, and no hosting is offered.

For a side project, an internal tool or a small SaaS where one server is plenty, that's a great deal: no database server to run, and backups can be as simple as copying a file.

Why teams look for a PocketBase alternative on Postgres

The reasons usually come down to the database and the operations around it, not to PocketBase's quality.

• You want Postgres itself. Postgres gives you mature SQL, joins across large tables, extensions, row-level security and a huge tool ecosystem. PocketBase's FAQ says it uses SQLite and has no plans to support other databases.
• You don't want to run the server. PocketBase is self-hosted only. You pick the VPS, set up TLS, handle upgrades and plan your own backups. A managed service moves that work off your plate.
• You need more than one server. PocketBase scales vertically on a single machine. If your growth plan includes separating the database from the app tier, Postgres is the more common path.
• Stability across upgrades. Because PocketBase is still pre-1.0, its README says backward compatibility isn't guaranteed yet. Some teams prefer to build on a stable Postgres schema they control.
• Data location. For Indian users, a database in Mumbai keeps latency low. Our managed Postgres in India guide covers the region details.

PocketBase vs WoWSQL at a glance

What the code looks like

The client code feels similar. In PocketBase you work with collections:

import PocketBase from 'pocketbase';
const pb = new PocketBase('http://127.0.0.1:8090');
const list = await pb.collection('posts').getList(1, 20, { sort: '-created' });

In WoWSQL you work with Postgres tables through the TypeScript SDK:

import WowSQLClient from '@wowsql/sdk';

const client = new WowSQLClient({
  projectUrl: 'myproject',           // https://myproject.wowsqlconnect.com
  apiKey: process.env.WOWSQL_ANON_KEY!,
});

const posts = await client
  .table('posts')
  .select('id,title,created_at')
  .order('created_at', 'desc')
  .limit(20)
  .get();

await client.table('posts').create({ title: 'Hello from Postgres' });

Each SDK call becomes a standard PostgREST request to /rest/v1, so you can also call it with plain fetch. Our instant REST API for Postgres guide shows the raw endpoints, and the Postgres realtime guide covers subscriptions.

Moving from PocketBase to Postgres

There's no one-click path, and PocketBase's FAQ notes it has no built-in import or export helpers yet. A practical plan looks like this:

1. Map collections to tables. Each PocketBase collection becomes a Postgres table. Write the create table statements in the WoWSQL SQL editor, with real types, foreign keys and indexes.
2. Export the data. Your data lives in a SQLite file in the pb_data folder. Stop the server or work on a copy, then export each table to CSV or JSON with the sqlite3 command-line tool.
3. Load it. Insert the rows with a short script using client.table(...).create(...) and the service role key, or with SQL in the editor for smaller tables.
4. Move files. Upload attachments to WoWSQL Storage and store the new paths in your tables.
5. Plan the user switch. Moving password hashes between systems isn't documented, so the safe plan is to ask users to reset their password or sign in again. Our Postgres authentication guide explains the auth flows.
6. Replace hooks. Logic in Go or JavaScript hooks moves to your own server or to Edge Functions on a paid plan.

When to stay on PocketBase

Stay if your app fits on one server, you're happy running a VPS, and SQLite's model suits your data. It's simple, fast and free. If you just want a different self-hosted stack, see our self-hosted Supabase alternatives comparison.

Choose WoWSQL if you want Postgres, managed hosting in India or the US, and auth, storage and realtime without running servers. You can start on the free plan without a credit card and compare more options in our best Supabase alternatives roundup.

FAQ

Does PocketBase support PostgreSQL?

No. PocketBase's FAQ (checked 29 October 2026) says it uses embedded SQLite in WAL mode and has no plans to support other databases. If you need Postgres, you need a different backend, such as WoWSQL or another Postgres BaaS.

Is there a hosted version of PocketBase?

Not from the PocketBase project. Its FAQ says PocketBase is self-hosted only and suggests running it on a VPS or a cloud free tier. WoWSQL is a hosted alternative with projects in Mumbai and US East 1.

Can PocketBase scale to multiple servers?

According to its FAQ, PocketBase scales only on a single server, which means vertical scaling. That covers many small and midsize apps. Teams that expect to outgrow one machine often move to Postgres.

How much does WoWSQL cost compared with PocketBase?

PocketBase is free MIT-licensed software, and you pay for the server you run it on. WoWSQL has a Free plan at $0, Pro at $25 a month and Scale at $99 a month, with hosting, backups on paid plans and support included.

Is WoWSQL open source like PocketBase?

Partly. WoWSQL's self-hosted edition is published on GitHub under the Apache-2.0 licence, while the hosted platform is a commercial service. PocketBase is fully open source under the MIT licence.