Overview
Nhost is an open-source backend platform in the style of Firebase, built on PostgreSQL. Each project gets a dedicated Postgres instance, a Hasura GraphQL Engine that exposes tables as a GraphQL API with real-time subscriptions and role-based permissions, an authentication service, S3-style file storage with image transformation and a CDN, and serverless JavaScript/TypeScript functions. You can also run your own containers with Nhost Run.
The free Starter plan allows one active project at a time with a 1 GB database, 1 GB of files and 5 GB of egress; it pauses after a week without activity and has no backups. Pro starts at $25/mo with $15 of compute credit, 10 GB of database, 50 GB of storage and daily backups kept 7 days, then bills overage per GB. Team ($599/mo) adds SOC 2 Type II, a support SLA and connections to external databases.
Development happens locally with the Nhost CLI, which runs the whole stack, and changes deploy by git push with configuration as code. Because it is open source, you can self-host the stack. Budget for compute beyond the included credit and for the $10/mo custom-domain fee when estimating a production bill.
Pricing and plans
Free tier · no card
Starter: 1 active project, 1 GB database, 1 GB storage, 5 GB egress, 10 functions, unlimited auth users; paused after 1 week of inactivity; no backups.
At the limit Not stated The vendor does not say what happens at the limit, or we have not found it yet.
Paused if unused No backups| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $0 | 1 active project, 1 GB database, 1 GB storage, 5 GB egress, pauses after a week idle |
| Pro | From $25/mo | $15 compute credit, 10 GB database, 50 GB storage, 50 GB egress, daily backups kept 7 days |
| Team | From $599/mo | Pro plus SOC 2 Type II, email support SLA, external databases, advanced GraphQL features |
| Enterprise | Custom | SLAs, technical account manager, dedicated clusters as an add-on |
What it does
- Dedicated Postgres
- Each project gets its own PostgreSQL instance with full SQL access and pgvector.
- Hasura GraphQL
- Instant GraphQL API over your tables with real-time subscriptions, event triggers and role-based authorization.
- Authentication
- Email/password, magic links, social OAuth, WebAuthn/FIDO2 and 2FA, with unlimited users on every plan.
- Storage and CDN
- File uploads with custom permissions, image transformation and a global CDN.
- Functions and containers
- Serverless JS/TS functions and Nhost Run for your own containerised services, billed by allocated vCPU.
- Local development
- The CLI runs the full stack locally; deployments happen from git with infrastructure as code.
Strengths and limitations
Strengths
- Complete backend (database, API, auth, storage, functions) in one project
- Unlimited authentication users even on the free plan
- Open source and self-hostable, with full database and storage export
- Plain PostgreSQL underneath, not a proprietary data store
- Clear per-GB overage rates published
Limitations
- Free plan allows only one active project and pauses it after a week of inactivity
- No backups on the free plan; point-in-time recovery is an add-on from $100
- Custom domains cost $10 per project per month
- SOC 2 Type II and external databases start at the $599/mo Team plan; HIPAA is not yet available
- Downgrading a plan requires contacting support
Who it suits
Good for
- Web and mobile apps that want a GraphQL backend on Postgres
- Small teams replacing Firebase with SQL
- Projects that may later self-host their backend
Look elsewhere if
- Teams that only need a bare Postgres database
- Apps built around REST that do not want GraphQL
Alternatives to Nhost
| Tool | From | Free option | Stages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supabase Managed Postgres backend platform | $25/mo | Free tier | |
| Convex Reactive backend and document database | $25/mo | Free tier | |
| Firebase Backend platform with document and realtime databases | Usage-based | Free tier | |
| Scaleway Managed Databases Managed PostgreSQL, MySQL and serverless Postgres | €0.0156/hr | ||
| Crunchy Bridge Managed PostgreSQL on AWS, Azure and GCP | $9/mo | ||
| MongoDB Atlas Managed document database | $8/mo | Free tier |
Questions
Is Nhost free?
The Starter plan is free with one active project, a 1 GB database, 1 GB storage and 5 GB egress. Projects pause after a week of inactivity.
How much does Nhost Pro cost?
From $25/mo, which includes $15 of compute credit, a 10 GB database and 50 GB each of storage and egress, with overage billed per GB.
Is Nhost open source?
Yes. The Nhost stack is open source and can be self-hosted.
What is the difference between Nhost and Supabase?
Both are Postgres-based backends; Nhost centres on a Hasura GraphQL API, while Supabase centres on a REST API generated from the database.
Does Nhost include authentication?
Yes. Every plan includes auth with email/password, magic links, social OAuth, WebAuthn and 2FA, and unlimited users.
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