What is the difference between Hetzner and PocketBase?

Hetzner is best for European developers wanting affordable, powerful servers, while PocketBase is best for Developers wanting a single-file Go backend. Hetzner starts at €3.29/mo and PocketBase starts at Free.

Is Hetzner or PocketBase cheaper?

Hetzner starts at €3.29/mo. PocketBase starts at Free and is free.

Is there a free alternative to Hetzner?

Yes, PocketBase offers a free tier.

Hetzner vs PocketBase

Hetzner is german cloud provider with high-performance servers at unbeatable prices, while PocketBase is open-source backend in a single Go file with real-time DB, auth, and file storage. The biggest difference up front: PocketBase is free, while Hetzner starts at €3.29/mo. Hetzner is built for european developers wanting affordable, powerful servers, whereas PocketBase targets developers wanting a single-file go backend.

At a glance

	Hetzner	PocketBase
Best for	European developers wanting affordable, powerful servers	Developers wanting a single-file Go backend
Starting price	€3.29/mo	Free
Free tier	—	✓
Open source	—	✓
Free tier available	—	✓
Open source	—	✓
Auth	—	✓
Block Storage	✓	—
Cloud VMs	✓	—
Dedicated Servers	✓	—
Load Balancers	✓	—
Real-Time	—	✓
S3 Storage	—	✓
Single File	—	✓

Hetzner

Strengths

Includes Dedicated Servers as a core feature, purpose-built for cloud hosting workflows
Includes Cloud VMs as a core feature, purpose-built for cloud hosting workflows
Affordable at €3.29/mo — one of the lower-priced options in the cloud hosting category
Established product with 29+ years on the market and a mature ecosystem

Weaknesses

No free plan — you need to pay €3.29/mo from day one to use it
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Costs can spike unexpectedly during traffic surges if limits aren't configured
Mobile experience lags behind the desktop version in features and polish

Try Hetzner → Full review

PocketBase

Strengths

Open source and transparent
Includes Single File as a core feature, purpose-built for cloud hosting workflows
Fully open-source — you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in
The core product is free with no paywalled essentials

Weaknesses

May lack some advanced features
Self-hosting is free but requires server maintenance and DevOps knowledge
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Costs can spike unexpectedly during traffic surges if limits aren't configured

Try PocketBase → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: PocketBase is completely free, which makes it the obvious pick if budget is the top concern. Hetzner starts at €3.29/mo. That cost buys you a more polished or feature-rich experience, so it comes down to whether the extras justify the spend.

Feature gaps: Hetzner offers Block Storage, Cloud VMs and Dedicated Servers that PocketBase lacks. PocketBase brings Auth, Real-Time and S3 Storage that Hetzner does not have.

Team fit: Hetzner is geared toward any size teams, while PocketBase is aimed at individual users and small setups. Pick the one that matches where your team is today and where it is headed — migrating tools later is always painful.

Open source: PocketBase is open source, meaning you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in. Hetzner is proprietary — you are trusting the vendor with your data and uptime.

Where each tool shines: Hetzner's biggest strengths are: includes dedicated servers as a core feature, purpose-built for cloud hosting workflows. includes cloud vms as a core feature, purpose-built for cloud hosting workflows. PocketBase's biggest strengths are: open source and transparent. includes single file as a core feature, purpose-built for cloud hosting workflows.

Watch out for: With Hetzner, users commonly note that no free plan — you need to pay €3.29/mo from day one to use it. With PocketBase, the main complaint is that may lack some advanced features.

Choose Hetzner if...

You need a tool built for european developers wanting affordable, powerful servers
You specifically need Block Storage and Cloud VMs
You care about includes cloud vms as a core feature, purpose-built for cloud hosting workflows
Your team size fits the any size profile Hetzner is designed for

Choose PocketBase if...

Your profile matches its sweet spot: developers wanting a single-file go backend
Budget is a hard constraint — PocketBase is free, Hetzner is not
You need self-hosting, data sovereignty, or the ability to audit source code
You specifically need Auth and Real-Time
You care about includes single file as a core feature, purpose-built for cloud hosting workflows