After 3 months with Appwrite: it’s decent for small projects but lacks the punch for full-scale production.
Context
Over the past three months, I’ve been using Appwrite for a side project: a small online community platform for indie game developers. We started with about 50 users and expected to scale up to 200 by the end of this month. The goal was to test Appwrite’s capabilities in a real-world scenario, examining its database, authentication, and storage features. Given that this is a relatively small scale, I was optimistic about its performance.
What Works
Here’s the good stuff. Appwrite shines in certain areas that can really boost your development speed, especially if you’re working on a smaller scale:
- Authentication System: The built-in user authentication is solid. You can quickly set up email/password logins, social logins, and even anonymous access. Setting up social login took about 15 minutes, and here’s the code snippet for adding Google login:
curl -X POST https://your-appwrite-server/v1/account/sessions/google \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-d '{"provider": "google"}'const subscription = sdk.subscribe('collections.user_profiles.documents', (response) => {
console.log(response); // Log real-time changes
});What Doesn’t Work
Now, here’s the blunt part. Appwrite has some glaring issues that you should know before jumping in:
- Documentation Fail: While the documentation is extensive, it can be confusing. I spent an hour trying to figure out how to implement file uploads. The example code was outdated, and I ended up with a 500 Internal Server Error because I was missing required headers. Not fun.
- Performance Issues: As the number of users increased, I noticed significant slowdowns. When we hit around 100 concurrent users, API response times doubled, causing frustration among users. The graphs in the dashboard were not very helpful either, just a bunch of lines that didn’t clearly show whether the issue was database-related or server load.
- Limited Support for Advanced Queries: If you want complex queries, you’re going to hit a wall. Appwrite’s querying capabilities are basic, which is fine for simple applications but a real pain when you need to filter and sort data dynamically.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Appwrite | Firebase | Supabase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Authentication | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| NoSQL Database | Yes | Yes | No (PostgreSQL) |
| Real-time Updates | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced Querying | No | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing | Free (up to certain limits) | Free tier + pay-as-you-go | Free tier + pay-as-you-go |
The Numbers
Now for the numbers that really matter. Here’s what I found during the last three months:
- API Response Time: Averaged 200ms during off-peak hours but spiked to 800ms during peak hours.
- Monthly Active Users: Started with 50 users, and as of this week, we’ve hit 115.
- Cost: Appwrite is free within certain limits, but if you consider hosting it on a cloud service, expect to pay $5-$20/month depending on your usage.
Who Should Use This
If you’re a solo developer building a quick MVP or a small application, Appwrite can be a great fit. It’s easy to set up and has the necessary features to get you going quickly. However, if your application requires heavy data lifting or advanced querying, you might want to look elsewhere. It’s a decent choice for indie developers or hobbyists who want something lightweight and manageable.
Who Should Not
If you’re leading a team of 10 or more building a complex application, Appwrite might not cut it. You’ll likely run into performance issues and those confusing documentation problems could set your project back significantly. If you need intricate data relationships and queries, stick with Firebase or Supabase. I tried to implement a feature similar to what I had done with Firebase and ended up deep in the weeds trying to work around Appwrite’s limitations. Let’s just say my earlier projects didn’t have such unwelcomed adventures.
FAQ
- Is Appwrite open-source? Yes, it is open-source. You can find the code on GitHub.
- Can Appwrite handle file uploads? Yes, but the implementation can be tricky and isn’t well documented. Prepare for some trial and error.
- Does Appwrite support multiple languages? Yes, you can interact with it through various SDKs provided for different languages.
- Is there a community for support? Definitely! Check out their community forums.
- What’s the best way to self-host Appwrite? Appwrite provides Docker images, which is the recommended way to self-host. Make sure you have Docker installed and follow their documentation.
Data Sources
1. Appwrite Documentation
2. Firebase Official Site
3. Supabase Official Site
4. Community feedback and personal testing.
Last updated May 25, 2026. Data sourced from official docs and community benchmarks.
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