---
title: "Deploy PocketBase — Open Source Firebase & Supabase Alternative"
description: "Self-host PocketBase: Realtime DB, Auth & Storage on Railway"
category: "Storage"
url: https://railway.com/deploy/pocketbase-firebas-1
---

# Deploy PocketBase — Open Source Firebase & Supabase Alternative

Self-host PocketBase: Realtime DB, Auth & Storage on Railway

**[Deploy PocketBase — Open Source Firebase & Supabase Alternative on Railway](https://railway.com/template/pocketbase-firebas-1)**

Machine-readable deploy manifest (JSON, validated by TemplateCI): https://railway.com/deploy/pocketbase-firebas-1/manifest.json

- **Creator:** Heimdall
- **Category:** Storage
- **Total deploys:** 21

## Template content

### PocketBase https://pocketbase.io/images/logo.svg

- **Source:** praveen-ks-2001/pocketbase-railway-template
- **Public domain:** Yes

## Documentation

![PocketBase logo](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSbdjhqmpama9FxKYd4RPKT0SlKSGk1pxyizQ&s)

# Deploy and Host PocketBase

PocketBase is an open-source backend-as-a-service packed into a single Go binary — it gives you a realtime SQLite database, built-in authentication (email/password + OAuth2), file storage, access rules, and an admin dashboard, all without running a separate database server or managing multiple containers. Self-host PocketBase on Railway in seconds: this template ships a production-ready Alpine-based Docker image running PocketBase v0.36.6, with a persistent volume for your data and a randomly generated encryption key pre-wired — one-click deploy, no config needed.

## Getting Started with PocketBase on Railway

After your Railway deploy goes live, **do not navigate to the root URL directly** — you won't have dashboard access yet. PocketBase v0.36+ uses a one-time `pbinstal` token to secure first-time admin creation. Open your Railway deploy logs and look for the token URL, then visit `https:///_/token` to register your superuser account. Once created, you can access the admin dashboard permanently at `https:///_/`. From there, create your first collection, configure auth providers, and set access rules for your API.

![PocketBase dashboard screenshot](https://res.cloudinary.com/asset-cloudinary/image/upload/v1773517719/pocketbase_dashboard_jalcwa.png)

## About Hosting PocketBase

PocketBase is a self-contained Go backend that embeds SQLite — the entire server, API, and admin UI compile into a ~15 MB binary. There's no separate database process, no container orchestration, and no complex configuration. The REST-ish API and JavaScript/Dart SDKs make it easy to hook into any frontend.

Key features:
- **Realtime subscriptions** — SSE-based live updates on collection changes
- **Built-in auth** — email/password, OAuth2 (Google, GitHub, GitLab, Facebook), and API key support
- **File storage** — local or S3-compatible; thumbnails generated on the fly
- **Admin dashboard** — schema builder, data editor, log viewer, and settings UI
- **Extendable** — add custom routes and hooks via Go or the JS VM plugin
- **Single binary** — runs anywhere: VPS, Raspberry Pi, Railway, or your laptop

## Why Deploy PocketBase on Railway

Railway handles the operational overhead so you can focus on your app.

- No Dockerfile or volume management to configure — it's all pre-wired
- Persistent `/pb/pb_data` volume keeps your SQLite database and uploads safe across redeploys
- Auto-generated 32-character `PB_ENCRYPTION_KEY` secret on first deploy
- Managed TLS and custom domains out of the box
- One-click redeploys whenever a new PocketBase version ships
- Private Railway networking if you add companion services later

## Common Use Cases

- **Rapid CRUD backends** — spin up a REST API with auth and file uploads for a mobile or SPA app in minutes, without writing a single line of server code
- **Indie SaaS and MVPs** — PocketBase's realtime subscriptions and OAuth2 support cover 90% of what a typical early-stage product needs
- **Internal tools and dashboards** — replace a managed database + auth stack for admin panels, internal portals, or small multi-tenant apps
- **Prototypes and hackathon projects** — single binary means zero infrastructure ceremony; focus entirely on your product idea

## Dependencies for PocketBase

- **PocketBase** (`pocketbase/pocketbase` v0.36.6) — Go binary built on Alpine 3.19, served on port 8090 (or `$PORT`)
- No external database required — SQLite is embedded in the binary
- No additional services in this template — fully self-contained

### Environment Variables Reference

| Variable | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| `PB_ENCRYPTION_KEY` | 32-character secret used to encrypt stored OAuth tokens and sensitive fields. Auto-generated on first deploy via `secret(32)`. | Yes |

### Deployment Dependencies

- **Runtime:** Alpine 3.19, no CGO required
- **Binary:** `pocketbase_0.36.6_linux_amd64` — pre-built official release
- **GitHub:** [github.com/pocketbase/pocketbase](https://github.com/pocketbase/pocketbase)
- **Docs:** [pocketbase.io/docs](https://pocketbase.io/docs)

## Minimum Hardware Requirements for PocketBase

PocketBase is extremely lightweight — SQLite means no separate database server eating RAM.

| Resource | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 0.25 vCPU | 1 vCPU |
| RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Disk | 512 MB | 2 GB+ (depends on file uploads) |
| OS | Linux amd64/arm64 | Linux amd64 |

On Railway's Starter plan, PocketBase typically idles at under 20 MB RAM — the entire binary is ~15 MB.

## PocketBase vs Supabase vs Firebase

| | PocketBase | Supabase | Firebase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open source | ✅ MIT | ✅ Apache 2.0 | ❌ Proprietary |
| Self-hostable | ✅ Single binary | ✅ Docker Compose | ❌ Google Cloud only |
| Database | SQLite (embedded) | PostgreSQL | Firestore (NoSQL) |
| Realtime | ✅ SSE subscriptions | ✅ Postgres replication | ✅ WebSocket |
| Auth | ✅ Built-in | ✅ Built-in | ✅ Built-in |
| File storage | ✅ Local / S3 | ✅ S3-compatible | ✅ Google Cloud Storage |
| Pricing | Free (infra only) | Free tier + $25/mo Pro | Free tier, then pay-per-use |
| Best for | Indie apps, MVPs, internal tools | Scalable SQL apps | Google ecosystem / mobile |

PocketBase wins on simplicity and cost for small-to-medium projects. Supabase is the better choice when you need PostgreSQL's relational power or plan to scale horizontally. Firebase suits teams already in the Google ecosystem who want zero DevOps.

## How to Self-Host PocketBase

**Docker (quickest):**

```
docker run -d \
  --name pocketbase \
  -p 8090:8090 \
  -v $(pwd)/pb_data:/pb/pb_data \
  -e PB_ENCRYPTION_KEY="your-32-char-secret-here" \
  ghcr.io/pocketbase/pocketbase:v0.36.6
```

**From the prebuilt binary (Linux amd64):**

```
wget https://github.com/pocketbase/pocketbase/releases/download/v0.36.6/pocketbase_0.36.6_linux_amd64.zip
unzip pocketbase_0.36.6_linux_amd64.zip
chmod +x pocketbase
./pocketbase serve --http=0.0.0.0:8090 --dir=./pb_data
```

Then visit `http://localhost:8090/_/` to set up your superuser. On a fresh instance, use the one-time token URL shown in the startup logs.

## Is PocketBase Free?

PocketBase is 100% free and open source under the MIT License — you can use it in personal or commercial projects, fork it, and even build paid services on top of it. There is no managed cloud offering from the PocketBase team; hosting is always your responsibility. On Railway, you pay only for the infrastructure (compute + storage) your app actually uses — there's no PocketBase licensing fee on top.

## FAQ

**What is PocketBase?**
PocketBase is an open-source backend written in Go that ships as a single executable file. It bundles a SQLite database with realtime subscriptions, user authentication, file storage, and an admin dashboard — everything a modern app backend needs, in one binary.

**What does this Railway template deploy?**
It deploys a single PocketBase service running v0.36.6 on Alpine Linux. A persistent volume is mounted at `/pb/pb_data` to store your SQLite database and uploaded files. A 32-character encryption key is auto-generated as a Railway secret on first deploy. No other services are included — PocketBase needs nothing else to run.

**How do I create my admin account after deploying?**
PocketBase v0.36+ blocks direct access to `/_/` until a superuser exists. Open your Railway deploy logs and find the one-time token URL (formatted as `/_/token`), visit it in your browser, register your admin account, and then access the dashboard normally at `/_/` going forward.

**Is PocketBase suitable for production?**
Yes, for small-to-medium workloads. It powers many indie SaaS products and internal tools in production today. The main caveat: PocketBase is pre-v1.0.0, so backward compatibility isn't guaranteed across major versions. Plan for occasional migration steps when upgrading. It's not designed for massive horizontal scaling — SQLite is single-writer, single-node.

**Can I use PocketBase as a Firebase or Supabase replacement?**
For many use cases, yes. PocketBase covers the same core needs: database, auth, file storage, and realtime updates. It won't replace Firebase for apps that need Google's global CDN or offline-first sync at scale, and it won't replace Supabase when you need complex SQL queries or PostgreSQL extensions. For indie apps, MVPs, and internal tools, it's an excellent self-hosted alternative to both.

**Does PocketBase support OAuth2?**
Yes — out of the box it supports Google, GitHub, GitLab, Facebook, Discord, Twitter/X, Microsoft, Apple, and more. OAuth2 providers are configured in the admin dashboard under Settings → Auth Providers, with no code changes required.


## Similar templates

- [RustFS | (Just Updated) S3 Object Store, Public URL and Keys Set](https://railway.com/deploy/rustfs-or-just-updated-s3-object-store-p) — S3-compatible object store, keys and public URL preset, volume kept
- [TimescaleDB](https://railway.com/deploy/timescaledb-railway-template) — A PostgreSQL-based time-series database for analytics on Railway.
- [Garage S3 Storage](https://railway.com/deploy/garage-s3-storage) — Ultra-light S3 server: fast, open-source, plug-and-play.

Open this page in a browser: https://railway.com/deploy/pocketbase-firebas-1