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  1. Stackups
  2. Application & Data
  3. Platform as a Service
  4. Mobile Backend
  5. Firebase vs Kinvey

Firebase vs Kinvey

OverviewDecisionsComparisonAlternatives

Overview

Kinvey
Kinvey
Stacks20
Followers42
Votes13
Firebase
Firebase
Stacks42.5K
Followers36.0K
Votes2.0K

Firebase vs Kinvey: What are the differences?

Introduction

Firebase and Kinvey are both platforms that provide backend services for building and managing web and mobile applications. While they offer similar features, there are key differences between the two.

  1. Real-Time Database vs. Data Store: One major difference between Firebase and Kinvey is their approach to data storage. Firebase utilizes a real-time database, which allows for the synchronization of data across clients in real time. This means that any updates made to the database are immediately reflected on all connected devices. On the other hand, Kinvey uses a traditional data store, where data is stored and accessed in a more traditional request-response manner.

  2. Serverless vs. Server-based: Another difference lies in the architecture of the platforms. Firebase follows a serverless architecture, where developers can focus on writing client-side code and Firebase takes care of the infrastructure and scalability. This allows for easy development and deployment of applications without worrying about managing servers. In contrast, Kinvey requires developers to set up and manage their own servers, providing more control and flexibility but also requiring more infrastructure management.

  3. Authentication and User Management: Firebase offers a built-in authentication system that allows developers to easily add user authentication and management to their applications. It supports various authentication providers like email/password, social logins, and phone number authentication. Kinvey also provides user management features but offers fewer authentication options compared to Firebase.

  4. Data Integration and Backend Services: Firebase provides a wide range of backend services, including a real-time database, cloud storage, hosting, and cloud messaging. These services are tightly integrated with Firebase and can be easily used in conjunction with each other. Kinvey, on the other hand, provides a more modular approach, allowing developers to choose and integrate third-party services as needed. This gives developers more flexibility and freedom to customize their backend services.

  5. Development Flexibility: Firebase is primarily designed for JavaScript development and has strong support for web and mobile development using JavaScript frameworks like Angular and React Native. Additionally, it offers SDKs for various platforms and programming languages. Kinvey, on the other hand, supports multiple programming languages, allowing developers to choose the language they are most comfortable with for their backend development.

  6. Pricing Model: The pricing models of Firebase and Kinvey differ as well. Firebase offers a combination of free and paid plans based on usage, with various pricing tiers depending on the scale of the application. Kinvey, on the other hand, follows a more traditional licensing model, where developers pay based on the number of users and features they require.

In Summary, Firebase offers a real-time database, follows a serverless architecture, provides a built-in authentication system, and tightly integrates various backend services. Kinvey, on the other hand, uses a traditional data store, requires server management, offers fewer authentication options, provides more flexibility in data integration, supports multiple programming languages, and has a different pricing model.

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Advice on Kinvey, Firebase

Jared
Jared

Contractor at Insight Global

Aug 9, 2019

ReviewonFirebaseFirebase

I started using Firebase over 5 years ago because of the 'real-time' nature. I originally used to use Real Time Database, but now I use Cloud Firestore. I recommend using the Google Firebase PaaS to quickly develop or prototype small to enterprise level web/mobile applications. Since Google purchased Firebase, it has exploded and it growing rapidly. I also find some level of comfort that it is Backed by Google.

272k views272k
Comments
Noam
Noam

Jul 16, 2020

Needs adviceonNode.jsNode.jsExpressJSExpressJSReactReact

We are starting to work on a web-based platform aiming to connect artists (clients) and professional freelancers (service providers). In-app, timeline-based, real-time communication between users (& storing it), file transfers, and push notifications are essential core features. We are considering using Node.js, ExpressJS, React, MongoDB stack with Socket.IO & Apollo, or maybe using Real-Time Database and functionalities of Firebase.

1.15M views1.15M
Comments
Eric
Eric

Owner at The Richner Group

Sep 24, 2020

Needs adviceonReactReactElasticsearchElasticsearchFirebaseFirebase

We are starting to work on a web-based platform aiming to connect investors/wholesalers (clients) and buyers (service providers). A third service provider, lenders, will be added in the future.

The ability to create profiles of buyers w/ their buying criteria, to create saved records of properties for sale (provided by client) to be cross-referenced against the buyers' criteria is our core functionality.

In-app, timeline-based, real-time communication between users (& storing it), file transfers, and push notifications are post MVP features we would like as well.

We are considering using React, Elasticsearch / App Search w/ their Search UI, and using Real-Time Database and functionalities of Firebase.

30.1k views30.1k
Comments

Detailed Comparison

Kinvey
Kinvey
Firebase
Firebase

Kinvey makes it ridiculously easy for developers to setup, use and operate a cloud backend for their mobile apps. They don't have to worry about connecting to various cloud services, setting up servers for their backend, or maintaining and scaling them.

Firebase is a cloud service designed to power real-time, collaborative applications. Simply add the Firebase library to your application to gain access to a shared data structure; any changes you make to that data are automatically synchronized with the Firebase cloud and with other clients within milliseconds.

User Management- Add any number of users, using the authentication systems of your choice.;Business Logic- Kinvey's custom business logic allows you to host your code in our cloud.;Data Storage- Instantly and securely sync data between your app and Kinvey backend.;Cross-Platform- iOS, JavaScript, Android, Windows, BlackBerry – Kinvey supports them all.;Push notifications;Large file storage;Analytics- Core usage data and dashboards come native in your backend
Add the Firebase library to your app and get access to a shared data structure. Any changes made to that data are automatically synchronized with the Firebase cloud and with other clients within milliseconds.;Firebase apps can be written entirely with client-side code, update in real-time out-of-the-box, interoperate well with existing services, scale automatically, and provide strong data security.;Data Accessibility- Data is stored as JSON in Firebase. Every piece of data has its own URL which can be used in Firebase's client libraries and as a REST endpoint. These URLs can also be entered into a browser to view the data and watch it update in real-time.;Real-time Synchronization- Firebase takes a new approach to the way data is moved around an app. Rather than using a traditional request & response model, it works by synchronizing data between devices. Whenever your data changes, all clients are immediately notified within milliseconds. The synchronized data is also persisted, allowing new clients to be immediately updated.;First-class Data Security- Traditional applications intermix security code with application code, whereas Firebase treats security as a first-class feature. You define your security policies in one place using a flexible rules language, and Firebase ensures that they are consistently enforced across all parts of your application. Having all your security logic in one place allows for easy auditing and helps you avoid security mistakes. The safety and security of your data is our top priority.;Automatic Scaling- The Firebase API is built from the ground up for performance and scale. Whenever your data changes, Firebase calculates the minimum set of updates required to keep all your clients in sync. In addition, all Firebase API functions are designed to scale linearly with the size of the data being synchronized. More importantly, Firebase handles all of the scaling and operations for you. Your app will scale from its first user to its first million without any code changes.;Servers are Optional- Firebase can provide all of the data storage, control, and transmission needs of most apps. In many cases, Firebase can completely replace your server and server-side code. This means you no longer need to build complicated backend software and can instead focus on your application logic and your customers.
Statistics
Stacks
20
Stacks
42.5K
Followers
42
Followers
36.0K
Votes
13
Votes
2.0K
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 5
    Easy setup
  • 2
    Great free tier for testing prototypes
  • 2
    MongoDB
  • 2
    Excellent documentation
  • 1
    Great customer support
Cons
  • 1
    Base plan starts at $2,500 / year
Pros
  • 371
    Realtime backend made easy
  • 270
    Fast and responsive
  • 242
    Easy setup
  • 215
    Real-time
  • 191
    JSON
Cons
  • 31
    Can become expensive
  • 16
    No open source, you depend on external company
  • 15
    Scalability is not infinite
  • 9
    Not Flexible Enough
  • 7
    Cant filter queries
Integrations
Salesforce Sales Cloud
Salesforce Sales Cloud
Urban Airship
Urban Airship
HP Cloud Compute
HP Cloud Compute
Google Compute Engine
Google Compute Engine
Trigger.io
Trigger.io
Famo.us
Famo.us
Backbone.js
Backbone.js
Ember.js
Ember.js
AngularJS
AngularJS
React
React

What are some alternatives to Kinvey, Firebase?

Socket.IO

Socket.IO

It enables real-time bidirectional event-based communication. It works on every platform, browser or device, focusing equally on reliability and speed.

Parse

Parse

With Parse, you can add a scalable and powerful backend in minutes and launch a full-featured app in record time without ever worrying about server management. We offer push notifications, social integration, data storage, and the ability to add rich custom logic to your app’s backend with Cloud Code.

PubNub

PubNub

PubNub makes it easy for you to add real-time capabilities to your apps, without worrying about the infrastructure. Build apps that allow your users to engage in real-time across mobile, browser, desktop and server.

Pusher

Pusher

Pusher is the category leader in delightful APIs for app developers building communication and collaboration features.

SignalR

SignalR

SignalR allows bi-directional communication between server and client. Servers can now push content to connected clients instantly as it becomes available. SignalR supports Web Sockets, and falls back to other compatible techniques for older browsers. SignalR includes APIs for connection management (for instance, connect and disconnect events), grouping connections, and authorization.

Ably

Ably

Ably offers WebSockets, stream resume, history, presence, and managed third-party integrations to make it simple to build, extend, and deliver digital realtime experiences at scale.

Syncano

Syncano

Syncano is a backend platform to build powerful real-time apps more efficiently. Integrate with any API, minimize boilerplate code and control your data - all from one place.

built.io

built.io

Built.io Backend is an mBaaS that allows you to avoid designing, building, and supporting a custom backend for your mobile & web applications. Enterprises can dramatically reduce cost, lower risk and accelerate time-to-market for apps.

NATS

NATS

Unlike traditional enterprise messaging systems, NATS has an always-on dial tone that does whatever it takes to remain available. This forms a great base for building modern, reliable, and scalable cloud and distributed systems.

SocketCluster

SocketCluster

SocketCluster is a fast, highly scalable HTTP + realtime server engine which lets you build multi-process realtime servers that make use of all CPU cores on a machine/instance. It removes the limitations of having to run your Node.js server as a single thread and makes your backend resilient by automatically recovering from worker crashes and aggregating errors into a central log.

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