Quick answer
Leapcell - Leapcell wins for most builders who want the broadest free tier for running apps and background workloads, while Nhost wins if your free project is mainly a PostgreSQL-backed app with auth and file storage.
How the free tiers compare
Leapcell’s free tier is the more expansive compute-first package. It gives you 20 projects, serverless invocations, async jobs, build minutes, logs, metrics, Redis, and even one free PostgreSQL database, so it can cover a wider range of prototype and small production-like workloads. Nhost is narrower but more backend-shaped: one project, 1 GB database, 1 GB file storage, 5 GB egress, functions, auth, GraphQL, IaC, and automated deployments. That makes it easier to start a single full-stack app with a database and login flow, but it is less generous on project count and resource ceiling. The split is not about one being universally bigger. It is about scope. Leapcell is better when you need more room to experiment across multiple apps and workloads. Nhost is better when you want a simple managed backend centered on PostgreSQL and auth.
Leapcell vs Nhost free tier, side by side
| LeapcellFTV 56 | NhostFTV 55 | |
|---|---|---|
| ProjectsLeapcell is much looser on project count. | 20 | 1 project per organization |
| Database included on free tierLeapcell includes a database on the paid Hobby plan; Nhost’s free tier explicitly includes database storage. | 1 free PostgreSQL database | 1 GB database storage |
| Serverless invocations / functionsThe products meter different things, so this is directional rather than apples-to-apples. | 100,000 serverless invocations per month | Up to 10 functions |
| Serverless duration / executionDifferent unit names, but both expose execution limits on the free tier. | 3 GB-hours per month | 1 GB-hours of execution |
| Network transfer / egressNhost is more generous on outbound traffic in the free tier. | 2 GB data transfer per month | 5 GB network egress included |
| Storage for filesLeapcell’s provided free-tier details do not list file storage. | Not specified | 1 GB storage |
| Auth and usersNhost is clearly stronger for auth-heavy apps. | Not specified | Unlimited users, social OAuth providers included |
| Build and deploy toolsLeapcell exposes build quotas; Nhost states deployments are included but does not give build-minute quotas here. | 60 minutes build execution per month, 10-minute max build duration | Automated deployments included |
| Logs and metrics retentionLeapcell includes observability quotas in the free tier. | 100 MB log ingestion and storage, 3-day log retention, 7-day metrics retention | Not specified |
After you outgrow the free tier
After the free tier, Leapcell stays relatively accessible: its first paid plan is Plus at $5.9 per seat per month for the first month, then $12.9 per seat per month thereafter, with Pro at $29.9 per seat per month above that. Nhost jumps to a flat Pro plan from $25 per month, then Team from $599 per month, with Enterprise by quote. Leapcell is the cheaper upgrade path for small teams, especially if you only need a bit more headroom. Nhost’s paid tiers get expensive faster, but they add backup, recovery, support, and enterprise controls.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Leapcell | Nhost |
|---|---|---|
| 1 seat upgrading from freeLeapcell’s paid price is per seat; Nhost’s listed Pro price is flat. | $5.9/mo first month, then $12.9/mo | $25/mo |
| 3 seats on the first paid tierAt this headcount, Leapcell can start cheaper or end up higher depending on whether the discounted first month applies. | $17.7/mo first month, then $38.7/mo | $25/mo |
| 1 team needing a higher-end paid tierLeapcell Pro is still far below Nhost Team, but the products bundle different capabilities. | $29.9/mo per seat | $599/mo |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick Leapcell when…
- You want to host several small projects at once and stay on a free plan.
- You need serverless compute plus Redis and background tasks in the same free tier.
- You want build minutes, logs, metrics, and traffic analytics included without paying.
- You are testing multiple runtime options like Next.js, Python, Go, or Rust.
- You want a free tier that can stretch beyond one backend app and into broader app hosting.
Pick Nhost when…
- You are building one app around PostgreSQL, auth, and file storage.
- You want GraphQL, social OAuth providers, and automated deployments on the free plan.
- You need a simple managed backend with a single project and pausable free project behavior.
- You care more about database-backed product development than about multi-project hosting.
- You want a backend platform where the free tier already includes functions and authentication in one place.
Bottom line
For the most common builder case, Leapcell is the better free-tier pick because it covers more of the early hosting stack: multiple projects, serverless compute, Redis, async work, builds, logs, and one database. Nhost is the better choice when the app is clearly backend-centric and you care most about PostgreSQL, auth, storage, and a clean path to GraphQL-backed development. If you are unsure, pick Leapcell for breadth. If your app starts with a single data model and login flow, pick Nhost.
Read the full listings: Leapcell and Nhost. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.