Xano: the backend for building your apps and APIs
Backend platform with a database and API builder, driven from its editor or by your AI agent
Xano is a backend platform for building apps and APIs. It brings together the database, the API builder and the MCP server builder, and you can drive it from its editor, in XanoScript or with an AI agent.
Who is Xano for?
Freelancers who deliver apps to clients with a front-end tool like WeWeb, FlutterFlow or Bubble and need a real backend behind it. For a brochure site with no business logic, it's overkill.
Features
- Database: your data and schemas, with schema versions on paid plans.
- API Builder: create your APIs and their logic.
- MCP Builder: create MCP servers to connect your data to AI agents.
- Assisted building: work from Claude, Cursor or ChatGPT through the Xano MCP.
- Your choice of front end: works with WeWeb, FlutterFlow, Bubble, Webflow, Framer, Lovable, React or Next.js.
- Hosting: Xano says it can run on its cloud or yours, in the region you choose.
Xano pricing in 2026
- Free: $0, 1 workspace, 1 seat, 100,000 records, 1 GB database, 1 GB of watermarked images and 10 API requests every 20 seconds.
- Essential: $85/month billed annually or $99/month billed monthly, with 3 workspaces, 5 seats, unlimited records, a 10 GB database and 100 GB of storage.
- Pro: $224/month billed annually or $249/month billed monthly, with 5 workspaces, 10 seats, a 25 GB database and 250 GB of storage.
- Custom: pricing by quote.
Pricing checked on xano.com/pricing in October 2026.
Why we recommend Xano
We recommend it to freelancers who build complete apps without wanting to run a server: the backend stays independent from the front end, so you can change the interface without redoing everything. The weak point to know about: going from $0 to $85/month is a steep jump. It makes sense on a billed client project, much less on a test or a small side project, and you'll need a second tool for the interface anyway.
Xano or something else?
If you're comfortable with SQL, Supabase starts lower on its paid plan. For an all-in-one no-code app, look at Glide or Softr. You can also browse all the Xano alternatives.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
- Database and API building on a single platform
- Plugs into the front end of your choice: Webflow, Framer, Bubble, WeWeb, FlutterFlow or React
- Build in the editor, in XanoScript or with an AI agent
- Free plan for prototyping, with no server to set up
Weaknesses
- Big gap between the free plan and the first paid plan
- Free plan capped at 10 API requests every 20 seconds, with watermarked images
- No front end included: you need a second tool for the interface
Frequently asked questions about Xano
Xano is a backend platform. It brings together a database, an API builder and an MCP server builder, which you drive from its editor, in XanoScript or with an AI agent like Claude, Cursor or ChatGPT.
The Free plan is $0. Essential costs $85/month billed annually or $99/month billed monthly, and Pro costs $224/month billed annually or $249/month billed monthly. Custom pricing is by quote.
Yes, the Free plan includes 1 workspace, 1 seat and 100,000 records. It's capped at 10 API requests every 20 seconds, so it's for prototyping, not for running an app in production.
Yes if you deliver apps to clients with a front-end tool like WeWeb, FlutterFlow or Bubble. For a brochure site with no business logic, it's overkill.
Supabase if you're comfortable with SQL, Glide or Softr if you want an all-in-one no-code app. Compare them on our Xano alternatives page.
Alternatives to Xano
What we would use instead, in the same category.
Compare all the alternatives to Xano
See our full comparison of the 3 alternatives to Xano in 2026: prices, features and strengths, in detail.
🚀See the full comparison