Side by side
Backstage vs Port
Both stand on internal developer platforms. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APILinuxMac+2
Backstage brings a software catalog, documentation, templates, search, and integrations into a customizable developer portal. Organizations should plan for self-hosting and a protected deployment environment.
Visit Backstage
Free plan APIExtensionWeb
Port brings cataloging, workflows, controls, and AI agents into an engineering platform, with a free tier for smaller teams. Review its seat, entity, and run limits, as well as its stated data-retention periods.
Visit PortThe facts
| Backstage | Port | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web | API, Extension, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Basic: $30 a month |
| Plans published | 1 | 4 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | backstage.io | port.io |
| On internal developer platforms | #1 of 27 | #10 of 27 |
Backstage: what it does well
- Free, open-source framework.
- Catalog tracks software ownership and metadata.
- Templates publish generated projects to GitHub or GitLab.
- TechDocs keeps documentation close to code.
- Kubernetes feature aggregates service deployments.
What to know first
- Self-hosted deployment required.
- Standalone demo setup is not production-ready.
- Minimum requirements include 20 GB disk and 6 GB memory.
- Denial-of-service protection is described as rudimentary.
Port: what it does well
- Free plan has no time limit
- Includes Software Catalog, Workflows, and Scorecards
- Lists 86 integrations
- Free plan includes up to 15 seats and 10k entities
- SOC 2 Type 2 certified and GDPR compliant
What to know first
- Free plan limits teams to 15 seats
- Free plan limits teams to 10k entities and 400 runs
- User-ingested data is retained indefinitely unless deleted
- Sign-in and account access logs are retained for 30 days
Alternatives to Backstage Alternatives to Port The whole list