Same starting point
Both run PostgreSQL with every table served as a REST API, plus auth, storage, realtime and functions, all reached by the agent over MCP.
Backenly vs. InsForge
Both give a coding agent a Postgres backend over MCP and a CLI. The difference is what happens when the agent gets a change wrong, and who fixes problems after it leaves.
At a glance
When a change is wrong
InsForge restores a backup, which replaces the database and loses data written since. Backenly restores that one change from History and keeps what the app wrote.
After the agent leaves
InsForge's advisor writes a fix for the agent to apply. Backenly applies a short list of safe fixes itself and holds the rest for you.
Side by side. What changes in practice.
| Aspect | InsForge | Backenly | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Database | PostgreSQL; every table becomes a typed REST and SDK surface | PostgreSQL; every table is a REST API over PostgREST | No real difference in the data layer. |
| Agent access | MCP server and CLI; write and admin actions need the admin API key | Twenty-three advertised tools; destructive actions wait for a person | Both connect the same agents. Only Backenly parks a destructive call until a person approves it. |
| Raw SQL | run-raw-sql in strict mode with the admin key; system tables and auth.users blocked | Read-only SQL as a SELECT-only role; writes go through typed, checked actions | InsForge lets the agent write any SQL with the admin key. Backenly lets it read any SQL and write only through checked actions. |
| Schema changes | Forward-only SQL migrations the CLI applies in a transaction | Each change checkpointed, applied and verified by Backenly, then recorded in History | On InsForge a migration that runs is done. On Backenly a change is done when Backenly's own checks pass. |
| Undoing a bad change | Restore a backup: it replaces the database, takes the project offline and loses data created since | Restore that one change from History, checked first; anything that would touch later data waits for you | A backup restore is all or nothing. Backenly undoes one change and leaves the rest as it is. |
| Preview environments | Branches copy the whole backend: Postgres, auth, storage and functions; two per project | Data branches, up to five active, picked by API key | InsForge branches more of the backend. Backenly's cover data and the REST API; auth, functions and storage stay on main. |
| After launch | An advisor writes a remediation for each issue; the agent applies it | Checks every minute and applies a short list of safe fixes itself; risky ones wait for a person | InsForge's fixes need an agent session. Backenly's safe fixes do not. |
| Other products | Sites, a model gateway, analytics and payments | None of these; provider integrations for Stripe, Resend, OpenAI, Anthropic and PostHog | InsForge covers more of the stack. Backenly is the backend only. |
| License | Apache-2.0, self-hostable with Docker Compose | Apache-2.0, self-hostable | The same on both. Neither locks you in. |
| Pricing | Free with a 500 MB database; Pro $25 a month, with metered usage above it | Pro is $25 a month; quotas are hard caps unless you set a spend limit | The same starting price. Backenly bills nothing past $25 unless you set a limit. |
- Database
InsForge
PostgreSQL; every table becomes a typed REST and SDK surface
Backenly
PostgreSQL; every table is a REST API over PostgREST
In practice
No real difference in the data layer.
- Agent access
InsForge
MCP server and CLI; write and admin actions need the admin API key
Backenly
Twenty-three advertised tools; destructive actions wait for a person
In practice
Both connect the same agents. Only Backenly parks a destructive call until a person approves it.
- Raw SQL
InsForge
run-raw-sql in strict mode with the admin key; system tables and auth.users blocked
Backenly
Read-only SQL as a SELECT-only role; writes go through typed, checked actions
In practice
InsForge lets the agent write any SQL with the admin key. Backenly lets it read any SQL and write only through checked actions.
- Schema changes
InsForge
Forward-only SQL migrations the CLI applies in a transaction
Backenly
Each change checkpointed, applied and verified by Backenly, then recorded in History
In practice
On InsForge a migration that runs is done. On Backenly a change is done when Backenly's own checks pass.
- Undoing a bad change
InsForge
Restore a backup: it replaces the database, takes the project offline and loses data created since
Backenly
Restore that one change from History, checked first; anything that would touch later data waits for you
In practice
A backup restore is all or nothing. Backenly undoes one change and leaves the rest as it is.
- Preview environments
InsForge
Branches copy the whole backend: Postgres, auth, storage and functions; two per project
Backenly
Data branches, up to five active, picked by API key
In practice
InsForge branches more of the backend. Backenly's cover data and the REST API; auth, functions and storage stay on main.
- After launch
InsForge
An advisor writes a remediation for each issue; the agent applies it
Backenly
Checks every minute and applies a short list of safe fixes itself; risky ones wait for a person
In practice
InsForge's fixes need an agent session. Backenly's safe fixes do not.
- Other products
InsForge
Sites, a model gateway, analytics and payments
Backenly
None of these; provider integrations for Stripe, Resend, OpenAI, Anthropic and PostHog
In practice
InsForge covers more of the stack. Backenly is the backend only.
- License
InsForge
Apache-2.0, self-hostable with Docker Compose
Backenly
Apache-2.0, self-hostable
In practice
The same on both. Neither locks you in.
- Pricing
InsForge
Free with a 500 MB database; Pro $25 a month, with metered usage above it
Backenly
Pro is $25 a month; quotas are hard caps unless you set a spend limit
In practice
The same starting price. Backenly bills nothing past $25 unless you set a limit.
Where the InsForge facts on this page come from
- The InsForge MCP server exposes get-table-schema, run-raw-sql and bulk-upsert for the database, plus delete-bucket and delete-function among others. Write and admin actions require the admin API key; raw SQL runs in strict mode with system tables and auth.users blocked. docs.insforge.dev/mcp-setup (read 2026-10-24)
- InsForge migrations are timestamped SQL files applied forward-only by the CLI, each inside a transaction, recorded only on success. docs.insforge.dev/core-concepts/database/migrations (read 2026-10-24)
- Restoring an InsForge backup replaces the current database: the project goes offline during the restore, data created after the backup is lost, and the restore cannot be undone. Backups cover the database only. docs.insforge.dev/core-concepts/database/backups (read 2026-10-24)
- An InsForge branch is a child project with its own Postgres, auth config, storage and edge functions, merged with a three-way diff or reset. Two active branches per parent project. docs.insforge.dev/agent-native/branching (read 2026-10-24)
- InsForge's advisor scans for security, performance and health issues and writes a remediation for each; the agent fetches the findings and applies the fix itself. docs.insforge.dev/agent-native/diagnostics (read 2026-10-24)
- InsForge ships ten products, including Postgres, auth, storage, realtime, edge functions, sites, a model gateway, analytics and payments, behind one MCP server and SDK. docs.insforge.dev/products (read 2026-10-24)
- InsForge manages auth, SMTP, storage and deployment settings from an insforge.toml with the CLI’s plan, apply and export workflow. docs.insforge.dev/agent-native/config-as-code (read 2026-10-24)
- The InsForge/InsForge repository is licensed Apache-2.0, with about 13,000 stars; self-hosting with Docker Compose is documented. github.com/InsForge/InsForge (read 2026-10-24)
- InsForge Free is $0 with a 500 MB database and 50,000 monthly active users; free projects pause after a week of inactivity. Pro is $25 a month ($20 billed yearly), with usage above the plan billed per unit. insforge.dev/pricing (read 2026-10-24)
Which one to pick
If you want the most products under one agent interface, InsForge has more of them. If you want each change checked, destructive calls held for a person and any one change undoable, that is what Backenly is built around.
Choose InsForge when
- You want hosting, a model gateway or payments in the same platform as the backend.
- You want branches that copy auth, storage and functions as well as data.
- You want backend settings in a config file that is reviewed in pull requests.
Choose Backenly when
- Your agent works on a production backend and you want destructive calls held for you.
- You want to undo one bad change without restoring a backup.
- Nobody will start an agent session every time an advisor finds something.
Yes. Both platforms are Apache-2.0 and can be self-hosted. Backenly's SDK, CLI and MCP server are MIT.
Yes. Both have an MCP server and a CLI, and both document setup for Claude Code, Cursor and other clients.
On InsForge, raw SQL runs with the admin key, and the documented way back is a backup restore, which replaces the whole database. On Backenly, apply_migration refuses DROP, a drop requested through backend_chat waits for a person, and the dropped table's data is kept in the change's vault.
Both start at $0 and both Pro plans are $25 a month. InsForge meters usage above the plan; Backenly's quotas are hard caps unless you set a spend limit.
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