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AppWrite VS Zenly

Compare AppWrite VS Zenly and see what are their differences

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Shared cloud environments for AI coding agents. Run Claude Code, Cursor CLI, Codex, and Gemini CLI from any device, API, or automation tool. featured
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Contents:
  1. ยป Base Details
  2. ยป Videos
  3. ยป Reviews
  4. ยป Alternatives

AppWrite logo AppWrite

Appwrite provides web and mobile developers with a set of easy-to-use and integrate REST APIs to manage their core backend needs.

Zenly logo Zenly

Zenly is a GPS tracker to locate your friends in realtime.
  • AppWrite Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-28
  • Zenly Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-28

AppWrite

Website
appwrite.io
$ Details
Release Date
-
Startup details
Country
Israel
Edit details

Zenly

Website
zen.ly
$ Details
-
Release Date
2011 January
Startup details
Country
France
State
Ile-de-France
City
Paris
Founder(s)
Alexis Bonillo
Employees
10 - 19
Edit details

AppWrite features and specs

  • Open Source
    AppWrite is an open-source platform, allowing developers to inspect, modify, and contribute to the code base, ensuring transparency and flexibility.
  • Self-Hosted
    Being self-hosted, AppWrite gives developers complete control over their data and server environment, enhancing security and customization options.
  • Comprehensive Backend
    AppWrite offers a wide range of backend services out-of-the-box, including authentication, database management, storage, and serverless functions, reducing the need for additional third-party services.
  • Multi-Language Support
    AppWrite supports various programming languages, which makes it versatile and developer-friendly, allowing the integration with different tech stacks.
  • Community and Documentation
    AppWrite has an active community and well-documented guides, tutorials, and API references, which are essential for learning and troubleshooting.

Possible disadvantages of AppWrite

  • Resource Intensive
    Being a self-hosted solution, AppWrite may require significant server resources for optimal performance, which can be costly.
  • Initial Setup Complexity
    The initial setup and configuration can be complex and time-consuming, particularly for those less experienced with server management.
  • Limited Third-Party Integrations
    As compared to some other backend-as-a-service (BaaS) platforms, AppWrite has fewer pre-built third-party integrations, which might limit its extensibility.
  • Newer and Evolving
    AppWrite is relatively new and still evolving, which can mean fewer features compared to more mature platforms and the potential for more bugs.
  • Maintenance Responsibility
    Since it is self-hosted, the responsibility for server maintenance, updates, and security falls solely on the user, which can be a drawback for smaller teams or solo developers.

Zenly features and specs

  • Real-Time Location Sharing
    Zenly allows users to share their real-time location with friends and family. This is useful for meeting up, ensuring safety, and keeping track of loved ones.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The app has a clean and intuitive design that makes it easy to navigate and use. Features are easily accessible and straightforward.
  • Social Features
    Zenly includes social features such as the ability to chat, check on friends' statuses, and see where your friends are hanging out, enhancing social connectivity.
  • Battery Level Sharing
    Users can share their phone's battery level with others, allowing friends and family to know if someone's phone might die soon.
  • Privacy Controls
    Users have control over who can see their location and can easily enable or disable location sharing, providing flexibility in maintaining privacy.

Possible disadvantages of Zenly

  • Privacy Concerns
    Continuous location sharing can be a significant privacy concern for users who do not want to be constantly tracked.
  • Battery Drain
    The constant GPS and background activity required for real-time location sharing can lead to faster battery drain on users' devices.
  • Dependency on Internet Connection
    The app requires a stable internet connection to update and share location data, which can be problematic in areas with poor connectivity.
  • Potential Misuse
    There is potential for misuse if the app is used to stalk or harass individuals, raising safety concerns.
  • Limited Use Case
    The primary function of location sharing might be seen as limited, appealing mainly to specific groups like families or close friends rather than a broad audience.

Analysis of AppWrite

Overall verdict

  • AppWrite is a solid option for developers looking for an open-source backend solution with robust features. Its well-documented APIs and active community support make it a viable choice for both small projects and growing applications.

Why this product is good

  • AppWrite is considered a good choice, particularly for its comprehensive backend-as-a-service (BaaS) features that cater to web and mobile developers. It provides a suite of services such as user authentication, databases, file storage, and serverless functions, allowing developers to streamline their development process. Its open-source nature means developers have access to the full code base and the community-drive contributions, ensuring transparency and continuous improvements. AppWrite also emphasizes developer experience, offering easy integration with client-side SDKs and providing extensive documentation.

Recommended for

    AppWrite is recommended for developers building applications who require a scalable backend solution without the overhead of managing infrastructure. It is particularly suited for developers who prefer open-source platforms and those who want to avoid vendor lock-in. AppWrite's features make it a good fit for startups, hobby projects, and even educational purposes where full control over the backend is desirable.

Analysis of Zenly

Overall verdict

  • Zenly is considered a good application for those who wish to stay connected with friends and family through location sharing. It is particularly valued for its ease of use and the fun, engaging features it offers for social interaction.

Why this product is good

  • Zenly is a location-sharing application that allows users to share their real-time location with friends. It is appreciated for its user-friendly interface, interactive map features, and innovative ways of keeping track of friends' activities, such as letting users see where their friends are and what they are doing. The app emphasizes privacy by allowing users to choose with whom to share their location and for how long.

Recommended for

  • People looking to coordinate meet-ups with friends easily.
  • Users interested in real-time location sharing with privacy controls.
  • Individuals who enjoy interactive and visually appealing map interfaces.
  • Groups of friends or families who want to stay connected and informed about each other's whereabouts.

AppWrite videos

No AppWrite videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Zenly videos

+ Add

Snapchat Map's Predecessor- ZENLY

More videos:

  • Review - ZENLY APLIKASI HITS. BISA LACAK ORANG LAIN/TEMEN/PACAR ?? SELEBGRAM PAKE INI !
  • Review - Zenly's Antoine Martin on Next-Level Location Sharing at Disrupt London 2016

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to AppWrite and Zenly)

AppWrite

Zenly

Developer Tools
100 100%
Developer Tools
0% 0
iPhone
0 0%
iPhone
100% 100
Backend As A Service
100 100%
Backend As A Service
0% 0
Messaging
0 0%
Messaging
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using AppWrite and Zenly. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare AppWrite and Zenly

AppWrite Reviews

  1. dndiel
    Appwrite is awesome, free and open-source!

    I've use it instead of Firebase on a 15$ DigitalOcean droplet and saved around ~$150 a month. Managing my own infra does take some extra time, but definitely worth it. The APIs and SDK are also surprisingly much easier to consume than Firebase. Waiting for the cloud version.

    ๐Ÿ Competitors: Firebase
    ๐Ÿ‘ Pros:    Easy to use|Cost effective|Open-source|Great user experience|Super simple|Self hosted
    ๐Ÿ‘Ž Cons:    Self hosted
10 Top Firebase Alternatives to Ignite Your Development in 2024
Appwriteโ€™s self-hosted nature gives you complete control over your data and infrastructure, great for those who are security-conscious. It also offers a comprehensive set of features, including user authentication, database management, storage, cloud functions, and more. Itโ€™s like having your very own Firebase, but on your terms.
Source: genezio.com
Top 7 Firebase Alternatives for App Development in 2024
Appwrite is an open-source backend-as-a-service platform that provides a comprehensive set of tools and APIs to help developers build modern applications. It focuses on simplicity and developer experience.
Source: signoz.io
Best Serverless Backend Tools of 2023: Pros & Cons, Features & Code Examples
Appwrite is a self-hosted BaaS platform giving you all the tools you need to build all sorts of application.
Source: www.rowy.io
2023 Firebase Alternatives: Top 10 Open-Source & Free
Appwrite permits the development to benefit from its open-source version without paying anything. However, its official website also declares that it will share the pricing details for Appwrite Cloud soon.
Source: digitalcruch.com
12 Best Open-source Database Backend Server and Google Firebase Alternatives
Appwrite is a self-hosted backend server for building web, mobile and desktop apps. It supports multiple applications natively without hacks or workarounds.It features a dashboard for apps, database, user, functions and storage management, real-time analytics per project, live connections monitor, background tasks and webhooks.Appwrite also is suitable for creating Geo-data...
Source: medevel.com

Zenly Reviews

We have no reviews of Zenly yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, AppWrite seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 178 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

AppWrite mentions (178)

  • Creating a Chatbot that actually Stands Out! (vibe coded version)๐Ÿฆ–
    Initially, I was using the Supabase free tier, but I was hitting the limits, and my app was becoming stale. Then I switched to Appwrite. Both are totally different; one is SQL, while the latter one is NoSQL. Although use node-appwrite package to skip the manual schema add-ons. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • The future of coding: Cursor, AI, and the rise of backend automation with Appwrite
    Appwrite is an open-source platform that simplifies backend setup by providing authentication, databases, storage, functions, and hosting all in one place. - Source: dev.to / 9 months ago
  • How to Use Appwrite in Android Jetpack Compose
    I love Appwrite. My first hackathon was actually from Appwrite (using Appwrite) 2 years ago, and I've been using it ever since. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: Who is hiring? (July 2025)
    Appwrite | Remote | Platform Engineers, AI, Interns | https://www.appwrite.careers Appwrite (https://appwrite.io) is an open-source backend platform that helps developers build secure web and mobile apps faster. Weโ€™re hiring engineers across multiple teams to improve infrastructure, expand developer tooling, and scale our platform. Open roles: โ€“ Platform Engineer. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Build a React File Sharing App with Granular Access Controls (ReBAC)
    Appwrite is a backend-as-a-service platform that provides authentication, storage, and database. Appwrite is used for authentication and storage. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
View more

Zenly mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Zenly yet. Tracking of Zenly recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing AppWrite and Zenly, you can also consider the following products

Supabase - An open source Firebase alternative

Glympse - Glympse is the easy way to safely share your location in realtime. No sign-up needed.

Firebase - Firebase is a cloud service designed to power real-time, collaborative applications for mobile and web.

Sup app - Friends Nearby - Make chance encounters with friends happen

Clerk - Clerk.io, the artificial intelligence for e-commerce that knows your customers interests.

sup - The first creep-free way to see nearby friends

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