BACKND

Overview

BACKND is a game backend API and SDK for teams adding online services to games. It suits developers who want accounts, data and multiplayer operations in one service; its strongest case is broad game-specific coverage, while usage limits and plan-by-feature pricing warrant close attention.

Made by AFI, Inc. in Seoul, BACKND says it encrypts data, monitors for customer-information leakage risks and holds TTA V&V quality certification. It is an AWS Official Partner and is available through AWS Marketplace.

BACKND belongs to Game LiveOps Software, with a focus on backend infrastructure and multiplayer services.

Key features

Backend and data

BACKND Base combines authentication, cloud data storage, social functions, rankings, notices, events, coupons, push notifications and receipt verification, with an admin console. Players can sign in with custom ID and password, as guests, or through Google, Apple or Facebook. That range makes Base a practical foundation for common account and operations needs without requiring each service to be assembled separately.

Database supports player-specific and shared data, permissions, SQL-like queries, indexes, backups and downloads. The Database FREE plan allows 300 MB of read bandwidth, 100 MB of write bandwidth and 200 MB of storage; exceeding those allowances can restrict game use. Those caps are meaningful constraints for production workloads, so teams should match expected data traffic to a paid tier rather than treating free access as an uncapped database.

Multiplayer and operations

Match supports 1:1, individual and team matchmaking, result processing, reconnection and in-game chat. BACKND Chat adds real-time channels, auto-scaling, moderation tools, profanity filtering, reports, sanctions and translation. Channels can expand to 5,000 users, with concurrent users scaling to 100,000. These features suit games that need managed social and matchmaking functions; teams needing different multiplayer architecture should assess whether those packaged services fit their design.

Worlds provides persistent servers and real-time state synchronization for MMO and other large-scale multiplayer games. Unity is officially supported; other engines can integrate by calling server APIs directly. Function lets developers write server-side features in C# with Unity-style syntax, and includes Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code extensions plus a CLI.

Integrations and support

Documentation covers Unity SDKs, an Unreal SDK, Platform API and .NET SDK across the products. Chat SDK support includes Android, iOS, Windows, Mac (Editor) and Linux. Webshop supports Newplay and Xsolla, and other integrations can be submitted for review. Its tooling covers authentication, item delivery, refund handling and delivery history without extra integration or operation cost. Refund Management supports Google Play, App Store and ONE Store, but requires Base SDK integration and store webhook registration; it can process real-time refund webhooks and automatically block users.

The homepage advertises 24/7 expert support for AWS, game servers and web back-office, while contact hours are KST 10:00–18:00. Free access lets users test all features, with no stated trial duration.

Pricing

BACKND is freemium, but its plans cover distinct services and their quotas should not be read as one shared allowance. Free access provides a way to evaluate the service; Database FREE has explicit bandwidth and storage caps, and exceeding them can restrict use.

• Free: 0.00 USD per free, billed Free. Includes up to 50 CCU, 1 GB/month traffic, core chat features and translation. It is suited to small-scale evaluation, but the CCU and traffic ceilings limit headroom.
• FREE Plan: 0.00 USD per free, billed Free. Allows unlimited users, up to 100K free transaction calls per feature/month and up to 25 projects. The per-feature call quota still matters for teams testing multiple services.
• BASIC 100: 9.00 USD per month, billed USD 9/month. Supports up to 100 users per channel, essential chat features and 5 GB/month traffic. It is the lower-cost paid chat option, but gives up the core feature set and Pro management features of higher tiers.
• PRO 100: 19.00 USD per month, billed USD 19/month. Supports up to 100 users per channel, core chat features and Pro management features.
• PRO Translate 100: 28.00 USD per month, billed USD 28/month. Supports up to 100 users per channel, Pro features and translation; it fits teams that need translation without moving to a broader database plan.
• PRO: 29.00 USD per month, billed $29/month. Includes 15 GB read bandwidth, 10 GB write bandwidth, 2 GB storage, 10 indexes and 100 tables. It is the defined step up for database workloads that outgrow FREE.
• SCALE: 829.00 USD per month, billed $829/month. Includes 300 GB read bandwidth, 150 GB write bandwidth, 20 GB storage, 10 indexes and 300 tables. Its larger allowances target heavier data workloads, at a substantial price increase over PRO.
• Enterprise: custom pricing, billed Contact Sales. Includes a stable service environment and dedicated server option, for teams needing those arrangements.
• Basic: custom pricing, billed No monthly base fee. Includes FREE benefits, charges for usage beyond free limits and offers paid technical support; it avoids a base fee but does not remove usage charges.

Platforms

BACKND lists Android, API, iOS, Linux, macOS, web and Windows platforms. Unity and Unreal Engine are supported game engines, with remote configuration, live event tools and in-game messaging.

Who it's for

BACKND is a strong fit for game teams seeking a single backend suite for player accounts, game data, matchmaking, chat and persistent worlds, particularly those building with Unity. It is less compelling for teams whose data use is likely to exceed free quotas but whose workloads do not justify paid capacity, or whose preferred engine integration depends on an official Worlds implementation beyond Unity.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Base combines several routine player and LiveOps services, including multiple login methods, receipt verification and an admin console.
• Pro: Match, Chat and Worlds cover distinct multiplayer needs, while Chat includes moderation and translation rather than only messaging.
• Pro: Database supports permissions, queries, indexes and backups for both user and shared data.
• Con: Database FREE has low explicit bandwidth and storage allowances, and overages can restrict game use.
• Con: Worlds officially supports Unity; other engine teams must integrate through server APIs.
• Con: Paid chat and database tiers have separate pricing and limits, so teams must select around the service they actually need.

Alternatives

Consider Balancy when CMS access, payment validation and cloud storage are the priority; its free CMS tier includes 1 GB total asset storage and a 10 MB maximum asset size. Choose brainCloud for its broader listed platform coverage, including self-hosted deployment. Metaplay is a fit for teams that want to build and run locally with its full SDK and local server, without hard limits on local development.

Tenjin is oriented to conversion measurement, with 2,000 free conversions per month and $0.04 per additional conversion. AccelByte Gaming Services offers a public-cloud foundation free while building, with usage fees as players arrive, and a private-cloud option. FORGECORE is an alternative for teams prioritizing an enterprise package with self-hosting and dedicated infrastructure.

GameAnalytics is the more direct choice for analytics, with free dashboards, events, funnels, cohorts, retention and real-time reporting. Hyperstone is another freemium option, with its free tier including all platform features and up to 2,000 installs per month.

Verdict

Choose BACKND if your game needs a broad backend toolkit spanning accounts, data and multiplayer operations, especially on Unity. Its integrated feature set is the main reason to choose it; database caps, separate service tiers and Worlds' Unity-first support are the main reasons to compare alternatives before committing.