Backstage vs npm
Backstage vs npm, compared side by side on 20 data points: what each one does, how big it is, what it has raised, the tech running each site, and what users report. We score both out of 100 on traction, team and visibility: Backstage is on 57/100 and npm on 66/100.
Where each one leads
Backstage
- funding raised: $63.0M against $10.6M
npm
- our overall score: 66/100 against 57/100
- agent readiness: 36/100 against 30/100
- domain rating: 92/100 against 75/100
At a glance
| Measure | Backstage | npm |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | An open-source developer portal for building and managing software. | The world's largest software registry for JavaScript packages and the default package manager for Node.js. |
| Category | Developer Tools, MLOps, DevInfra, Open Source | Developer Tools, Cloud Infrastructure, Open Source, API Platform |
| Sells toBusiness model | B2B | B2B |
| Offering | Platform | Platform |
| Founded | 2016 | 2010 |
| Headquarters | Stockholm, Sweden | Oakland, USA |
| Status | Active | Inactive |
Size, funding and growth
| Measure | Backstage | npm |
|---|---|---|
| Employees | 18,703 | Not published |
| Total funding | $63.0M | $10.6M |
| Latest round | Series B | Series A |
| Valuation | $1.1B | $1.1B |
| LinkedIn followers | 4,542,046 | Not published |
StartupHub scores
Our own 0-100 ratings. They measure company strength and site quality, not which product suits you.
| Measure | Backstage | npm |
|---|---|---|
| StartupHub scoreOur 0-100 rating | 57/100 | 66/100 |
| Traction | 59/100 | 35/100 |
| Team | 10/100 | 60/100 |
| Search visibility | 45/100 | 22/100 |
| Quality | 68/100 | 89/100 |
| Agent readinessHow well an AI agent can read and act on the site | F (30/100) | F (36/100) |
| Domain ratingLink authority, 0-100 | 75/100 | 92/100 |
Technology
Detected on each public site, so it reflects the marketing stack as well as the product.
| Measure | Backstage | npm |
|---|---|---|
| CDN | Fastly | Cloudflare |
| Analytics | Google Analytics 4 | Not detected |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes |
Backstage vs npm: common questions
Which is better, Backstage or npm?
On our 0-100 score npm rates higher (66/100 against 57/100). The score weights traction, team, visibility and profile completeness, so it reflects company strength rather than which product suits you. We compare the two on 20 data points above: read the rows that match what you are buying for.
How do Backstage and npm compare on the numbers?
Backstage leads on funding raised ($63.0M against $10.6M). npm leads on our overall score (66/100 against 57/100), agent readiness (36/100 against 30/100), domain rating (92/100 against 75/100).
Read the full Backstage review and pricing or the npm review and pricing. You can also browse other Backstage alternatives we track.

