Database Providers
Comparing managed database providers for web apps. Free tiers, inactivity policies, built-in features, and Vercel compatibility.
← Back to Reference HubBest for: Vercel-deployed Next.js apps, projects that may sit idle, dev/prod branching.
- Scale-to-zero — compute auto-suspends on idle (configurable per project), data persists indefinitely
- Free plan metered at 100 CU-hours/month with 0.5 GB storage and autoscaling up to 2 CU
- Database branching included on free tier for dev/prod and per-PR previews
- Standard Postgres — use pg_dump, Drizzle ORM, any Postgres tool
- 6-hour point-in-time recovery on free; paid plans extend the PITR window
- Acquired by Databricks (May 2025); primary domain is now neon.com
- Open source (Apache 2.0)
Limitations: No built-in auth, real-time subscriptions, or file storage. Cold start ~300–500ms after idle.
Best for: Apps that need auth, real-time subscriptions, file storage, and a full GUI — all in one.
- Built-in auth: email/password, OAuth, magic links, SSO
- Real-time subscriptions — subscribe to row-level database changes
- File storage bucket included (S3-compatible)
- Full GUI table editor with row-level CRUD and schema visualizer
- Open source (Apache 2.0)
Limitations: Free-tier projects pause after ~1 week of inactivity (paused projects can be restored, but you must opt in). Pro plan ($25/mo) eliminates pausing. Only 2 active free projects.
Best for: Read-heavy apps needing global edge performance, or apps that need a generous free tier with zero inactivity risk.
- 5 GB free storage, up to 100 databases
- No inactivity deletion or cold starts
- Edge replicas for blazing fast reads worldwide
- 500 million rows read / 10 million rows written per month on free tier
- Open source (libSQL); new Rust-rewritten Turso Database engine launched April 2026
Limitations: SQLite-based, not PostgreSQL — migration requires schema conversion. No built-in auth, real-time, or storage.
Best for: Full-stack deploy with app and database in the same platform.
- Standard PostgreSQL — pg_dump, Drizzle ORM, any Postgres tool
- One-click database provisioning alongside app deploy
- Multiple regions available
- Simple dashboard with query interface
Limitations: No real free tier — $5 one-time trial credit, then $5/mo Hobby minimum (Pro at $20/seat/mo). No built-in auth, real-time, or storage. Primary domain rebranded to railway.com.
| Capability | Neon | Supabase | Turso | Railway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes | Yes | Yes | Trial only ($5) |
| Free storage | 0.5 GB | 500 MB DB (1 GB file storage) | 5 GB | 1 GB (paid) |
| Free projects | 100 CU-hours/mo metered | 2 | 100 databases | None free |
| Inactivity policy | Auto-suspend (data safe) | Paused after ~7d (restorable) | Always on | Unclear |
| Database engine | PostgreSQL | PostgreSQL | libSQL (SQLite) | PostgreSQL |
| Built-in auth | No | Yes | No | No |
| Real-time subscriptions | No | Yes | No | No |
| File storage | No | Yes (S3) | No | No |
| Database branching | Yes (free) | No | No | No |
| Vercel integration | Native (auto env vars) | Native Marketplace | Manual | Manual |
| Open source | Yes (Apache 2.0) | Yes (Apache 2.0) | Yes (libSQL) | No |
Our Recommendation
For most of our projects, Neon (via Vercel Postgres) is the default choice. Native Vercel integration means zero config, standard Postgres means easy migration if needs change, and the scale-to-zero model means data survives the offseason without paying $25/mo. If a project needs built-in auth and real-time, Supabase Pro is worth the cost — just be on the paid plan from day one to avoid the inactivity trap.