Database tools
Managed Postgres, MySQL, and friends. 7 tools, compared on entry pricing and free-tier limits that decide whether a side project stays free.
7 tools in Database
| # | Name | Category↑ | Starting price | Free access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Convex is a reactive backend and database where queries update in real time as data changes — popular with Next.js and React apps. Teams use it when they want Firebase-like DX wit… |
Database | $25/mo | Yes, free plan is available |
| 2 | MongoDB Atlas is managed MongoDB with a free M0 tier that many tutorials still assume. It is the path of least resistance if your document model is already Mongo-shaped. |
Database | $0+/mo | Yes, free plan is available |
| 3 | Neon is serverless Postgres with database branching — spin copy-on-write branches for previews and migrations without cloning full clusters. That workflow maps well to PR environm… |
Database | $0.106/CU-hr | Yes, free plan is available |
| 4 | PlanetScale offers MySQL-compatible serverless databases with branching workflows familiar to teams who liked the Vitess era. After pricing changes, it is no longer the “free fore… |
Database | $5/mo | No free plan |
| 5 | Supabase wraps Postgres with auth, storage, and realtime APIs so you can skip assembling those pieces yourself. Indies use it as a Firebase alternative with SQL under the hood. |
Database | $25/month | Yes, free plan is available |
| 6 | Turso brings libSQL (SQLite lineage) to the edge with replication aimed at apps that want local-feeling reads. It is a different mental model than central Postgres. |
Database | $29/mo | Yes, free plan is available |
| 7 | Upstash sells serverless Redis and related data services with pay-as-you-go pricing. Indies use it for rate limits, caches, queues, and session stores without running Redis themse… |
Database | $10/mo | Yes, free plan is available |