Infrastructure & Security · Databases & Storage

SQL Databases

9 paid against 33 free you can run yourself.

Paid against free › Infrastructure & Security › Databases & Storage › SQL Databases · Data and databases on Repo Radar

SQL databases store an application's structured data and answer queries in SQL. The paid options are managed services: serverless and branching Postgres (Neon, Xata), managed Postgres (Aiven, Crunchy Bridge, Tiger Cloud), MySQL and Postgres at scale (PlanetScale), distributed SQL (CockroachDB Cloud, TiDB Cloud), hosted SQLite (Turso) and DuckDB analytics (MotherDuck). Most have an open engine you can run yourself: Neon, TimescaleDB, TiDB, CockroachDB, the Turso engine and DuckDB, plus Dolt, rqlite, ParadeDB and PGlite. Marks come from vendor pricing pages and project READMEs as of 19 October 2026; nothing was tested hands-on.

Free 33 direct · 24 related

Free to use. You run it on your own server.

Direct alternatives

They do this job.

DUduckdb/duckdb

An analytical SQL database that runs inside your own process and queries files directly.

★ 42.1kFree
TIpingcap/tidb

TiDB is built for agentic workloads that grow unpredictably, with ACID guarantees and native support for transactions, analytics, and vector search. No data silos. No noisy neighbors. No infrastructure ceiling.

★ 40.7kFree
COcockroachdb/cockroach

CockroachDB — the cloud native, distributed SQL database designed for high availability, effortless scale, and control over data placement.

★ 32.6kFree
TUtursodatabase/turso

A rewrite of SQLite in Rust that reads the same files and has not yet reached version 1.0.

★ 24.7kFree
DOdolthub/dolt

A SQL database that can be branched, committed, compared and merged like a code repository.

★ 24.6kFree
TItimescale/timescaledb

A PostgreSQL add-on that makes years of time-stamped rows fast to query.

★ 23.7kFree
BEbeekeeper-studio/beekeeper-studio

A desktop window onto a database, so you can read and edit rows without writing commands.

★ 23.6kFree
NEneondatabase/neon

Neon: Serverless Postgres. We separated storage and compute to offer autoscaling, code-like database branching, and scale to zero.

★ 23.2kFree
RQrqlite/rqlite

Runs one small single-file database across several machines so a single failure does not take it down.

★ 17.8kFree
PGelectric-sql/pglite

PostgreSQL compiled so it runs inside a JavaScript program or inside a web page.

★ 16.2kFree
LIbenbjohnson/litestream

It copies a SQLite database to cloud storage as it changes, so the data can be restored after a failure.

★ 14.5kFree
PAparadedb/paradedb

A PostgreSQL extension that adds search-engine-quality keyword search as ordinary SQL.

★ 9.4kFree
PGxataio/pgroll

It changes the shape of a PostgreSQL database without taking the program offline.

★ 6.6kFree
HAtconbeer/harlequin

A SQL editor that runs inside a terminal window, with a table list and name completion.

★ 6.5kFree
PAunionai-oss/pandera

Schema validation for DataFrames — the error that fires before a backtest quietly reports a fictional edge.

★ 4.5kFree
TBk1LoW/tbls

Reads a database and writes its documentation, then checks it against chosen rules.

★ 4.4kFree
PGpgbackrest/pgbackrest

Backup and restore for PostgreSQL, including a restore to a chosen minute in the past.

★ 4.4kFree
WAwal-g/wal-g

Backup and restore for several database systems, straight into cloud storage, able to rewind to any chosen point in time.

★ 4.3kFree
SQcoleifer/sqlite-web

Opens a single SQLite database file as a web page for browsing, editing, querying, importing and exporting.

★ 4.2kFree
SQfrectonz/sql-studio

One command opens a browser page that explores nine kinds of database.

★ 3.7kFree
LIdbcli/litecli

A SQLite command prompt that completes table and column names and colours your query.

★ 3.3kFree
SQsqldef/sqldef

You keep one file describing the database you want, and it works out and applies the difference.

★ 3.2kFree
PGdalibo/pg_activity

A live screen showing every query a PostgreSQL database is running right now.

★ 3.1kFree
PGpgpartman/pg_partman

A PostgreSQL extension that creates and maintains partitioned tables by time or by number.

★ 2.8kFree
SQsmithyhq/sqladmin

An admin interface over SQLAlchemy tables, mounted inside a FastAPI or Starlette application.

★ 2.8kFree
TRnoborus/trdsql

It runs SQL queries straight against CSV, JSON and YAML files.

★ 2.2kFree
SQsimonw/sqlite-utils

A command-line tool that loads JSON and CSV files into a SQLite database without designing a schema first.

★ 2.2kFree
DEankane/dexter

It reads slow queries and reports which PostgreSQL indexes to create.

★ 2.1kFree
PGdarold/pgFormatter

It lays out an unreadable database query so that a person can read it.

★ 2kFree
HYHypoPG/hypopg

It creates a pretend index in one second so PostgreSQL can say whether a real one would help.

★ 1.7kFree
PGankane/pgslice

It splits a huge PostgreSQL table into monthly pieces without stopping the database.

★ 1.2kFree
ORdarold/ora2pg

It converts an Oracle database schema and data into PostgreSQL, and estimates the effort first.

★ 1.2kFree
PGpgmoneta/pgmoneta

Backup and restore for PostgreSQL, written in C, able to rewind to a chosen moment.

★ 319Free

Related alternatives

A second choice: they cover part of this job or are a building block for it.

POpocketbase/pocketbase

One downloaded program that provides a database, user accounts, file storage and an admin screen.

★ 61.5kFree
MEmeilisearch/meilisearch

A search engine you run yourself, built for fast answers and forgiving spelling.

★ 59.2kFree
HIvectorize-io/hindsight

A memory store for AI agents that keeps what matters across sessions instead of replaying the whole history.

★ 49.4kFree
FAfacebookresearch/faiss

A library for efficient similarity search and clustering of dense vectors.

★ 41.2kFree
DIdirectus/directus

It wraps an existing SQL database with an automatic web interface and an editing screen.

★ 38.5kFree
QDqdrant/qdrant

It stores lists of numbers that stand for meaning, and finds the closest matches.

★ 35.1kFree
PGpgvector/pgvector

A Postgres extension that adds a vector column type and nearest-neighbour search.

★ 23.3kFree
NEnetbox-community/netbox

A database of what a network and its hardware are supposed to look like, which other programs can read.

★ 21.6kFree
LAlancedb/lancedb

An embedded database for embeddings, imported as a library rather than run as a server.

★ 11.6kFree
DAsimonw/datasette

A web server that opens any SQLite database file as a browsable, queryable website.

★ 11.5kFree
FAFalkorDB/FalkorDB

A graph database that keeps the connections as sparse matrices and answers queries with linear algebra.

★ 10.1kFree
PGankane/pghero

A web dashboard that shows which PostgreSQL queries are slow and which indexes are missing.

★ 8.9kFree
SQasg017/sqlite-vec

Adds find-the-closest-match to SQLite as one small portable file, with no server and nothing to compile.

★ 8.2kFree
VEvespa-engine/vespa

The AI search platform

★ 7.1kFree
USunum-cloud/usearch

A small, fast engine for finding the closest matches among millions of number lists.

★ 4.3kFree
PGdarold/pgbadger

It reads PostgreSQL's own log file and writes one page naming the slowest queries.

★ 4.1kFree
PGtimescale/pgvectorscale

A PostgreSQL add-on that makes similarity search work on more data than fits in memory.

★ 3.1kFree
CRbmoscon/cryptofeed

Receives live market data from 28 exchanges, normalises it to one shape, and can write it straight into nine kinds of store.

★ 2.9kFree
PSokbob/pspg

It makes the tables a database prints readable, with the headings held in place.

★ 2.7kFree
VEsupervc-stack/VectorChord

A PostgreSQL index for similarity search that lives on disk rather than in memory.

★ 1.8kFree
PGxataio/pgstream

It streams PostgreSQL changes, including changes to the table structure, to another system.

★ 1.2kFree
SQsqliteai/sqlite-vector

An add-on that gives the single-file SQLite database meaning-based search, with its own accuracy figures printed in the README.

★ 1.1kFree
PGcybertec-postgresql/pgwatch

Continuous PostgreSQL monitoring with ready-made dashboards.

★ 896Free
VIMinishLab/vicinity

A small Python library giving one interface over several nearest-neighbour search methods.

★ 351Free

Feature by feature

Every paid tool and free repository we compared, marked against the same features.

✓has itPartlysome plans or extra work—confirmed not available?not confirmed✓the vendor's claim onlypricingClick a mark for its note and source

Paid · 10Free · 10
Featureduckdb/duckdbtimescale/timescaledbelectric-sql/pglitedolthub/dolttursodatabase/tursorqlite/rqliteparadedb/paradedbpingcap/tidbcockroachdb/cockroachneondatabase/neon
Starts atUsage-based from $0.106 per CU-hour (Launch)$5 per month (Postgres single node)From $0.057 per vCPU-hour (Standard)$0 Starter; Essential from $400 a month$4.99 per month billed annually (Developer)$5 per month (Developer)$30 per month compute plus storage (Performance)$250 per organisation a month plus usage (Business)$9 per month (Hobby-0)$0.012 per hour (micro) plus $0.28 per GB-monthMITApache-2.0 outside the tsl directoryApache-2.0Apache-2.0MITMITAGPL-3.0Apache-2.0CockroachDB Software LicenseApache-2.0
Operations
Serverless or scale to zeroCompute scales with load and can stop when idle.
Developer workflow
Database branchingCreate copies of a database for development or previews.
Reliability
Point-in-time recoveryRestore the database to any moment within a window.
High availabilityAutomatic failover with standby replicas.
Scaling
Read replicas or read scalingExtra read-only copies to spread query load.
Horizontal scaling or shardingDistribute data and writes across many nodes.
Compatibility
PostgreSQL compatibleSpeaks the PostgreSQL protocol and dialect.
MySQL compatibleSpeaks the MySQL protocol and dialect.
Embedded or SQLite-compatibleRuns inside the application process or speaks SQLite.
Workloads
Analytics or columnar storageColumnar or analytical queries over large data.
Vector or full-text searchSearch features inside the database.
Deployment
Self-hosting or bring your own cloudRun it yourself or in your own cloud account.
Security
Compliance (SOC 2, HIPAA, PCI)Published compliance reports or certifications.
Pricing
Free tierA free plan with no time limit.
Licence
Open sourceSource published under an open or source-available licence.

Excluded candidates

Looked at, and left out of the comparison, with the reason.

Paid apps

  • SupabaseSupabase is a Postgres development platform that bundles auth, storage, edge functions and realtime. It is a backend platform rather than a database service alone.Source
  • Prisma PostgresPrisma Postgres is sold as usage-based plans for Postgres and compute from the maker of the Prisma ORM. It overlaps Neon and Xata, which publish fuller plan details.Source
  • Cloudflare D1Cloudflare D1 is a serverless SQLite database for Cloudflare Workers, priced with the Workers platform. It is tied to Cloudflare's runtime rather than a general database service.Source

Repositories

  • simonw/sqlite-utilssqlite-utils is a Python command-line utility and library for manipulating SQLite databases. It is a tool for working with a database, not a database.Source
  • smithyhq/sqladminSQLAdmin is an admin interface for SQLAlchemy models in FastAPI and Starlette apps. It is an admin panel, not a database engine.Source
  • unionai-oss/panderaPandera is a statistical data testing library for dataframes. It validates data in Python and is not a SQL database.Source
  • pgbackrest/pgbackrestpgBackRest is a backup and restore tool for PostgreSQL. It operates an existing database rather than being one.Source
  • xataio/pgrollpgroll runs zero-downtime schema migrations for PostgreSQL. It is a migration tool used with a database, not a database.Source
  • tconbeer/harlequinHarlequin is a SQL IDE for the terminal. It is a client for querying databases, not a database engine itself.Source
  • darold/pgFormatterpgFormatter is a PostgreSQL SQL syntax beautifier for the console or the web. It formats SQL text and stores no data.Source
  • HypoPG/hypopgHypoPG adds hypothetical indexes to PostgreSQL for testing index ideas. It is an extension for tuning, not a database.Source
  • dalibo/pg_activitypg_activity is a top-like monitor for PostgreSQL server activity. It watches a database rather than being one.Source
  • benbjohnson/litestreamLitestream provides streaming replication of SQLite to object storage. It is a backup and replication tool for an existing SQLite file.Source
  • noborus/trdsqltrdsql is a command-line tool that runs SQL queries on CSV, JSON, YAML and similar files. It queries files rather than storing data.Source
  • ankane/dexterDexter is an automatic index advisor for Postgres. It tunes an existing database and is not a database engine.Source
  • wal-g/wal-gWAL-G archives and restores databases to and from cloud storage. It is a backup tool used with Postgres, MySQL and others.Source
  • k1LoW/tblstbls documents a database schema for CI. It reads a database to produce documentation and stores no application data.Source
  • pgmoneta/pgmonetapgmoneta is a backup and restore solution for PostgreSQL. It operates an existing database rather than being one.Source
  • ankane/pgslicepgslice makes Postgres table partitioning easier from the command line. It is a maintenance tool, not a database.Source
  • sqldef/sqldefsqldef provides idempotent schema management for MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite and SQL Server. It manages schemas rather than storing data.Source
  • dbcli/liteclilitecli is a command-line client for SQLite with auto-completion and syntax highlighting. It is a client, not a database.Source
  • frectonz/sql-studioSQL Studio is a database explorer for SQLite, PostgreSQL, MySQL and others. It browses existing databases rather than being one.Source
  • pgpartman/pg_partmanpg_partman is a partition management extension for PostgreSQL. It maintains partitions inside an existing database.Source
  • coleifer/sqlite-websqlite-web is a web-based SQLite database browser written in Python. It is a viewer and editor, not a database engine.Source
  • darold/ora2pgOra2Pg migrates an Oracle database to a PostgreSQL-compatible schema. It is a migration tool, not a database.Source
  • beekeeper-studio/beekeeper-studioBeekeeper Studio is a SQL client for MySQL, Postgres, SQLite, SQL Server and more. It is a desktop client, not a database.Source
  • yugabyte/yugabyte-dbYugabyteDB is a cloud-native distributed SQL database. It overlaps CockroachDB (G9) and TiDB (G8), which cover distributed SQL here.Source
  • vitessio/vitessVitess is a clustering system for horizontal scaling of MySQL. It needs MySQL underneath and is the base of PlanetScale (P2) rather than a database on its own.Source
  • postgres/postgresThis repository is a read-only mirror of the official PostgreSQL Git repository with GitHub issues turned off. PostgreSQL itself is the base of several selected items.Source
  • MariaDB/serverMariaDB Server is a community fork of MySQL, but its GitHub issues are turned off and bugs are tracked elsewhere. Dolt (G4) and TiDB (G8) cover MySQL compatibility here.Source
  • citusdata/citusCitus is an extension that distributes PostgreSQL across nodes. It extends Postgres rather than replacing it, and CockroachDB (G9) and TiDB (G8) cover distributed SQL here.Source
  • apache/shardingsphereShardingSphere is middleware that adds sharding and distributed SQL on top of existing databases. It is a layer over databases rather than a database.Source
  • MonetDB/MonetDBThis repository is the official mirror of the MonetDB Mercurial repository, so development and issues happen elsewhere. DuckDB (G1) covers columnar SQL here.Source

Gaps

What the research could not settle from the vendors' own pages.

What vendors don't publish

  • Vendors bill by different units (compute-unit hours, vCPU-hours, request units, instance sizes, storage tiers), so the same workload can cost very different amounts and starting prices are not comparable.Neon, CockroachDB and Cockroach Continuum, TiDB, Xata · checked 2026-10-19 · source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4
  • CockroachDB's rates are shown for AWS us-east-1; compute and storage rates vary by region and are not listed for others on the page.CockroachDB and Cockroach Continuum · checked 2026-10-19 · source 1
  • PlanetScale's price depends on the calculator's configuration of shards, replicas, routers and storage; the captured $41 is one default configuration.PlanetScale · checked 2026-10-19 · source 1

Paid against free, in your inbox

One job at a time: the paid tools worth paying for, the free ones you can run yourself, and who should pick which.

No tracking pixels. One click to leave. We use your address to send Stack Radar and nothing else. Privacy.