Reference Guide

Database Providers

Comparing managed database providers for web apps. Free tiers, inactivity policies, built-in features, and Vercel compatibility.

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Neon (Vercel Postgres)

Serverless PostgreSQL • Native Vercel integration

What it does: Serverless PostgreSQL with scale-to-zero compute. Vercel migrated their Postgres offering to Neon natively, so env vars auto-populate when you connect through the Vercel marketplace.

Scale-to-zero — compute sleeps after 5 min idle, data persists indefinitely
Unlimited database branching (dev/prod) even on free tier
Standard Postgres — use pg_dump, Drizzle ORM, any Postgres tool
6-hour point-in-time recovery on free, 7+ days on paid
Open source (Apache 2.0)

Limitations: No built-in auth, real-time subscriptions, or file storage. Dashboard is functional but minimal compared to Supabase's full GUI. Cold start of ~300-500ms after idle period.

Serverless Postgres Free Tier

Supabase

Full Backend-as-a-Service • PostgreSQL foundation

What it does: Full BaaS built on PostgreSQL. Includes auth, real-time subscriptions, S3-compatible file storage, and auto-generated REST + GraphQL APIs from your schema.

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 pauses projects after 7 days of inactivity. If you don't manually restore, data can be deleted. This is a dealbreaker for seasonal or low-traffic apps. Pro plan ($25/mo) eliminates pausing. Only 2 free projects allowed.

Full BaaS Inactivity Risk

Turso

Edge-native SQLite • libSQL fork

What it does: Edge-native database built on libSQL (a fork of SQLite). Embedded replicas for ultra-low latency reads. Databases stay responsive even when idle — no cold starts.

5 GB free storage, up to 500 databases
No inactivity deletion or cold starts
Edge replicas for blazing fast reads worldwide
500M rows read / 10M rows written per month on free tier
Open source (libSQL)

Limitations: SQLite-based, not PostgreSQL — migration to/from Postgres requires schema conversion. Younger ecosystem with less tooling. No built-in auth, real-time, or storage. Basic CLI and web shell for management.

Edge SQLite Free Tier

Railway

Managed PostgreSQL • One-click deploy

What it does: Simple managed Postgres with one-click provisioning. Spin up app + database in the same platform. Usage-based pricing included in subscription credit.

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 minimum (Hobby plan). No built-in auth, real-time, or storage. Proprietary platform (not open source). No published inactivity policy.

Managed Postgres No Free Tier

Why this matters: Your database provider sits between your app and your data. The choice affects cold start latency, how long your data survives without traffic, what features you get out of the box (auth, real-time, storage), and how easily you can migrate later. For seasonal or low-traffic apps, inactivity policy is the single most important factor.

Capability	Neon	Supabase	Turso	Railway
Pricing & Free Tier
Free tier	Yes	Yes	Yes	Trial only ($5)
Free storage	0.5 GB	500 MB	5 GB	1 GB (paid)
Free projects	20	2	500 databases	None free
Paid tier starts at	$19/mo	$25/mo	$29/mo	$5/mo
Data Safety & Inactivity
Inactivity policy	Scale to zero (data safe)	Paused & deleted	Always on	Unclear
Offseason risk (months idle)	None	High	None	Low (paid)
Point-in-time recovery	6 hrs (free)	Pro only	No	No
Built-in Features
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
REST / GraphQL API	No	Yes (auto-generated)	No	No
Edge distribution	Regions	Single region	Edge-native	Regions
Database branching	Yes (free)	No	No	No
Developer Experience
Vercel integration	Native (auto env vars)	Marketplace	Manual	Manual
Dashboard / table editor	SQL console	Full GUI	SQL shell	Query tab
Drizzle ORM support	First-class	First-class	First-class	First-class
Open source	Yes (Apache 2.0)	Yes (Apache 2.0)	Yes (libSQL)	No
Migration path	Standard pg_dump	Standard pg_dump	SQLite export (conversion needed)	Standard pg_dump

Inactivity is the key differentiator: Supabase offers the most built-in features by far, but free-tier projects pause after 7 days of inactivity and risk data deletion. Neon and Turso both survive months of zero traffic without intervention. For apps with consistent daily usage, Supabase is hard to beat. For anything seasonal or side-project-pace, Neon or Turso are safer bets.

Migration note: Neon, Supabase, and Railway all use standard PostgreSQL — you can pg_dump from one and restore to another in minutes. Turso uses libSQL (SQLite fork), so moving to/from Postgres requires schema conversion. If portability matters, stick with the Postgres providers.

PlanetScale note: PlanetScale discontinued their free tier in April 2024. All databases now require the paid Scaler Pro plan. Not included in this comparison as a result.

Vercel-deployed Next.js app, want zero-config DB setupNeon

Seasonal or low-traffic app (e.g. NFL draft board)Neon or Turso

Need auth, real-time, and storage all-in-oneSupabase

Active daily-use SaaS with user accountsSupabase

Read-heavy app needing global edge performanceTurso

Side project that might sit idle for monthsNeon or Turso

Need dev/prod database branching on free tierNeon

Full-stack deploy (app + DB in one platform)Railway

Must stay on standard Postgres for portabilityNeon or Supabase

Maximum free storage for prototypingTurso (5 GB)

Non-technical team needs to browse/edit data via GUISupabase

Budget is exactly $0 with no inactivity riskNeon or Turso

GlobeStreet 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 (e.g. a collaborative app with user accounts), Supabase Pro is worth the cost — just be on the paid plan from day one to avoid the inactivity trap.