Neon vs Hasura
Neon is Serverless Postgres with autoscaling, branching, and a generous free tier for modern applications, while Hasura is Instant GraphQL and REST APIs on Postgres, SQL Server, and other data sources. The biggest difference up front: Hasura is free, while Neon starts at $19/mo. Neon is built for developers who want serverless postgres with branching and scale-to-zero, whereas Hasura targets developers wanting instant graphql apis on their database.
| Feature | Neon | Hasura |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier available | ✓ | ✓ |
| Open source | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auth | — | ✓ |
| Autoscaling | ✓ | — |
| Branching | ✓ | — |
| GraphQL | — | ✓ |
| Real-Time | — | ✓ |
| Remote Schemas | — | ✓ |
| Scale-to-Zero | ✓ | — |
| Serverless Postgres | ✓ | — |
Pricing: Hasura is completely free (Free for 1 project), which makes it the obvious pick if budget is the top concern. Neon starts at $19/mo, but Free tier with 0.5 GB storage and 190 compute hours. That cost buys you a more polished or feature-rich experience, so it comes down to whether the extras justify the spend.
Feature gaps: Neon offers Autoscaling, Branching and Scale-to-Zero that Hasura lacks. Hasura brings Auth, GraphQL and Real-Time that Neon does not have.
Team fit: Neon is geared toward any size teams, while Hasura is aimed at small teams teams. Pick the one that matches where your team is today and where it is headed — migrating tools later is always painful.
Open source: Both Neon and Hasura are open source, so self-hosting and code audits are on the table with either choice.
Where each tool shines: Neon's biggest strengths are: scale-to-zero means no cost when database is idle. database branching for development and preview environments. Hasura's biggest strengths are: open source and transparent. includes graphql as a core feature, purpose-built for database workflows.
Watch out for: With Neon, users commonly note that cold starts when scaling from zero can add latency. With Hasura, the main complaint is that free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade.
choose Neon if
- Your profile matches its sweet spot: developers who want serverless postgres with branching and scale-to-zero
- You specifically need Autoscaling and Branching
- You care about database branching for development and preview environments
- Your team size fits the any size profile Neon is designed for
- The free tier works for you: free tier with 0.5 gb storage and 190 compute hours
choose Hasura if
- Your profile matches its sweet spot: developers wanting instant graphql apis on their database
- Budget is a hard constraint — Hasura is free, Neon is not
- You specifically need Auth and GraphQL
- You care about includes graphql as a core feature, purpose-built for database workflows
- Your team size fits the small teams profile Hasura is designed for
frequently asked
What is the difference between Neon and Hasura?
Neon is Serverless Postgres with autoscaling, branching, and a generous free tier for modern applications, while Hasura is Instant GraphQL and REST APIs on Postgres, SQL Server, and other data sources. The biggest difference up front: Hasura is free, while Neon starts at $19/mo. Neon is built for developers who want serverless postgres with branching and scale-to-zero, whereas Hasura targets developers wanting instant graphql apis on their database.
Should I use Neon or Hasura?
Hasura is the free option; Neon charges $19/mo but may offer more polish. Here is how they compare.
When should I choose Neon over Hasura?
Choose Neon if Your profile matches its sweet spot: developers who want serverless postgres with branching and scale-to-zero; You specifically need Autoscaling and Branching; You care about database branching for development and preview environments; Your team size fits the any size profile Neon is designed for; The free tier works for you: free tier with 0.5 gb storage and 190 compute hours.
When should I choose Hasura over Neon?
Choose Hasura if Your profile matches its sweet spot: developers wanting instant graphql apis on their database; Budget is a hard constraint — Hasura is free, Neon is not; You specifically need Auth and GraphQL; You care about includes graphql as a core feature, purpose-built for database workflows; Your team size fits the small teams profile Hasura is designed for.
related comparisons
Supabase vs Neon · PlanetScale vs Neon · Neon vs Firebase · Neon vs Airtable · Neon vs Xata · Neon vs Turso · Neon vs MongoDB Atlas · Neon vs CockroachDB