Neon vs Turso
Neon is Serverless Postgres with autoscaling, branching, and a generous free tier for modern applications, while Turso is edge-hosted distributed database built on libSQL (SQLite fork) for ultra-low latency reads. The biggest difference up front: Turso is free, while Neon starts at $19/mo. Neon is built for developers who want serverless postgres with branching and scale-to-zero, whereas Turso targets developers wanting sqlite at the edge.
| Feature | Neon | Turso |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier available | ✓ | ✓ |
| Open source | ✓ | ✓ |
| Autoscaling | ✓ | — |
| Branching | ✓ | ✓ |
| Edge SQLite | — | ✓ |
| Embedded Replicas | — | ✓ |
| Multi-Region | — | ✓ |
| Scale-to-Zero | ✓ | — |
| Serverless Postgres | ✓ | — |
Pricing: Turso is completely free (Free 9 GB total storage), 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, Scale-to-Zero and Serverless Postgres that Turso lacks. Turso brings Edge SQLite, Embedded Replicas and Multi-Region that Neon does not have. Both share Branching.
Team fit: Neon is geared toward any size teams, while Turso 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 Turso 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. Turso's biggest strengths are: open source and transparent. includes edge sqlite 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 Turso, 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 Scale-to-Zero
- 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 Turso if
- Your profile matches its sweet spot: developers wanting sqlite at the edge
- Budget is a hard constraint — Turso is free, Neon is not
- You specifically need Edge SQLite and Embedded Replicas
- You care about includes edge sqlite as a core feature, purpose-built for database workflows
- Your team size fits the small teams profile Turso is designed for
frequently asked
What is the difference between Neon and Turso?
Neon is Serverless Postgres with autoscaling, branching, and a generous free tier for modern applications, while Turso is edge-hosted distributed database built on libSQL (SQLite fork) for ultra-low latency reads. The biggest difference up front: Turso is free, while Neon starts at $19/mo. Neon is built for developers who want serverless postgres with branching and scale-to-zero, whereas Turso targets developers wanting sqlite at the edge.
Should I use Neon or Turso?
Turso is the free option; Neon charges $19/mo but may offer more polish. Here is how they compare.
When should I choose Neon over Turso?
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 Scale-to-Zero; 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 Turso over Neon?
Choose Turso if Your profile matches its sweet spot: developers wanting sqlite at the edge; Budget is a hard constraint — Turso is free, Neon is not; You specifically need Edge SQLite and Embedded Replicas; You care about includes edge sqlite as a core feature, purpose-built for database workflows; Your team size fits the small teams profile Turso is designed for.
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