Neon vs Pocketbase
Updated . Stats refresh daily.
Short answer: Choose based on your preference: cloud convenience vs self-hosted control.
At a glance
| Attribute | Neon | Pocketbase |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Freemium | Open Source |
| Main job | Serverless Postgres | All-in-one Backend |
| GitHub stars | 23,133 | 61,162 |
| npm downloads a week | 4.4M | 258k |
| Latest release | release-proxy-8853, 1 year ago | v0.40.4, 2 weeks ago |
| Founded | 2021 | 2022 |
| Hosting | Cloud (managed) | Self-hosted (your server) |
| Database Engine | PostgreSQL | SQLite |
| Open Source | No (proprietary) | Yes (MIT license) |
| Built-in Auth | No | Yes (built-in) |
| File Storage | No | Yes (local files) |
| Admin Dashboard | Neon Console | Built-in UI (localhost:8090) |
| Realtime | No (use extension) | Yes (SSE) |
| Branching | Yes (database branches) | No |
| Scale-to-Zero | Yes | No (always-running server) |
| Pricing | $19/mo (Launch) | $5-20/mo (VPS hosting) |
Key differences
Hosting Model
Neon is fully managed cloud service (you don't manage servers). Pocketbase is self-hosted (you run the Go binary on your server). Neon is SaaS; Pocketbase is self-managed.
Product Scope
Neon is pure database (PostgreSQL only). Pocketbase is complete backend (SQLite database + auth + file storage + admin UI). Neon is database-focused; Pocketbase is full backend.
Open Source vs Managed
Pocketbase is open source (full control, no vendor lock-in). Neon is proprietary managed service (convenience over control). Pocketbase is freedom; Neon is convenience.
Pricing
Neon
Free: 0.5GB, shared compute. Launch: $19/mo for 10GB, always-on. Fully managed, no server costs. Add $5-10/mo if you need persistent IP.
Pocketbase
Free software (open source). Hosting: $5-20/mo for VPS (Digital Ocean, Hetzner). One-time cost, unlimited usage. You manage infrastructure.
Prices change often. Check each vendor's pricing page before you commit.
Strengths and weaknesses
Neon
Strengths
- Fully managed (zero server maintenance)
- PostgreSQL (most advanced open-source SQL DB)
- Database branching (git-like workflow)
- Scale-to-zero (cost-effective)
Weaknesses
- Database only (no auth, storage)
- Proprietary (vendor lock-in)
- Higher cost at scale vs self-hosted
- Less control over infrastructure
Pocketbase
Strengths
- Open source (full control, no lock-in)
- Complete backend (DB + auth + storage)
- Very cheap ($5-20/mo total)
- Simple deployment (single binary)
Weaknesses
- Self-hosted (you manage servers)
- SQLite limitations vs PostgreSQL
- No database branching
- Manual scaling and maintenance
Which should you choose?
Choose Neon if
- You want fully managed cloud (zero server maintenance).
- PostgreSQL's advanced features are important.
- Database branching workflow is valuable.
- You're comfortable building auth/backend separately.
Choose Pocketbase if
- You want a complete backend (database + auth + storage).
- Open source with full control matters.
- Budget is tight ($5/mo vs $19/mo).
- You're comfortable self-hosting.
Questions
Is Pocketbase's SQLite as powerful as Neon's Postgres?
No—PostgreSQL is more advanced (better JSON support, extensions, full ACID). SQLite is simpler and lighter. For complex apps, Postgres (Neon) is better. For simple apps, SQLite (Pocketbase) is sufficient.
How hard is it to self-host Pocketbase?
Very easy. Download binary, run `./pocketbase serve`, deploy to $5/mo VPS. Takes ~5-10 minutes. Neon is easier (zero setup) but Pocketbase is still simple.
Which is cheaper long-term?
Pocketbase is much cheaper ($5-20/mo total) vs Neon ($19/mo + auth/backend costs). For budget-conscious projects, Pocketbase wins if you can self-host.
Does Pocketbase have database branching like Neon?
No. Neon's database branching is a major advantage for testing schema changes. Pocketbase requires manual backup/restore workflows.
Can I migrate from Pocketbase to Neon?
Yes, but requires work. Export SQLite data, transform to Postgres schema, migrate. Doable but not trivial. Choose correctly upfront if possible.