Neon vs Turso
Updated . Stats refresh daily.
Short answer: Neon: Serverless Postgres. Built for the Cloud. Turso: SQLite for the edge. Compare their pricing models, features and live usage from GitHub and npm below.
At a glance
| Attribute | Neon | Turso |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Main job | Serverless Postgres | Edge Database |
| GitHub stars | 23,133 | 17,237 |
| npm downloads a week | 4.4M | 3.2M |
| Latest release | release-proxy-8853, 1 year ago | libsql-server-v0.24.32, 1 year ago |
| Founded | 2021 | 2023 |
| Database Type | PostgreSQL | libSQL (SQLite) |
| Edge Deployment | No (centralized) | Yes (multi-region) |
| Scale to Zero | Yes | No |
| Branching | Yes (copy-on-write) | Limited |
| Extensions | Postgres extensions | SQLite extensions |
| Global Latency | Higher (centralized) | Lower (edge) |
| Free Tier | 0.5GB storage | Generous (3 locations) |
Key differences
Database Engine
Neon is serverless Postgres with full SQL capabilities and the entire Postgres ecosystem. Turso uses libSQL (SQLite fork) optimized for edge deployment.
Edge Strategy
Turso runs databases at the edge in multiple regions with automatic replication. Neon is centralized Postgres with serverless compute that scales to zero.
Use Case Focus
Neon optimizes for serverless apps that need Postgres (scale-to-zero cost savings). Turso optimizes for global read performance with edge deployment.
Pricing
Neon
Free: 0.5GB storage, 100 CU-hours. Launch: Usage-based with $5/mo minimum. Scale: Custom pricing.
Turso
Free: $0. Developer: $4.99/mo. Scaler: $24.92/mo. Pro: $416.58/mo. Enterprise: Custom.
Prices change often. Check each vendor's pricing page before you commit.
Strengths and weaknesses
Neon
Strengths
- Full Postgres compatibility
- Scale-to-zero (pay only when active)
- Instant database branching
- Postgres extension ecosystem
- Connection pooling built-in
Weaknesses
- Not at the edge (higher latency for global users)
- Cold starts from zero
- No horizontal sharding
Turso
Strengths
- Blazing fast edge reads (sub-10ms)
- Multi-region replication
- SQLite simplicity
- Lower latency globally
- Local-first capable
Weaknesses
- SQLite limitations (vs Postgres features)
- No scale-to-zero (always running)
- Smaller ecosystem than Postgres
Which should you choose?
Choose Neon if
- you need Postgres features, want scale-to-zero cost savings, or require the Postgres extension ecosystem. Best for serverless apps that don't need global edge performance.
Choose Turso if
- you need the lowest possible latency for global users, are building read-heavy apps, or want SQLite simplicity at the edge.
Questions
Can Turso match Neon's Postgres compatibility?
No. Turso uses SQLite/libSQL, not Postgres. You won't have Postgres-specific features, extensions, or full SQL compatibility. Choose based on whether you need Postgres or not.
Which is cheaper for idle databases?
Neon wins here—it scales to zero, so you pay nothing when the database is idle. Turso databases are always running (no scale-to-zero), though the free tier is generous.
Which is faster?
For global reads, Turso is much faster (sub-10ms) because data is at the edge. For centralized workloads or complex writes, Neon's Postgres may be comparable or faster.
Can I migrate from Neon to Turso?
It's complex. You'd need to convert Postgres schemas and queries to SQLite. They're fundamentally different databases, so migration isn't straightforward.