Free Database Options in 2025: Relational, NoSQL & More

Choosing an appropriate database hosting solution is a pivotal decision for developers, especially when operating under budget constraints. In 2025, a wide array of free database options exists, spanning relational databases, NoSQL databases (including document stores, key-value stores, column-family stores, and graph databases), time-series databases, and vector databases. This article offers an in-depth exploration of the leading free offerings available this year, detailing their features, limitations, and reliability based on thorough research and community feedback.

Key Takeaways

Neon provides a dependable serverless PostgreSQL solution with 3 GB of storage, perfect for hobbyist projects.
Turso delivers a robust free SQLite tier, though past data loss incidents warrant caution.
Upstash supports free Redis and vector database plans, well-suited for prototyping and lightweight applications.
MongoDB Atlas and IBM Cloudant offer reliable document store options with free tiers.
DataStax Astra DB provides a free Cassandra-based solution for column-family stores.
Neo4j AuraDB cater to graph database needs with accessible free plans.
InfluxDB excel in the time-series domain with generous free offerings.
VPS providers like Contabo and Netcup enable flexible self-hosted database deployments.
Cloud platforms such as Google Cloud, AWS, and Azure provide free credits for short-term projects.

Relational Databases

PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL remains a cornerstone of relational database management systems, prized for its robustness and extensive feature set.

Provider	Storage	Compute	Features	Limitations
Neon	3 GB	100 hours/month	Branching, recovery, extensions	Non-primary branches pause at limit
Supabase	500 MB	100,000 rows read	Authentication, real-time	Projects pause after inactivity
CockroachDB	10 GiB	50M request units	High availability, scalability	Limited resources for large workloads
Aiven	5 GB	1 CPU, 1 GB RAM	Daily backups, security	Limited resources

Neon (Neon) stands out with its reliable serverless PostgreSQL offering, featuring negligible cold-start delays, logical replication, and support for over 150 extensions—ideal for experimentation or small-scale applications.
Supabase (Supabase) serves as an open-source Firebase alternative, bundling authentication and real-time features, though its backup capabilities remain limited.
CockroachDB (CockroachDB) provides a NewSQL solution compatible with PostgreSQL, emphasizing high availability for scalable systems.
Aiven (Aiven) delivers premium features like daily backups and enhanced security, catering to developers prioritizing data safety.

MySQL

MySQL is a popular relational database lauded for its performance and accessibility. Many providers also support MariaDB, its compatible open-source fork.

Provider	Storage	Databases	Features	Limitations
InfinityFree	Unlimited	Up to 400	MySQL 8.0/MariaDB 10.6, WordPress	Limited support, DDoS protection
HelioHost	Unlimited	Unlimited	Remote access, open-source apps	Community-based support
Aiven	5 GB	-	Daily backups, security	Limited resources
db4free.net	-	-	Testing environment	Not suitable for production

InfinityFree (InfinityFree) integrates MySQL and MariaDB into its free web hosting, making it a practical choice for basic projects.
HelioHost (HelioHost) supports unlimited databases with remote access and MariaDB compatibility.
Aiven (Aiven) provides a secure MySQL and MariaDB option with advanced features.
db4free.net (db4free.net) is designed for testing but is not recommended for production use.

SQLite

SQLite is a lightweight, embedded relational database favored for its simplicity.

Provider	Storage	Features	Limitations
Turso	Generous	Serverless	Past data loss incidents, no Java SDK

Turso (Turso) offers a serverless SQLite solution with substantial free storage, though prior data loss events (X Post) suggest regular backups are prudent.
Managed SQLite hosting options are scarce due to its embedded nature; self-hosting on a VPS remains a viable alternative.

NoSQL Databases

Document Stores

Document stores manage semi-structured data in JSON-like formats, offering flexibility for diverse use cases.

Provider	Storage	Features	Limitations
MongoDB Atlas	512 MB	Monitoring, backups	Single cluster, no sharding
IBM Cloudant	1 GB	Basic support, monitoring	Limited throughput

MongoDB Atlas (MongoDB Atlas) provides a free 512 MB cluster, suitable for small-scale applications.
IBM Cloudant (IBM Cloudant) offers a 1 GB Lite plan for testing and prototyping.

Key-Value Stores

Key-value stores excel in delivering rapid access to simple data structures.

Provider	Storage	Features	Limitations
Upstash	256 MB	Persistence, global replication	Limited commands
Redis Cloud	30 MB	Basic functionality	No persistence
Aiven	5 GB	Daily backups, security	Limited resources

Upstash (Upstash) provides serverless Redis with 500,000 monthly commands.
Redis Enterprise Cloud (Redis) offers 30 MB of storage without persistence.
Aiven (Aiven) ensures a secure Redis deployment with daily backups.

Column-Family Stores

Column-family stores are engineered for handling vast datasets with high read/write throughput.

Provider	Storage	Features	Limitations
DataStax Astra DB	5 GB	Serverless, 30M operations/month	One database per organization

DataStax Astra DB (DataStax Astra DB) delivers a free Cassandra-based solution with 5 GB storage, ideal for mid-sized projects.

Graph Databases

Graph databases are tailored for managing intricate data relationships.

Provider	Storage	Features	Limitations
Neo4j AuraDB	1 GB	Monitoring, backups	Single instance, limited nodes

Neo4j AuraDB (Neo4j AuraDB) offers 1 GB of storage for small graph-based projects.

Time-Series Databases

Time-series databases are optimized for timestamped data, such as metrics or IoT streams.

Provider	Storage	Features	Limitations
InfluxDB	-	30-day retention, unlimited queries	Limited write rate

InfluxDB Cloud (InfluxDB) provides 30-day data retention, perfect for metrics tracking.

Vector Databases

Vector databases support machine learning and similarity search applications.

Provider	Vectors	Features	Limitations
Upstash Vector	200M	10,000 queries/day, metadata filtering	Limited data size
Pinecone	100,000	Basic support, monitoring	Single index

Upstash Vector (Upstash) accommodates up to 200 million vectors.
Pinecone (Pinecone) supports 100,000 vectors for prototyping.

VPS for Database Hosting

Virtual Private Servers (VPS) offer customizable environments for self-hosted databases.

Provider	Price	Storage	Features	Limitations
Contabo	€4.50/month	75 GB NVMe	3 vCPUs, 8 GB RAM	Limited snapshots
Netcup	€3.10/month	20 GB SSD	1 vCPU, 2 GB RAM	Limited resources

Contabo (Contabo) provides cost-effective VPS options for self-managed databases.
Netcup (Netcup) suits smaller self-hosted projects.

Cloud Providers

Leading cloud platforms offer free credits or tiers for database services.

Provider	Offering	Limitations
Google Cloud	$300 credit, 1 GB Firestore	No free Cloud SQL
AWS	750 hours RDS, 25 GB DynamoDB	Limited duration
Azure	100,000 SQL operations, 5 GB Cosmos DB	Limited resources

Google Cloud (Google Cloud) grants $300 in credits for 90 days.
AWS (AWS) includes 750 hours of Amazon RDS usage.
Azure (Azure) provides free tiers for SQL Database and Cosmos DB.

Conclusion

This guide encompasses all major database categories, from relational systems to specialized solutions. For PostgreSQL, Neon and Supabase lead the pack, while Aiven shines for MySQL and MariaDB. Turso’s SQLite offering demands vigilance due to past issues, and Upstash proves versatile for Redis and vector databases. Emerging categories like document stores (MongoDB Atlas), column-family stores (DataStax Astra DB), graph databases (Neo4j AuraDB), and time-series databases (InfluxDB) provide diverse free options. VPS and cloud providers round out the landscape for self-hosted flexibility. Developers must weigh reliability, constraints, and project needs when selecting a solution.