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AppwritevsNeon

Postgres, plus everything around it._

Neon gives you serverless Postgres and leaves most of the stack to you. Appwrite runs managed PostgreSQL inside a complete open-source backend, with auth, storage, functions in 13+ runtimes, realtime, messaging, and hosting in one project.

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Your backend, layer by layer

Neon

  1. PostgreSQL
  2. Databases
  3. Auth
  4. Storage
  5. Functions
  6. Realtime
  7. Messaging
  8. Sites
  9. Domains
  10. Firewall

3/10

Built in, the rest is up to you

Appwrite

  1. PostgreSQL
  2. Databases
  3. Auth
  4. Storage
  5. Functions
  6. Realtime
  7. Messaging
  8. Sites
  9. Domains
  10. Firewall

10/10

Built in, one project

psql postgresql://db-4f2a.fra.appwrite.center

Spec sheet_

Standard PostgreSQL, no proprietary layer_

Connect with psql, pgAdmin, Prisma, Drizzle, or any driver. Your schema, migrations, roles, and extensions are standard PostgreSQL, so you can leave the same way you arrived: pg_dump.

01 Engine
PostgreSQL 18 (17 available)
02 Regions
Frankfurt, New York, San Francisco, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto
03 High availability
Up to 5 replicas, async, sync, or quorum
04 Point-in-time recovery
Any moment in a 1 to 35 day window
05 Extensions
Up to 50, including pgvector, PostGIS, pg_trgm
06 Connections
Direct or through the built-in pooler
07 Branches
Snapshot copies, 24 hours by default
08 Upgrades
Online major version upgrades
09 Access
TLS hostname per database and an IP allowlist

Databases_

Postgres, plus four more database models_

Neon runs one engine, PostgreSQL, on serverless compute. Appwrite gives you five database models in one project: TablesDB on serverless or dedicated compute, plus DocumentsDB, VectorsDB, PostgreSQL, and MySQL on dedicated compute.

Database models in one Appwrite project
5
Neon: PostgreSQL
1
AppwriteNeon

  • TablesDB

    Relational tables

    ServerlessDedicated

    Neon: Not offered

  • DocumentsDBBeta

    JSON documents

    Dedicated

    Neon: Not offered

  • VectorsDBBeta

    Vectors and embeddings

    Dedicated

    Neon: Not offered

  • PostgreSQLBeta

    Native SQL

    Dedicated

    Neon

    PostgreSQL

    Serverless only

  • MySQLBeta

    Native SQL

    Dedicated

    Neon: Not offered

Every Neon database is PostgreSQL on serverless compute.

Better together_

Postgres that sits inside your backend_

Neon stops at the database and a few add-ons. On Appwrite, your database lives in the same project, region, and Console as everything that talks to it.

  • FunctionsConnect from 13+ runtimes over the pooler, in the same region.
  • SitesServer-rendered routes query Postgres from the same project.
  • AuthSign users in with Appwrite and key your rows by user and team.
Managed PostgreSQL
  • StorageKeep files in buckets and their metadata in Postgres.
  • MessagingSend email, SMS, or push from the code that writes your data.
  • RealtimePush changes to every open client the moment your data moves.

Open source_

The whole platform is yours to run_

Neon publishes its storage engine, but the platform around it only runs on Neon. Appwrite is open source end to end, so Postgres and every other product run on Appwrite Cloud or on your own servers.

GitHub stars
57.6K
Contributors
800+

Self-host in one command

$docker run -it --rm … --entrypoint="install" appwrite/appwrite:2.3.0

  • No lock-in

    Move between Appwrite Cloud and your own servers by changing one endpoint.

  • Run it anywhere

    Self-host on any cloud or on premises for data residency and compliance.

  • Nothing hidden

    Read the code that handles your users and data, and audit how it works.

  • Fix it, extend it

    Patch, extend, or contribute back instead of waiting on a vendor roadmap.

Neon · Not self-hostable as a platform

The storage engine is public, but Auth, Functions, and the rest of the platform are not offered for self-hosting.

Appwrite vs Neon_

Postgres on both sides. A backend on one._

Both run real PostgreSQL. Only one gives you the rest of the backend in the same project.

Checked against public pricing and documentation in October 2026.

Appwrite
Neon
PostgreSQL
Database models
5

Tables, documents, vectors, PostgreSQL, MySQL

1

PostgreSQL

Wire protocol, psql, any driver or ORM
Yes
Yes
Connection pooling
Yes
Yes
Point-in-time recovery window
1 to 35 days
Up to 30 days

On the Scale plan

Replicas
Up to 5 HA replicas

Async, sync, or quorum with failover

Read replicas
Branching
Snapshot branches

Short-lived, never merge back

Copy-on-write branches

A Neon strength

Around the database
Authentication
Yes

MFA, teams, 40+ OAuth providers

Yes

Managed Better Auth

Object storage
Yes
Yes
Function runtimes
13+
JavaScript and TypeScript
Frontend hosting
Yes
No
Realtime subscriptions
Yes
No
Email, SMS, and push messaging
Yes
No
Domains and firewall rules
Yes
No
Self-host the whole platform
Yes

Open source end to end

No

Storage engine only

Regions for the full backend
6
4

AWS regions for Functions and Object Storage

Pricing
Billing model
Fixed monthly tier
Per compute-hour
2GB database running all month
$15/mo

Small tier, reads and writes included

About $39/mo

0.5 CU on Launch at $0.106 per CU-hour

Compute credits on paid plans
$10/mo on Pro
-
Hard budget cap
Yes
No

Email alerts and autoscaling limits

Fair play_

When Neon might still fit_

Neon is well-built serverless Postgres. It may suit you if these sound like your workload.

  1. 01

    You only need a database, and auth, hosting, and the rest of your backend already live elsewhere.

  2. 02

    You want a copy-on-write branch for every pull request with instant restores.

  3. 03

    You create many small databases, for example one per user or per agent, on a generous free plan.

  4. 04

    You are standardizing on Databricks and want Postgres next to your lakehouse.

Why developers choose Appwrite over Neon_

For apps that need more than a database, yes. Appwrite gives you managed PostgreSQL with up to five HA replicas and point-in-time recovery, and the same project includes auth, storage, functions in 13+ runtimes, realtime, messaging, and hosting. Neon focuses on the database and leaves most of the backend to other vendors.

Go deeper_

See why teams make the switch_

Guides, deep dives, and product pages from the Appwrite team.

BlogDedicated Postgres vs. serverless databases: Which one should developers choose?How the two models compare on latency, pricing, and operations.ProductManaged PostgreSQLRaw Postgres with pooling, replicas, PITR, and branches.ProductAppwrite DatabasesFive engines in two categories, one Console.DocsHigh availabilityStreaming replicas, replication modes, and failover.DocsConnection poolingServe many short-lived clients from a small pool.DocsPostgreSQL extensionspgvector, PostGIS, pg_trgm, and up to 50 per database.

Compare_

See how Appwrite stacks up elsewhere_

Appwrite vsSupabasePostgres development platformHosting, messaging, and permissions without SQL policies.Appwrite vsFirebaseApp development platformOpen source, self-hostable, and a free migration path.Appwrite vsVercelFrontend cloudFrontend hosting with the backend in the same project.Appwrite vsNetlifyWeb hosting platformYour site and its backend, in one project.Appwrite vsAuth0Identity platform3x the free monthly active users and no growth penalty.Appwrite vsConvexReactive TypeScript backendActually open source, in any language.Appwrite vsCloudinaryMedia platformPay per origin image, not per variant.Appwrite vsClerkUser management and authenticationUsers and data in one place, no webhooks to sync.Appwrite vsAWS AmplifyFull-stack framework on AWSOne project instead of a stack of AWS services.Appwrite vsPlanetScaleManaged MySQL and PostgresPostgres and MySQL, plus the backend around them.PricingOne plan for your whole backend and hosting.Compare plans

Postgres and the whole backend, in one project_

Create a database in your project region, copy the connection string, and run your first query in minutes.

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