Firebird vs H2 Database Engine
Firebird
firebirdsql.orgH2 Database Engine
h2database.comSide by side
| Figure | Firebird | H2 Database Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €199/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · Embedded Databases | 8.5 (#5) | 8.1 (#9) |
| Spec score · Relational Databases | 8.4 (#8) | 8.0 (#15) |
| Spec score · Sql Databases | 8.5 (#6) | 8.1 (#11) |
| Spec score · Database Software | 8.3 (#35) | 7.7 (#59) |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Security | Security features include users and roles, GRANT and REVOKE permissions, and a database owner concept. | The security page warns that H2 is not designed for adversarial environments and advises against exposing an H2 server to untrusted connections. |
| Support | Free community support is available through Firebird support mailing lists, with commercial and special support also offered. | The home page directs users to Stack Overflow and a Google Group for support. |
Plans
In their own words
Firebird
Firebird is a free, open-source relational database management system with ANSI SQL features. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, and supports self-hosted deployment. Its multi-generation architecture generally allows readers to access data without blocking writers. SQL features include stored procedures, triggers, common table expressions, cross-database queries, and flexible transaction management. A Trace API and monitoring tables support real-time monitoring, SQL debugging, and auditing. Security controls include users and roles, GRANT and REVOKE permissions, and a database owner concept; Windows Trusted Authentication can integrate with Windows domain or Active Directory security. Deployment choices include embedded, SuperServer, SuperClassic, and Classic architectures. Backup options include online backups and dumps, as well as incremental backup with partly supported point-in-time recovery. Drivers include Java JDBC,.NET, Python, ODBC, PHP, Delphi, and C++ Builder. Free community support is available through mailing lists, alongside commercial and special support. Firebird lists versions 5.0.4, 4.0.7, and 3.0.14 as latest in their series; versions 2.5 and earlier are discontinued and no longer maintained. The enterprise subscription is €199 a month, billed from €199/month/1 servers.
H2 Database Engine
H2 Database Engine is a free SQL database written in Java. It runs in embedded, server or mixed modes, with databases held on disk or in memory. H2 supports standard SQL and JDBC; server mode also accepts JDBC or ODBC over TCP/IP. A browser-based Console provides autocomplete. Listed database capabilities include transactions, multi-version concurrency and row-level locking, with JSON data support and high availability listed. Compatibility modes cover IBM DB2, Apache Derby, HSQLDB, MS SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle and PostgreSQL. Database files can use AES-128 encryption, while remote JDBC connections can use TLS. H2 is available for Linux, macOS and Windows, as an API, and for self-hosted or web deployment. It is dual licensed under MPL 2.0 or EPL 1.0, allowing integration into and distribution with commercial applications. The JAR is described as around 2.5 MB. The plan costs nothing.