Firebird vs Matisse
Firebird
firebirdsql.orgMatisse
matisse.comSide by side
| Figure | Firebird | Matisse |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €199/mo | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 3 |
| Spec score · Relational Databases | 8.4 (#8) | 7.9 (#20) |
| Product | Firebird is an open source relational database management system with ANSI SQL features. | Matisse combines native support for objects, XML, and SQL in a single database. |
| Security | Security features include users and roles, GRANT and REVOKE permissions, and a database owner concept. | The Matisse server administration guide describes an access-control setting that restricts database access to the operating-system user who started it unless that user creates additional users. |
| Support | Free community support is available through Firebird support mailing lists, with commercial and special support also offered. | Matisse offers training at its offices or on-site, and directs developers to its Developers section for software, documentation, and FAQs. |
Plans
Matisse
- Developer trial versionFree
- Matisse Lite$245, paid once
- Matisse DBMS Standard Edition$1,570, paid once
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.