H2 Database Engine vs SQLite
H2 Database Engine
h2database.com
SQLite
sqlite.orgSide by side
| Figure | H2 Database Engine | SQLite |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $12.50/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 16 |
| Spec score · Embedded Databases | 8.1 (#9) | 8.7 (#3) |
| Spec score · Relational Databases | 8.0 (#15) | 8.6 (#6) |
| Spec score · Sql Databases | 8.1 (#11) | 8.7 (#4) |
| Spec score · Database Software | 7.7 (#59) | 9.4 (#2) |
| Downloads | The home page lists a Windows installer and an all platforms ZIP download. | The official download page provides source, Android AAR, Linux, macOS, Windows, WebAssembly/JavaScript and documentation bundles. |
| Footprint | The home page describes a small footprint of around 2.5 MB for the JAR file. | A fully configured build can be smaller than 900 KiB. |
| Founded | 2004 | 2000 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| License | H2 is dual licensed under MPL 2.0 or EPL 1.0, and the license page says it can be integrated into and distributed with commercial applications. | SQLite source code is in the public domain and is free for commercial or private use without a license. |
| Security | The security page warns that H2 is not designed for adversarial environments and advises against exposing an H2 server to untrusted connections. | The security guidance says SQLite is extensively fuzz-tested and recommends defensive settings and lower input limits for applications accepting untrusted SQL. |
| Support | The home page directs users to Stack Overflow and a Google Group for support. | SQLite offers a free public forum as well as paid private email and technical support options. |
| Transactions | The feature list includes transaction support, multi version concurrency, and row level locking. | SQLite transactions are atomic, consistent, isolated, and durable even after system crashes and power failures. |
Plans
SQLite
- Public ForumFree
- SQLiteFree
- SQLite Consortium Membership$150 a year
- Technical Support$885 a year
- Annual Maintenance Subscription$1,500 a year
- Annual Maintenance Subscription$1,500 a year
- CEROD$2,000, paid once
- CEROD$2,000, paid once
- SQLite Encryption Extension (SEE)$2,000, paid once
- SQLite Encryption Extension (SEE)$2,000, paid once
In their own words
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.
SQLite
SQLite is a transactional SQL database engine that runs within an application, without a separate server process or configuration. Each complete database resides in a single disk file that works across platforms. Its SQL features include partial indexes, indexes on expressions, JSON, common table expressions, and window functions. Transactions are atomic, consistent, isolated, and durable, including after system crashes and power failures. A database file can have unlimited simultaneous readers, but only one writer at a time. The project recommends SQLite for device-local storage with low writer concurrency and less than a terabyte of content. SQLite is free for commercial or private use, with source code in the public domain. Downloads include source and precompiled binaries for Android, Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows, along with WebAssembly and JavaScript bundles for web applications. A free public forum is available, alongside paid private email and technical support options. The maker is based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and was founded in 2000.