libSQL vs SQLite
libSQL
github.com
SQLite
sqlite.orgSide by side
| Figure | libSQL | SQLite |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | $12.50/mo |
| Free plan | — | 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 | 0 | 16 |
| Spec score · Embedded Databases | 7.7 (#20) | 8.7 (#3) |
| Deployment | The project provides Docker instructions for launching primary and replica server instances. | The project says SQLite is embedded in billions of applications and is the world's most widely deployed database engine. |
| Intended use | The documentation describes libSQL as a choice for mission-critical workloads needing a battle-tested foundation today. | The project recommends SQLite for device-local storage with low writer concurrency and less than a terabyte of content. |
| License | The repository identifies the project license as MIT. | SQLite source code is in the public domain and is free for commercial or private use without a license. |
| Maker | Turso describes itself as technically based in San Francisco and globally distributed across four continents. | Paid support and products are provided by Hipp, Wyrick & Company, Inc. (Hwaci), headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and in business since 1992. |
| Product | libSQL is an open-source, open-contribution fork of SQLite maintained by Turso. | SQLite is an in-process, self-contained, serverless, zero-configuration transactional SQL database engine. |
| Security | The sqld user guide says cluster nodes communicate over gRPC with TLS and describes certificate and private-key configuration for primary and replica servers. | The security guidance says SQLite is extensively fuzz-tested and recommends defensive settings and lower input limits for applications accepting untrusted SQL. |
| Support | The repository links to libSQL documentation, Discord, and Turso documentation for project resources and community. | SQLite offers a free public forum as well as paid private email and technical support options. |
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
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.