PouchDB vs Realm
PouchDB
pouchdb.apache.org
Realm
realm.github.ioSide by side
| Figure | PouchDB | Realm |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · Mobile Databases | 8.5 (#3) | 7.7 (#18) |
| License | PouchDB is distributed under the Apache License 2.0. | MongoDB said it would offer the renamed Atlas Device SDKs as a free open-source project under Apache License 2.0. |
| Offline use | PouchDB stores data locally so applications can work offline and synchronize with CouchDB-compatible servers when online. | The Realm Platform documentation says apps can work through weak signal, offline, or outage scenarios. |
| Security | The adapters page shows PouchDB connecting to a remote database over HTTPS, but does not state a security certification or compliance standard. | Realm Swift says data can be encrypted in flight and at rest. |
| Support | The project lists GitHub Discussions, Slack, and Stack Overflow as places to discuss PouchDB. | The Realm documentation directs users to its forums, Stack Overflow, and GitHub issues for help. |
Plans
In their own words
PouchDB
PouchDB is a free, open-source JavaScript database for browser and Node.js applications. It keeps documents locally so applications can continue working offline, then synchronizes data bidirectionally with CouchDB-compatible servers when online. The same API is used in browsers and Node.js. Browser storage uses IndexedDB by default, while the documented Node.js adapter uses Node’s native SQLite module with Node.js versions later than 22.5.0. Supported server integrations include CouchDB 1.x, 2.x, and 3.x, Cloudant, and PouchDB Server. PouchDB is framework-agnostic and can work with Angular, React, Ember, Backbone, or another framework. It also runs with Cordova/PhoneGap, NW.js, Electron, and Chrome apps. Documents must be serializable as JSON, and attachments can be base64-encoded strings or Blob objects. Direct synchronization with a non-CouchDB database requires a backend that speaks the CouchDB replication protocol. Platforms listed are Android, API, extension, iOS, self-hosted, web, and Windows. The project lists GitHub Discussions, Slack, and Stack Overflow for discussion.
Realm
Realm is an object database for local data persistence in mobile and edge applications. It runs directly on phones, tablets, and wearables, and presents data as objects that developers can query in code without an ORM. The database supports relationships, generics, and vectorization. Its documentation describes apps continuing to work through weak signal, offline periods, or outages. Listed SDKs include Java, Swift, Objective-C, JavaScript, and .NET; the JavaScript implementation supports React Native on iOS and Android, as well as Node.js and Electron on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Realm Swift supports encryption in transit and at rest. Realm Studio can open and edit local and synced Realms and administer Realm Object Server instances. Former Device Sync connected data across users, devices, and a backend in real time, but MongoDB announced deprecation of Device Sync and Realm SDKs in September 2024. Realm is free and open source under Apache License 2.0.