Neon

KEEP IT

The value is the network, the data or the infrastructure. Keep paying.

Serverless Postgres that separates storage from compute: databases branch instantly, scale to zero when idle, and restore to any point in time.

Promptfree, for everyone, and the only version there is

Run Postgres and reproduce the two features you use.

STACK
- Postgres on a small server or a managed instance

BRANCHING, APPROXIMATELY
- A script that restores the latest backup into a new database with a generated name
- Slower than instant, but it gives CI a real database to migrate against

POINT IN TIME
- Enable WAL archiving to object storage and take a weekly base backup
- pg_basebackup plus archived WAL gives genuine point-in-time recovery
- Test a restore to a timestamp once, before you need it

SCALE TO ZERO
- You cannot reproduce this. A small always-on instance costs a few dollars; accept it

Include the branch script, the WAL archiving setup and a tested restore.

What you lose

Instant branches of a whole database, which comes from a custom storage engine rather than from Postgres
Compute that sleeps when idle and wakes on a connection, so a staging database costs nothing
Point-in-time restore to any second without you managing write-ahead logs

If you would rather not build

Managed Postgres anywhere
Supabase, for Postgres with an API on top

The escape hatch

open source · no votes, no paid placement

WAL-G

Archives write-ahead logs to object storage for point-in-time restore.

wal-g/wal-gfree · open source

PostgreSQL

The database itself, with base backups and WAL replay built in.

postgres/postgresfree · open source

Why this verdict

our own opinion · changed only by a person

30/100

Verdict no at 30. Point-in-time recovery is reproducible with WAL archiving; instant branching and scale-to-zero come from a storage engine you cannot rebuild.

History

tracked since 10 Aug 2026 · nothing is ever overwritten

Interest · last 30 days

Nothing recorded yet. This chart fills in once the page has visitors, votes or prompt copies — it will not draw a flat line to look busy.

Questions about Neon

answered from the record above

Is Neon free?

No — the plan we track is $19 a month. Launch from around $19/month billed monthly, with compute and storage metered above the allowance.

Can you replace Neon by building your own?

KEEP IT. The value is the network, the data or the infrastructure. Keep paying. Replacement score 30 out of 100, build time longer than it saves. Read what you lose before you decide.

How much does Neon cost?

$19 a month on Launch — $228 a year. Recorded 10 Aug 2026.

What do you lose by replacing Neon?

Instant branches of a whole database, which comes from a custom storage engine rather than from Postgres; Compute that sleeps when idle and wakes on a connection, so a staging database costs nothing; Point-in-time restore to any second without you managing write-ahead logs. If any of those carry weight for you, keep paying.

Is there an open-source alternative to Neon?

Yes: WAL-G, PostgreSQL. The prompt on this page is for when you want it your way instead.

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