Neon
Neon Inc. · 🗄️ Database
Neon is serverless Postgres. Neon separates storage and compute to offer autoscaling, branching, and bottomless storage.
Overview
Neon is serverless PostgreSQL that separates storage from compute. Compute scales to zero when idle and wakes on demand, storage is effectively bottomless, and you can branch a database instantly — a full copy-on-write copy of your data for previews, tests or development. It speaks standard Postgres, so existing tooling just works.
The free plan includes about 0.5GB of storage, one project with multiple branches, and shared autoscaling compute. It is a great fit for serverless and preview-driven workflows where a database branch per pull request is valuable.
Neon suits apps that want real Postgres with serverless economics — paying for compute only when queries run. Confirm the current free-tier limits on the provider’s site, as they evolve.
Pros
- ✓Real serverless Postgres with scale-to-zero compute
- ✓Instant copy-on-write database branching
- ✓Standard Postgres — existing tools and drivers work
- ✓Autoscaling with effectively bottomless storage
- ✓Great for preview environments (a branch per pull request)
Cons
- ✕0.5GB storage on the free plan
- ✕Cold starts when compute wakes from zero
- ✕One project on the free tier
- ✕Younger ecosystem than long-established databases
Best for
- →Serverless and edge apps that need Postgres
- →Preview and test databases branched per pull request
- →Developers who want pay-for-what-you-use compute
Getting started
- 1 Sign up and create a Neon project
- 2 Copy the Postgres connection string
- 3 Connect your app or psql and create tables
- 4 Create a branch for development or previews
- 5 Point staging and preview deploys at the branch connection string
Features
- ✓Serverless Postgres
- ✓Autoscaling
- ✓Database Branching
- ✓Bottomless Storage
- ✓Point-in-time Recovery
- ✓Connection Pooling
FAQ
Neon separates storage and compute; compute scales to zero when idle and wakes on demand, so you pay for compute only while queries run.
It is an instant copy-on-write copy of your database — ideal for per-pull-request preview environments, testing migrations, or isolated development.
Yes. Neon is standard PostgreSQL, so existing drivers, ORMs and psql work normally.
Deploy these projects to Neon
Open-source projects and templates that run on Neon's free tier.