Neon
Neon Inc. · 🗄️ Database
Neon is serverless Postgres. Neon separates storage and compute to offer autoscaling, branching, and bottomless storage.
Free-tier constraints
- Offer type
- Perpetual
- When idle
- Scales to zero
- Credit card
- Not required
- Commercial use
- Unknown
- At the limit
- Service stops
- Data expiry
- Not published
Free-tier compatibility
- —Static hosting
- —Serverless
- —Long-running processes
- —Docker
- —WebSockets
- —Cron
- —Background workers
- —Persistent disk
- —Custom domains
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 100 projects, 100 compute-unit hours per month per project, 0.5GB storage per project, 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.
Sources and verification
Checked 2026-08-18Pros
- ✓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
- ✕Compute and storage limits are per-project and easy to outgrow
- ✕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
Compare with
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
Related guides
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.