Serverless PostgreSQL
A real Postgres in seconds. Free tier, no credit card, the same drivers, ORMs, and migration tools you already use. Cloud, desktop, or self-host with SpinDB.
Tables
- users
- events
- orders
- sessions
| id | name | created_at |
|---|---|---|
| 1247 | signup | 2026-03-12 14:21 |
| 1246 | purchase | 2026-03-12 14:08 |
| 1245 | login | 2026-03-12 13:55 |
| 1244 | signup | 2026-03-12 13:44 |
| 1243 | purchase | 2026-03-12 13:30 |
Where to run it
Cloud, desktop, or self-host
One database, three places it can live. Pick the speed you want and move between them when you outgrow it.
Branch PostgreSQL in seconds
Fork a running PostgreSQL into a full, isolated copy with its own connection string. Copy-on-write makes it near-instant, not a dump and restore. Point a preview deploy at it, test a migration, then throw it away. Layerbase branches 9 engines, not just Postgres.
See how branching worksWhat you get
Production features, free tier included
Every PostgreSQL database ships with the same primitives: TLS, web console, hibernation, and a real dashboard. No tiered features hidden behind a sales call.
Web IDE
Query console in the dashboard, no extra client to install.
TLS by default
All connections encrypted. No setup required.
Always-on connections
Pin a database to your always-on pool to prevent hibernation.
Scale to zero
Hibernates when idle. Wakes on the next connection.
Connection pooling
Pooled endpoint for serverless and edge workloads.
Direct connections
Bypass the pooler for migrations and replication.
Native HTTPS endpoint
Engines whose own wire protocol speaks HTTPS. Every database, including this one, is also queryable over the platform's HTTPS query API and web console.
Serverless driver
Drop-in HTTP driver for edge runtimes (Upstash REST, PlanetScale, or the engine-native client).
IP whitelisting
Restrict access to specific IPs or CIDR ranges.
Automatic backups
Scheduled dumps and volume snapshots with one-click restore on paid plans. Free tier includes a manual backup slot.
Why Layerbase
Predictable pricing, no cloud setup
PostgreSQL on Layerbase Cloud is priced the same way as every other engine: a flat monthly plan with nothing metered behind it.
A fixed monthly price
Plans are flat: Free at $0, then $5/mo Solo and $15/mo Pro. No per-hour compute meter, no per-database line items, and no bill that changes shape when your traffic does.
No bandwidth charges
Reads and writes are not metered. There are no ingress or egress fees, so moving data in and out of your database never adds to the bill.
No cloud account to wire up
You do not need an AWS, GCP, or Azure account. Sign up, create a database, and connect. Layerbase runs the infrastructure, so there is no cloud provider to configure or pay separately.
Side by side
Hosted PostgreSQL, compared
| Provider | Free tier | Billing |
|---|---|---|
| Neon | 0.5 GB and 100 compute-hours per project | Usage-metered per compute-hour and per GB; the spending limit only alerts |
| Supabase | 500 MB; free projects pause after 1 week idle | Pro $25/mo plus overages |
| Layerbase | Full PostgreSQL on the Free tier; sleeps when idle, wakes on connect | $0, $5, or $15/mo flat. No meters. |
Neon
- Free tier
- 0.5 GB and 100 compute-hours per project
- Billing
- Usage-metered per compute-hour and per GB; the spending limit only alerts
Supabase
- Free tier
- 500 MB; free projects pause after 1 week idle
- Billing
- Pro $25/mo plus overages
Layerbase
- Free tier
- Full PostgreSQL on the Free tier; sleeps when idle, wakes on connect
- Billing
- $0, $5, or $15/mo flat. No meters.
Competitor facts as of July 2026, from public pricing pages.
Quick start
Connect with any PostgreSQL client
Primary application databases, SaaS backends, transactional workloads, and frameworks that expect a normal Postgres URL.
- Drop a managed Postgres behind a side project without paying for a dedicated instance
- Per-tenant or per-developer databases that scale to zero between bursts
- Run logical replication or migration tooling against the direct connection string
- Serve a serverless app with the pooled connection string from edge runtimes
- Self-host on your own hardware with SpinDB when compliance requires it
psql "postgresql://layerbase:password@your-host.cloud.layerbase.dev:5432/app?sslmode=require"
Already have data? Migrate it from Neon, Supabase, Render, and more Any connection string works too.
More on PostgreSQL
All articles- July 16, 2026
Convex vs Layerbase: a reactive backend, or a database you own?
Convex and Layerbase answer different questions. One is an integrated reactive backend, the other is managed hosting for standard databases you own. An honest comparison of reactivity, lock-in, pricing, and portability, with credit to Convex where it is due.
Read - July 13, 2026
Postgres 19 Beta is live on Layerbase
You can now create a PostgreSQL 19 Beta 1 database on Layerbase Cloud, or run the beta locally with Layerbase Desktop and SpinDB. Test parallel autovacuum, REPACK, and ON CONFLICT DO SELECT against your real schema months before GA.
Read - July 8, 2026
Best database to use with Nebius in 2026
Nebius is an AI cloud: GPUs, inference, training infrastructure. It ships a Managed PostgreSQL too, but the database catalog is thin. Here is what to actually run for the data layer behind your Nebius workloads.
Read - July 8, 2026
A Database Branch for Every Vercel Preview
Preview deployments that share one database quietly sabotage each other: migrations collide and seed data drifts. The Layerbase Vercel integration gives previews an isolated database branch with the connection string injected for you.
Read - July 6, 2026
mTLS for managed Postgres: why Supabase and Neon cannot hand you a client certificate
Most managed Postgres platforms verify the server to you but never verify you to the server. Here is why Supabase, Neon, and PlanetScale cannot issue you a client certificate, why the architecture stops them, and how Layerbase does mTLS on a Postgres you can actually connect to.
Read
Questions
Common PostgreSQL questions
Which PostgreSQL version do you run?+
Layerbase Cloud tracks the latest stable PostgreSQL major version, and new databases default to it. The dashboard shows the exact version, and the supported versions list is visible in the create flow so you can pin a specific one. We sometimes also offer an upcoming major as a clearly marked beta for early testing, but it is never the default.
Do you support extensions like pg_vector or PostGIS?+
Most popular extensions are available out of the box. The dashboard exposes the extension list per database; if something you need is missing, open an issue and we will look at adding it.
Pooled vs direct connection strings?+
Pooled is the right default for serverless and connection-heavy web apps; it multiplexes requests so you do not exhaust the server connection limit. Direct bypasses the pooler and is required for migrations, logical replication, and tools that hold a session.
What about backups?+
Free databases hibernate but persist their data; paid plans add scheduled snapshots with 7 or 30 day retention and one-click restore. Manual snapshots are available on demand.
Can I run PostgreSQL locally too?+
Yes. SpinDB is our source-available CLI for managing local Postgres versions, schemas, and seed data; the repo is public and auditable on GitHub. Layerbase Desktop wraps SpinDB with a GUI for the same workflows.
Do you support client certificate (mTLS) authentication?+
Yes, on the Pro plan. Enable it per database and every connection then requires both a valid client certificate and its password. Each database has its own certificate authority; you issue certificates from the dashboard or API, and rotating the CA revokes all of them at once. Connection pooling stays on: the pooler verifies the certificate, so you keep the pooled endpoint (useful for serverless) with mTLS enforced.