Serverless MongoDB-compatible

Hosted on FerretDB in the cloud, real MongoDB on the desktop or self-host with SpinDB. The same driver, the same shell, the same queries, wherever you run it.

On Cloud:Powered by FerretDB

FerretDB speaks the MongoDB wire protocol 1:1, so your existing drivers, queries, and indexes work without changes. Apache-licensed, so no SSPL surprises.

Document Console
MongoDB

Collections

  • users12.4k
  • products847
  • orders3.1k
db.users.findOne({ email: 'a@b.co' })
{
_id: ObjectId('65f...'),
email: 'a@b.co',
name: 'Alice',
createdAt: ISODate('2026-01-04'),
}

Production features, free tier included

Every MongoDB 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.

Included

TLS by default

All connections encrypted. No setup required.

Included

Always-on connections

Optional keep-alive add-on prevents hibernation.

Included

Scale to zero

Hibernates when idle. Wakes on the next connection.

Included

Connection pooling

Pooled endpoint for serverless and edge workloads.

Included

Direct connections

Bypass the pooler for migrations and replication.

Included

HTTPS access

HTTP-native engines reachable over port 443.

Not available

Serverless driver

Upstash REST or PlanetScale serverless drivers supported.

Not available

IP whitelisting

Restrict access to specific IPs or CIDR ranges.

Included

Automatic backups

Scheduled point-in-time backups with one-click restore.

Included

Connect with any MongoDB client

Existing MongoDB apps, document-shaped data, schema-flexible prototypes, and teams that want Mongo ergonomics without the licensing fine print.

  • Move a Mongo-shaped side project off Atlas without rewriting any code
  • Spin up a per-developer document database that scales to zero
  • Run real MongoDB locally with Layerbase Desktop, then deploy the same schema to cloud
  • Hand a Mongo URI to your serverless app without managing a replica set
  • Self-host on your own hardware with SpinDB when compliance requires it
bashMongoDB
mongosh "mongodb://layerbase:password@your-host.cloud.layerbase.dev:27017/app?tls=true"

Common MongoDB questions

Why does Cloud use FerretDB instead of MongoDB?+

MongoDB's Server Side Public License (SSPL) restricts how managed providers can offer it. FerretDB is the Apache 2.0 alternative that implements the MongoDB wire protocol on top of PostgreSQL. From the driver's perspective, it is MongoDB: same commands, same query shape, same connection string format. You do not see the substitution.

Will my existing MongoDB driver work?+

Yes. FerretDB implements the MongoDB wire protocol, so any driver that speaks Mongo (Node.js, Python pymongo, Go mongo-go-driver, Java, etc.) connects without code changes. mongosh works against the same hostname.

What if I need a MongoDB-only feature?+

FerretDB covers the common 90%: CRUD, indexes, aggregations, transactions, change streams. Mongo-only features like Atlas Search or BSON-specific oddities are not supported. For those, run real MongoDB on Layerbase Desktop or self-host with SpinDB.

Can I run real MongoDB on Layerbase?+

Yes. On Layerbase Desktop and via SpinDB, you run the upstream MongoDB binaries directly. The cloud path is the only one where the FerretDB substitution applies, and that exists only because of the SSPL constraint on managed offerings.

Will I see hibernation pauses?+

On the Free tier, your database hibernates after 1 hour of inactivity and wakes on the next connection (typically 3 to 5 seconds for document workloads). Paid plans support always-on connections via the keep-alive add-on.