SurrealDB on Desktop and SpinDB
Multi-model database (documents, graphs, relations, key-value) with SurrealQL. Available on Layerbase Desktop and self-hosted with SpinDB.
Database
graph_sandbox
Schema
- person
- company
- knows
- works_at
Why is SurrealDB not on Cloud?
The Business Source License wording makes us uncomfortable to host SurrealDB as a serverless platform. We would rather skip Cloud entirely than ship something where the redistribution and managed-host terms are unclear.
If you're with SurrealDB and would like to work with us on a managed offering, we would love to hear from you.
Contact usWhere 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.
Layerbase Cloud
SurrealDB provisioned on managed infrastructure.
Coming soonLayerbase Desktop
Run SurrealDB locally with the same dashboard and query console.
DownloadSpinDB
Open-source CLI to run SurrealDB on your own infra.
View on GitHubRun it your way
Desktop app or self-host with SpinDB
SurrealDB runs on your laptop with the Layerbase Desktop app, or anywhere else with SpinDB, our open-source CLI for managing local and self-hosted databases.
Native dashboard
Same dashboard chrome, query console, and connection manager as the Layerbase Cloud experience, running on your own machine.
Runs the upstream binary
No license substitution. You are running the engine maintainers ship, with the configuration knobs they document.
Your machine, your data
Data stays on disk. No managed-host TLS to terminate, no IP allowlist to maintain, no third party to trust.
Free for personal use
Layerbase Desktop is free for personal projects. Team and commercial use is covered under the standard license.
Questions
Common SurrealDB questions
Why is SurrealDB not on Layerbase Cloud?+
SurrealDB ships under the Business Source License (BSL), which restricts hosted commercial offerings. On the desktop or via SpinDB you run the upstream binary under its standard license.
Which SurrealDB version do you run?+
Desktop and SpinDB track recent stable SurrealDB releases. The version is shown in the dashboard.
Embedded or networked?+
Both modes work. The dashboard surfaces a networked endpoint by default; embedded use is supported through the SDK against the same data file.
When would Layerbase Cloud add SurrealDB?+
When the licensing situation allows or via a direct partnership. For now, desktop and self-host are the supported paths.
Can SurrealDB replace my Postgres?+
Sometimes. SurrealQL is expressive and the multi-model fit is nice for prototypes. For high-throughput transactional workloads, mature Postgres tooling is still the safer choice.