whichdb
vs

Dexie.js vs RxDB

Dexie.js: The most popular IndexedDB wrapper, with live queries and an optional Dexie Cloud sync service. RxDB: Reactive local-first NoSQL database for JavaScript with pluggable storage and replication.

key differences

  • Transactions: Dexie.js offers full ACID; RxDB offers limited.
  • Only Dexie.js has transactions, role-based access.
  • Only RxDB has change data capture, in-memory, compression, encryption at rest.

choose dexie for

  • +Offline-capable progressive web apps
  • +Client-side caches of API data
  • +Collaborative web apps via Dexie Cloud

best at · Local-first, Mobile/offline, Embedded

choose rxdb for

  • +Offline-first progressive web apps
  • +React Native and Capacitor apps with background sync
  • +Electron apps needing local reactive storage
  • +Multi-tab browser apps sharing one database

best at · Local-first, Mobile/offline, Embedded

Dexie.jsThe most popular IndexedDB wrapper, with live queries and an optional Dexie Cloud sync service.
RxDBReactive local-first NoSQL database for JavaScript with pluggable storage and replication.
overview
Primary model
Document
Document
Also supports
Key-Value
–
Type
Embedded library
Embedded library
Status
Active
Active
Developer
David Fahlander / Awarica AB
Daniel Meyer (pubkey)
First release
2014
2016
Latest version
4.4.7 (Oct 19, 2026)
17.6.0 (Oct 5, 2026)
License
Open source (permissive)Apache License 2.0
Open source (permissive)Apache License 2.0 (core); commercial premium plugins
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
25.8
20.2
Rank
#117
#161
GitHub stars
14.7K
23.4K
Stack Overflow questions
374
47
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Horizontal scaling
None
None
Multi-region
None
None
ACID
Full
Limited
Consistency
Strong, Eventual
Eventual
Schema
Flexible
Strict
Architecture
Embedded
Embedded
deployment
Self-hosted
✓
✓
Vendor-managed cloud
—
—
Serverless
—
—
Embedded
✓
✓
Edge
—
—
Clouds
–
–
capabilities
Transactions
✓
—
Joins
—
—
Secondary indexes
✓
✓
Full-text search
—
—
Vector search
—
—
Geospatial
—
—
JSON
✓
✓
Change data capture
—
✓
Triggers
—
—
Stored procedures
—
—
Materialized views
—
—
TTL / expiry
—
—
Pub/Sub
—
—
Columnar storage
—
—
In-memory
—
✓
Durable persistence
✓
✓
Compression
—
✓
Encryption at rest
—
✓
Role-based access
✓
—
Time travel
—
—
Branching
—
—
Online schema changes
—
—
Streaming ingest
—
—
Offline sync
✓
✓
Runs in WebAssembly
—
—
interfaces
Query languages
Dexie query API
Mango query syntax
Client languages
JavaScript, TypeScript
JavaScript, TypeScript
Best for
Local-first, Mobile/offline, Embedded
Local-first, Mobile/offline, Embedded
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

Dexie.js vs RxDB: FAQ

What is the difference between Dexie.js and RxDB?

Dexie.js: The most popular IndexedDB wrapper, with live queries and an optional Dexie Cloud sync service. RxDB: Reactive local-first NoSQL database for JavaScript with pluggable storage and replication. Transactions: Dexie.js offers full ACID; RxDB offers limited. Only Dexie.js has transactions, role-based access. Only RxDB has change data capture, in-memory, compression, encryption at rest.

When should I choose Dexie.js over RxDB?

Choose Dexie.js for offline-capable progressive web apps, client-side caches of API data and collaborative web apps via Dexie Cloud. Choose RxDB for offline-first progressive web apps; react Native and Capacitor apps with background sync; and electron apps needing local reactive storage.

Is Dexie.js or RxDB more popular?

Dexie.js ranks #117 on the WhichDB Score (25.8/100) and RxDB ranks #161 (20.2/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are Dexie.js and RxDB open source?

Yes. Dexie.js is open source. License: Apache License 2.0. Yes. RxDB is open source. License: Apache License 2.0 (core); commercial premium plugins.