whichdb
vs

Evolu vs Jazz

Evolu: Local-first TypeScript platform: SQLite on each device, end-to-end encrypted sync through relays. Jazz: Local-first database with built-in sync, permissions and edit history, being rebuilt as a relational Jazz 2.

key differences

  • Evolu is primarily a relational database; Jazz is document.
  • Only Evolu has transactions, joins, secondary indexes, runs in webassembly.
  • Only Jazz has role-based access, time travel.

choose evolu for

  • +Privacy-first personal apps (notes, finance, health)
  • +Wallet and security tooling
  • +Offline-capable apps without a backend team

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

choose jazz for

  • +Collaborative editors and whiteboards
  • +Multi-device personal productivity apps
  • +Apps needing end-to-end encrypted sync

best at · Local-first, Mobile/offline

EvoluLocal-first TypeScript platform: SQLite on each device, end-to-end encrypted sync through relays.
JazzLocal-first database with built-in sync, permissions and edit history, being rebuilt as a relational Jazz 2.
overview
Primary model
Relational
Document
Also supports
–
Relational
Type
Embedded library
Database engine
Status
Active
Active
Developer
Daniel Steigerwald and Evolu contributors
Garden Computing, Inc.
First release
2022
2023
Latest version
@evolu/common 8.23.2 (Oct 17, 2026)
jazz-tools 0.20.19 (Jul 3, 2026)
License
Open source (permissive)MIT License
Open source (permissive)MIT License
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
13.9
14.2
Rank
#242
#238
GitHub stars
1.9K
2.5K
Stack Overflow questions
–
–
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Horizontal scaling
None
None
Multi-region
Active active
Active active
ACID
Limited
Limited
Consistency
Eventual
Eventual, Causal
Schema
Strict
Strict
Architecture
Embedded, Distributed
Distributed, 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
SQL (via Kysely query builder)
Jazz TypeScript schema/query API
Client languages
TypeScript
TypeScript
Best for
Local-first, Mobile/offline, Embedded
Local-first, Mobile/offline
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

Evolu vs Jazz: FAQ

What is the difference between Evolu and Jazz?

Evolu: Local-first TypeScript platform: SQLite on each device, end-to-end encrypted sync through relays. Jazz: Local-first database with built-in sync, permissions and edit history, being rebuilt as a relational Jazz 2. Evolu is primarily a relational database; Jazz is document. Only Evolu has transactions, joins, secondary indexes, runs in webassembly. Only Jazz has role-based access, time travel.

When should I choose Evolu over Jazz?

Choose Evolu for privacy-first personal apps (notes, finance, health); wallet and security tooling; and offline-capable apps without a backend team. Choose Jazz for collaborative editors and whiteboards; multi-device personal productivity apps; and apps needing end-to-end encrypted sync.

Is Evolu or Jazz more popular?

Jazz ranks #238 on the WhichDB Score (14.2/100) and Evolu ranks #242 (13.9/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are Evolu and Jazz open source?

Yes. Evolu is open source. License: MIT License. Yes. Jazz is open source. License: MIT License.