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Evolu vs LiveStore

Evolu: Local-first TypeScript platform: SQLite on each device, end-to-end encrypted sync through relays. LiveStore: Event-sourced local-first data layer: reactive SQLite on the client, rebuilt from a synced event log.

key differences

  • Transactions: Evolu offers limited ACID; LiveStore offers full.
  • Only Evolu has encryption at rest.
  • Only LiveStore has json.

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 livestore for

  • +Local-first productivity and note-taking apps
  • +Apps that benefit from an auditable event history
  • +Offline-capable Expo apps

best at · Local-first, Event sourcing, Mobile/offline

EvoluLocal-first TypeScript platform: SQLite on each device, end-to-end encrypted sync through relays.
LiveStoreEvent-sourced local-first data layer: reactive SQLite on the client, rebuilt from a synced event log.
overview
Primary model
Relational
Relational
Also supports
–
Event Store
Type
Embedded library
Embedded library
Status
Active
Active
Developer
Daniel Steigerwald and Evolu contributors
Johannes Schickling and LiveStore contributors
First release
2022
2025
Latest version
@evolu/common 8.23.2 (Oct 17, 2026)
0.5.0 (Oct 15, 2026)
License
Open source (permissive)MIT License
Open source (permissive)Apache License 2.0
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
13.9
15.5
Rank
#242
#212
GitHub stars
1.9K
3.7K
Stack Overflow questions
–
–
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Horizontal scaling
None
None
Multi-region
Active active
None
ACID
Limited
Full
Consistency
Eventual
Causal, Eventual
Schema
Strict
Strict
Architecture
Embedded, 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)
SQL (SQLite), LiveStore query builder
Client languages
TypeScript
TypeScript
Best for
Local-first, Mobile/offline, Embedded
Local-first, Event sourcing, Mobile/offline
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

Evolu vs LiveStore: FAQ

What is the difference between Evolu and LiveStore?

Evolu: Local-first TypeScript platform: SQLite on each device, end-to-end encrypted sync through relays. LiveStore: Event-sourced local-first data layer: reactive SQLite on the client, rebuilt from a synced event log. Transactions: Evolu offers limited ACID; LiveStore offers full. Only Evolu has encryption at rest. Only LiveStore has json.

When should I choose Evolu over LiveStore?

Choose Evolu for privacy-first personal apps (notes, finance, health); wallet and security tooling; and offline-capable apps without a backend team. Choose LiveStore for local-first productivity and note-taking apps; apps that benefit from an auditable event history; and offline-capable Expo apps.

Is Evolu or LiveStore more popular?

LiveStore ranks #212 on the WhichDB Score (15.5/100) and Evolu ranks #242 (13.9/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are Evolu and LiveStore open source?

Yes. Evolu is open source. License: MIT License. Yes. LiveStore is open source. License: Apache License 2.0.