whichdb
vs

Evolu vs RxDB

Evolu: Local-first TypeScript platform: SQLite on each device, end-to-end encrypted sync through relays. RxDB: Reactive local-first NoSQL database for JavaScript with pluggable storage and replication.

key differences

  • Evolu is primarily a relational database; RxDB is document.
  • Only Evolu has transactions, joins, runs in webassembly.
  • Only RxDB has json, change data capture, in-memory, compression.

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 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

EvoluLocal-first TypeScript platform: SQLite on each device, end-to-end encrypted sync through relays.
RxDBReactive local-first NoSQL database for JavaScript with pluggable storage and replication.
overview
Primary model
Relational
Document
Also supports
–
–
Type
Embedded library
Embedded library
Status
Active
Active
Developer
Daniel Steigerwald and Evolu contributors
Daniel Meyer (pubkey)
First release
2022
2016
Latest version
@evolu/common 8.23.2 (Oct 17, 2026)
17.6.0 (Oct 5, 2026)
License
Open source (permissive)MIT License
Open source (permissive)Apache License 2.0 (core); commercial premium plugins
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
13.9
20.2
Rank
#242
#161
GitHub stars
1.9K
23.4K
Stack Overflow questions
–
47
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Horizontal scaling
None
None
Multi-region
Active active
None
ACID
Limited
Limited
Consistency
Eventual
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)
Mango query syntax
Client languages
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

Evolu vs RxDB: FAQ

What is the difference between Evolu and RxDB?

Evolu: Local-first TypeScript platform: SQLite on each device, end-to-end encrypted sync through relays. RxDB: Reactive local-first NoSQL database for JavaScript with pluggable storage and replication. Evolu is primarily a relational database; RxDB is document. Only Evolu has transactions, joins, runs in webassembly. Only RxDB has json, change data capture, in-memory, compression.

When should I choose Evolu over RxDB?

Choose Evolu for privacy-first personal apps (notes, finance, health); wallet and security tooling; and offline-capable apps without a backend team. Choose RxDB for offline-first progressive web apps; react Native and Capacitor apps with background sync; and electron apps needing local reactive storage.

Is Evolu or RxDB more popular?

RxDB ranks #161 on the WhichDB Score (20.2/100) and Evolu ranks #242 (13.9/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are Evolu and RxDB open source?

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