whichdb
vs

ObjectBox vs SQLite

ObjectBox: Fast on-device object database with built-in HNSW vector search and an optional commercial sync server. SQLite: The in-process SQL engine that ships in every phone, browser and OS: one file, zero servers.

key differences

  • ObjectBox is primarily an object database; SQLite is relational.
  • Licensing: ObjectBox is proprietary (Free closed-source core; Apache-2.0 language bindings); SQLite is open source (permissive) (Public Domain).
  • Only ObjectBox has vector search, offline sync.
  • Only SQLite has joins, full-text search, json, triggers, runs in webassembly.

choose objectbox for

  • +Offline-first Android and Flutter apps
  • +On-device AI features needing local vector search
  • +IoT gateways and embedded Linux devices
  • +Replacing Realm after the Device Sync shutdown

best at · Embedded, Mobile/offline, IoT

choose sqlite for

  • +Mobile and desktop application storage
  • +Embedded devices and IoT
  • +Local-first apps and offline caches
  • +Test fixtures and data interchange files

best at · Embedded, Mobile/offline, Edge

ObjectBoxFast on-device object database with built-in HNSW vector search and an optional commercial sync server.
SQLiteThe in-process SQL engine that ships in every phone, browser and OS: one file, zero servers.
overview
Primary model
Object
Relational
Also supports
Vector
Document
Type
Embedded library
Embedded library
Status
Active
Active
Developer
ObjectBox Ltd.
D. Richard Hipp / Hwaci (SQLite Consortium)
First release
2017
2000
Latest version
Java 5.4.2 (May 6, 2026)
3.54.1 (Oct 16, 2026)
License
ProprietaryFree closed-source core; Apache-2.0 language bindings
Open source (permissive)Public Domain
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
12.4
75.5
Rank
#269
#5
GitHub stars
4.6K
10.8K
Stack Overflow questions
416
94.9K
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Horizontal scaling
None
None
Multi-region
None
None
ACID
Full
Full
Consistency
Strong
Strong
Schema
Strict
Flexible
Architecture
Embedded
Embedded, Single node
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
ObjectBox Query Builder API
SQL
Client languages
Java, Kotlin, Dart, Swift, C, C++, Go, Python
C, Python, Java, JavaScript, Go, Rust, C#, Swift
Best for
Embedded, Mobile/offline, IoT, Vector search
Embedded, Mobile/offline, Edge, Local-first
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

ObjectBox vs SQLite: FAQ

What is the difference between ObjectBox and SQLite?

ObjectBox: Fast on-device object database with built-in HNSW vector search and an optional commercial sync server. SQLite: The in-process SQL engine that ships in every phone, browser and OS: one file, zero servers. ObjectBox is primarily an object database; SQLite is relational. Licensing: ObjectBox is proprietary (Free closed-source core; Apache-2.0 language bindings); SQLite is open source (permissive) (Public Domain). Only ObjectBox has vector search, offline sync.

When should I choose ObjectBox over SQLite?

Choose ObjectBox for offline-first Android and Flutter apps; on-device AI features needing local vector search; and IoT gateways and embedded Linux devices. Choose SQLite for mobile and desktop application storage; embedded devices and IoT; and local-first apps and offline caches.

Is ObjectBox or SQLite more popular?

SQLite ranks #5 on the WhichDB Score (75.5/100) and ObjectBox ranks #269 (12.4/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are ObjectBox and SQLite open source?

No. ObjectBox is proprietary, closed-source software. License: Free closed-source core; Apache-2.0 language bindings. Yes. SQLite is open source. License: Public Domain.