whichdb
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R:BASE vs SQLite

R:BASE: Windows desktop relational database and 4GL app builder, sold continuously since the 1980s; now at R:BASE 11. SQLite: The in-process SQL engine that ships in every phone, browser and OS: one file, zero servers.

key differences

  • Licensing: R:BASE is proprietary (Proprietary); SQLite is open source (permissive) (Public Domain).
  • Only R:BASE has stored procedures, role-based access.
  • Only SQLite has full-text search, json, in-memory, runs in webassembly.
  • SQLite can run embedded in your application process.

choose r-base for

  • +Small-business and departmental line-of-business applications
  • +Maintaining long-running R:BASE applications
  • +Desktop data entry and reporting tools

best at · OLTP, Embedded

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

R:BASEWindows desktop relational database and 4GL app builder, sold continuously since the 1980s; now at R:BASE 11.
SQLiteThe in-process SQL engine that ships in every phone, browser and OS: one file, zero servers.
overview
Primary model
Relational
Relational
Also supports
–
Document
Type
Database engine
Embedded library
Status
Active
Active
Developer
R:BASE Technologies, Inc.
D. Richard Hipp / Hwaci (SQLite Consortium)
First release
1983
2000
Latest version
11 Update 3 (11.0.3.20611) (Jun 11, 2026)
3.54.1 (Oct 16, 2026)
License
ProprietaryProprietary
Open source (permissive)Public Domain
Free tier
—
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
4.4
75.5
Rank
#409
#5
GitHub stars
–
10.8K
Stack Overflow questions
–
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
Single node, Client server
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
SQL, R:BASE 4GL
SQL
Client languages
–
C, Python, Java, JavaScript, Go, Rust, C#, Swift
Best for
OLTP, Embedded
Embedded, Mobile/offline, Edge, Local-first
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

R:BASE vs SQLite: FAQ

What is the difference between R:BASE and SQLite?

R:BASE: Windows desktop relational database and 4GL app builder, sold continuously since the 1980s; now at R:BASE 11. SQLite: The in-process SQL engine that ships in every phone, browser and OS: one file, zero servers. Licensing: R:BASE is proprietary (Proprietary); SQLite is open source (permissive) (Public Domain). Only R:BASE has stored procedures, role-based access. Only SQLite has full-text search, json, in-memory, runs in webassembly.

When should I choose R:BASE over SQLite?

Choose R:BASE for small-business and departmental line-of-business applications; maintaining long-running R:BASE applications; and desktop data entry and reporting tools. Choose SQLite for mobile and desktop application storage; embedded devices and IoT; and local-first apps and offline caches.

Is R:BASE or SQLite more popular?

SQLite ranks #5 on the WhichDB Score (75.5/100) and R:BASE ranks #409 (4.4/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are R:BASE and SQLite open source?

No. R:BASE is proprietary, closed-source software. Yes. SQLite is open source. License: Public Domain.