SQLite Cloud
activeby SQLite Cloud, Inc. · since 2023 · also known as SQLite AI, SQLiteCloud
Managed, distributed SQLite with pub/sub, edge functions and CRDT sync to on-device databases.
Overview
SQLite Cloud is a managed service that runs SQLite databases on a Raft-replicated cluster and exposes them over its own protocol, HTTP and WebSockets, with users and roles, built-in pub/sub, edge functions and backups. The company, now branded SQLite AI, also publishes SQLite extensions: SQLite-Sync for CRDT-based offline sync between local SQLite and the cloud (or Postgres and Supabase), SQLite-Vector for vector search and SQLite-AI for on-device inference. It suits teams who want SQLite semantics end to end, from device to server, without operating replication themselves.
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
- +Standard SQLite SQL and file format on server and device
- +Built-in pub/sub and edge functions next to the data
- +First-party CRDT sync and vector extensions
- +Low entry price with a usable free tier
Trade-offs
- −Small vendor with a young managed service
- −Per-database size and connection limits are modest
- −Proprietary server; no self-hosted option
Great for
- +Backends for apps already standardised on SQLite
- +Offline-first mobile apps syncing local SQLite
- +Edge and IoT data collection
Think twice for
- −Multi-terabyte databases
- −High-concurrency write-heavy OLTP
- −Teams requiring self-hosting
Capabilities
Native or official first-party support · 11 of 25 tracked
Scale & consistency
- Comfortable data size
- Small · ≤ 100 GB
- Horizontal scaling
- None
- Multi-region
- Read replicas
- Transactions
- Full ACID
- Consistency
- Strong
- Schema
- Strict
- Architecture
- Distributed, Serverless
- Query languages
- SQL
Each database is a replicated SQLite file; plans top out at tens of GB.
Deployment
Ecosystem
Alternatives to SQLite Cloud
Managed SQLite-compatible cloud for database-per-tenant apps, with embedded replicas and offline sync.
sqlite-cloud vs turso →Serverless SQLite for Cloudflare Workers, priced per row read and written, with read replicas and time travel.
sqlite-cloud vs cloudflare-d1 →Turso's open-contribution SQLite fork with native vectors, a network server and embedded replicas.
sqlite-cloud vs libsql →Sync engine that keeps on-device SQLite in sync with Postgres, MongoDB, MySQL or SQL Server.
sqlite-cloud vs powersync →The in-process SQL engine that ships in every phone, browser and OS: one file, zero servers.
sqlite-cloud vs sqlite →Lightweight distributed database that replicates SQLite over Raft behind a simple HTTP API.
sqlite-cloud vs rqlite →SQLite Cloud FAQ
What is SQLite Cloud?
SQLite Cloud is a relational database by SQLite Cloud, Inc., first released in 2023. SQLite Cloud is a managed service that runs SQLite databases on a Raft-replicated cluster and exposes them over its own protocol, HTTP and WebSockets, with users and roles, built-in pub/sub, edge functions and backups. The company, now branded SQLite AI, also publishes SQLite extensions: SQLite-Sync for CRDT-based offline sync between local SQLite and the cloud (or Postgres and Supabase), SQLite-Vector for vector search and SQLite-AI for on-device inference. It suits teams who want SQLite semantics end to end, from device to server, without operating replication themselves.
Is SQLite Cloud open source?
No. SQLite Cloud is proprietary, closed-source software.
Does SQLite Cloud support ACID transactions?
Yes. SQLite Cloud supports full ACID transactions, with strong consistency.
Does SQLite Cloud scale horizontally?
SQLite Cloud does not scale horizontally; it runs on a single node, so you scale it up rather than out. It is comfortable at small scale (≤ 100 GB). It supports cross-region read replicas.
How can I run SQLite Cloud?
You can use the vendor's managed cloud, run it serverless and run it at the edge.
What is SQLite Cloud best for?
SQLite Cloud is a strong fit for backends for apps already standardised on SQLite; offline-first mobile apps syncing local SQLite; and edge and IoT data collection. Think twice for multi-terabyte databases.
What are the best alternatives to SQLite Cloud?
Common alternatives to SQLite Cloud include Turso, Cloudflare D1, libSQL, PowerSync and SQLite. The right choice depends on your workload, scale and hosting; WhichDB's smart match ranks them against your requirements.
How popular is SQLite Cloud?
SQLite Cloud ranks #246 of 844 databases on the WhichDB Score (13.8/100), and #77 among relational databases. The score combines public adoption signals such as package downloads, GitHub activity, job posts and developer discussion.