InstantDB
Open-source realtime database with auth, permissions and storage; hosted cloud is winding down.
- Verified facts
- 4 of 4
- Alternatives ranked
- 4
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
InstantDB has been acquired. The Instant team joined OpenAI in 2026; Instant Cloud is closed to new signups and shuts down on 31 August 2027. The code stays open source.
About InstantDB
InstantDB, usually called Instant, is a client-first database for building realtime and collaborative apps. You query data from the browser or mobile app with a relational-style query language, writes apply optimistically and sync across users, and offline support, auth, permissions, file storage and presence are included. It was designed to make apps that feel like Figma or Linear easier to build and became popular with AI coding tools. In 2026 the Instant team joined OpenAI. Instant Cloud closed to new signups, existing users were asked to migrate within twelve months, and cloud apps are scheduled to shut down on 31 August 2027. The whole system is open source under Apache 2.0, and the team published a guide for self-hosting, so the software remains usable if you run it yourself. It is worth considering only if you are comfortable operating it; for a managed service, look at the alternatives.
Best for: Developers already on Instant, or comfortable self-hosting a realtime sync engine.
Pros and cons
What works
- Realtime sync, offline support and optimistic updates built in
- Open source under Apache 2.0 with a self-hosting guide
- Auth, permissions, storage and presence included
Why people leave
- Hosted cloud closed to new users and shutting down
- Future development depends on the community
- Self-hosting a sync engine is real operational work
Top InstantDB alternatives
See all 4- 1
Convex66.5Managed reactive backend with live queries, the closest hosted replacement.
- 2
Firebase62.6Realtime sync and offline support on a long-running managed platform.
- 3
Supabase59.6Postgres with realtime subscriptions and a large, stable company behind it.
- 4
PocketBase57.2Small self-hosted backend with realtime subscriptions if you are self-hosting anyway.
Why people left InstantDB
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
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Reviews
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InstantDB: common questions
Is InstantDB free?
Yes. InstantDB is free, open-source software that you can host yourself.
Is InstantDB open source?
Yes. The source code is on GitHub at instantdb/instant. You can also run it on your own server.
What platforms does InstantDB run on?
InstantDB is available for Web and Self-hosted.
What are the best alternatives to InstantDB?
The highest-ranked InstantDB alternatives right now are Convex, Firebase and Supabase. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.