Turso
Distributed SQLite at the edge — databases everywhere with sub-millisecond reads
About Turso
Turso is a distributed database platform built on libSQL, an open-source fork of SQLite that extends it with HTTP-based replication, embedded replicas, and encryption at rest. It replicates your database to edge locations globally, delivering low-latency reads from anywhere in the world. Turso supports a database-per-tenant architecture, enabling thousands of isolated databases with automatic synchronization. Its embedded replicas feature lets you run a local SQLite file inside your application that syncs automatically from a remote primary, combining SQLite's simplicity with the global reach of a distributed database.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- SQLite compatibility means zero learning curve — use familiar SQL, tooling, and ORMs with global distribution
- Embedded replicas eliminate network latency for reads by syncing a local SQLite file inside your app
- Database-per-tenant model provides true data isolation without the operational overhead of managing separate database servers
- Generous free tier with 5 GB storage, 500M row reads, and 100 databases is excellent for prototyping and small projects
- Built on open-source libSQL, reducing vendor lock-in — data stays in standard SQLite format
- Edge replication delivers single-digit millisecond read latency globally without application-level caching
Cons
- Single-writer architecture means all writes go through the primary — not ideal for write-heavy workloads requiring horizontal write scaling
- SQLite's feature set lacks advanced PostgreSQL capabilities like stored procedures, materialized views, and complex JSON operators
- Relatively young ecosystem compared to established managed databases like PlanetScale, Supabase, or AWS RDS
- Edge replication adds eventual consistency for reads — followers may briefly lag behind the primary after writes
- Limited ORM support compared to PostgreSQL — some ORMs may not fully support libSQL's connection protocol
Key Features
Edge Replication
Automatically replicates databases to edge locations worldwide using a primary-follower model, delivering single-digit millisecond read latency for global users
Embedded Replicas
Run a local SQLite database directly inside your application (VM, VPS, serverless function) that syncs automatically from a remote Turso primary — zero network round-trips for reads
libSQL (Open-Source SQLite Fork)
Built on libSQL, a fully backwards-compatible SQLite fork adding HTTP replication, virtual WAL interface, encryption at rest, and server mode while keeping the same file format and API
Database-Per-Tenant Architecture
Create thousands of isolated databases with placement groups to control data residency, ideal for multi-tenant SaaS where each customer gets their own database
Multi-DB Schemas
Share a single schema across hundreds or thousands of databases, simplifying migrations and management for multi-tenant deployments
Point-in-Time Recovery
Restore any database to a specific point in time with configurable retention periods, providing disaster recovery and data protection
Platform API
Fully documented REST API for programmatic database creation, management, and monitoring — automate provisioning and integrate with CI/CD pipelines
S3-Based Diskless Architecture
Turso Cloud runs on a fully S3-backed storage layer, eliminating local disk dependencies for improved durability and simplified infrastructure
Pricing
- 5 GB total storage
- 500M rows read/month
- 10M rows written/month
- 100 databases
- 100 monthly active databases
- Community support
- 24 GB total storage
- 10,000 databases
- 2,500 monthly active databases
- Placement groups for data residency
- Team collaboration
- Platform API access
- Overage support
- 50 GB total storage
- 10,000+ databases
- SOC2 Type 2 compliance
- HIPAA compliance with BAA
- 30-day audit log retention
- 3-month point-in-time recovery
- 1-day email support SLA
- Unlimited databases
- Dedicated infrastructure
- White-glove support
- Custom SLAs
- Everything in Pro
Best For
Multi-Tenant SaaS Applications
Give each customer their own isolated database with the database-per-tenant model, simplifying data residency compliance and tenant-level backup/restore
Global Low-Latency Applications
Serve users worldwide with sub-millisecond reads via edge replicas — ideal for content platforms, e-commerce, and real-time dashboards
Mobile & Offline-First Apps
Use embedded replicas to keep a local SQLite database in the app that syncs with the cloud when connectivity is available
Edge Computing & Serverless
Deploy databases alongside serverless functions at the edge, eliminating cold-start database connection latency
Rapid Prototyping with SQLite
Start with local SQLite during development and scale to a globally distributed database in production without changing your code
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