Serverless database prices can look simple until storage, I/O, backups, data transfer, or provider-specific meters are added. The tables give every product the same three monthly workloads and keep those extra costs visible. If public terms do not support a complete total, the known subtotal stays separate from the missing charges.
See Methodology for workload assumptions, product configurations, calculation rules, sources, and exclusions.
Monthly workloads
Intermittent
- Compute
- 7.5h
- Storage
- 10 GB-mo
- Egress
- 1 GB
Working hours
- Compute
- 176h
- Storage
- 100 GB-mo
- Egress
- 25 GB
Continuous
- Compute
- 730h
- Storage
- 500 GB-mo
- Egress
- 250 GB
Serverless SQL databases
Neon
4
PostgreSQL · Launch · us-east-1 | $3.50 Subtotal + additions + compute · restore history | $35.00 Subtotal + additions + compute · restore history | $175.00 Subtotal + additions + compute · restore history |
|---|---|---|---|
Xata Cloud
7
PostgreSQL · micro · us-east-1 | $2.89 Subtotal + additions + compute rounding · backup · transfer | $30.11 Subtotal + additions + compute rounding · backup · transfer | $148.76 Subtotal + additions + compute rounding · backup · transfer |
CockroachDB Basic
3
Distributed SQL · pay-as-you-go · us-east-1 | $4.66 Subtotal + additions + request units · org benefit | $46.57 Subtotal + additions + request units · org benefit | $232.83 Subtotal + additions + request units · org benefit |
TiDB Cloud Starter
6
TiDB / MySQL · Scalable · us-east-1 | $0.86 Subtotal + additions + request units · backup | $17.63 Subtotal + additions + request units · backup | $92.13 Subtotal + additions + request units · backup |
Amazon Aurora Serverless v2
1
PostgreSQL · Aurora Standard · us-east-1 | $1.00 Subtotal + additions + ACU-hours · I/O requests · backup overage · egress | $10.00 Subtotal + additions + ACU-hours · I/O requests · backup overage · egress | $50.00 Subtotal + additions + ACU-hours · I/O requests · backup overage · egress |
Azure SQL Database
2
Azure SQL · General Purpose serverless GP_S_Gen5_2 · east-us-2 | $1.50 Subtotal + additions + compute · PITR backup · egress | $14.95 Subtotal + additions + compute · PITR backup · egress | $74.75 Subtotal + additions + compute · PITR backup · egress |
Prisma Postgres
PostgreSQL · paid-self-service · us-east-1 | $10.00 Exact | $129.00 Exact | $729.00 Exact |
SQL databases with compute minimums
These products have a provisioned or platform minimum compute charge, so they are shown separately.
Supabase
PostgreSQL · Pro Micro · us-east-1 | $25.25 Exact | $36.50 Exact | $86.50 Exact |
|---|---|---|---|
PlanetScale Postgres
5
PostgreSQL · PS-10-AWS-ARM Single Node · us-east-1 | $10.00 Subtotal + additions + disk selection · disk overage · backup/WAL | $10.00 Subtotal + additions + disk selection · disk overage · backup/WAL | $17.97 Subtotal + additions + disk selection · disk overage · backup/WAL |
Additional costs
These charges sit outside the subtotal shown in the pricing tables. Cost names link to official sources, and the Rate column shows a public rate where one is available. Superscript numbers match the provider markers above.
| Provider | Additional cost | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Aurora Serverless v2 1 | Compute I/O Backup Egress | $0.12/ACU-hour $0.20/1M billed I/O requests $0.021/backup GB-month above free allocation $0.09/GB |
| Azure SQL Database 2 | Compute PITR backup Egress | $0.521758/vCore-hour $0.10/LRS backup GB-month $0.087/GB |
| CockroachDB Basic 3 | Request Units Credit | $0.20/1M RU $15 max/month organization benefit |
| Neon 4 | Compute Restore | $0.106/CU-hour $0.20/GB-month of data changes |
| PlanetScale Postgres 5 | Disk Storage Backup / WAL | No public rate $0.125/GiB-month $0.023/GiB-month |
| TiDB Cloud Starter 6 | Request Units Backup | $0.10/1M RU No public rate |
| Xata Cloud 7 | Rounding Backup Egress | $0.012/hour No public rate No public rate |
How to read these prices
- Exact means all required charges for the stated workload can be calculated from the reviewed public pricing terms.
- Subtotal + additions is the known part of the bill, not the complete total. The missing costs are named in the cell and listed in Additional costs.
- Products with a provisioned or platform compute minimum are shown separately because their baseline billing model differs from the main serverless SQL group.
See Methodology for workload assumptions, product configurations, calculation rules, sources, and exclusions.
FAQ
What are the hidden costs of serverless databases?
The hidden costs are usually charges that sit outside the compute headline: storage, I/O, backups or recovery history, egress, and provider-specific meters. srvrlss keeps those additions visible and uses Subtotal + additions when a required component cannot be calculated from the common workload.
Does scale to zero mean a serverless database costs nothing when idle?
No. Auto-pause or scale-to-zero can reduce compute charges, but stored data, backup or recovery history, transfer, and other retained resources can still be billed. A zero compute state should not be read as a zero database bill.
Are serverless databases cheaper than provisioned databases?
Not always. Usage-based or auto-pausing compute can reduce idle spend, while products with provisioned or platform compute minimums have a different baseline and sustained workloads can shift the result. The comparison separates those models rather than declaring one universally cheaper.
Why can't serverless database prices be compared using one hourly rate?
Because the products do not bill the same underlying unit. Elapsed compute, provider-specific units such as Request Units, storage, I/O, backups, and egress can all contribute, so srvrlss preserves native meters instead of converting them into a synthetic hourly rate.
Why does srvrlss show "Subtotal + additions" instead of a total?
Because at least one required charge cannot be calculated from the common workload and reviewed public pricing terms. The displayed amount is only the known subtotal; the missing mandatory costs are named separately rather than replaced with an assumed value.