--- title: ElectricSQL slug: electricsql url: "https://toolweight.com/tools/electricsql" homepage: "https://electric-sql.com" categories: convex-alternatives last_verified: 2026-11-07 dataset_version: 0738be72 license: CC-BY-4.0 --- # ElectricSQL > Postgres read-path sync: stream subsets of your own database to clients over HTTP. - Syncs shapes (filtered subsets of Postgres tables) out of a database you already run, over plain HTTP with caching - Handles reads only: writes go through whatever API you already have - That narrowness makes it the lightest commitment on this page - A sync layer, not a backend, so auth, storage and functions remain yours ## Identity | | | | --- | --- | | Name | ElectricSQL | | Company | ElectricSQL | | One-liner | Postgres read-path sync: stream subsets of your own database to clients over HTTP. | | Site | https://electric-sql.com | | Docs | https://electric-sql.com/docs | | Repo | https://github.com/electric-sql/electric | | Founded | 2021 | | Funding | Venture-backed | | Open source | Yes | | Licence | Apache-2.0 | | Compared in | 1 | ## Where it is compared ### [Convex alternatives](https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives) Ranked **#6 of 11** on default weights. | Field | Value | Confidence | Verified | Source | Note | Permalink | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Reactivity | push | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-20 | https://electric-sql.com/docs/guides/shapes | Shapes stream over HTTP with long-polling semantics and CDN caching. Reads only. | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--reactivity_model | | TS inference | ◐ | Inferred | - | - | Shape results are typed if you type them; there is no schema-to-client inference. | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--ts_inference | | Transactions | mvcc | Inferred | - | - | Your Postgres. Electric never handles writes. | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--transaction_semantics | | Local-first sync | ◐ | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-20 | https://electric-sql.com/docs | Read-path sync only, writes go through your existing API, and reconciling them is your design problem. | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--local_first_sync | | Optimistic writes | ◐ | Inferred | - | - | Documented patterns rather than a first-party API. | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--optimistic_updates | | Cron & scheduling | ○ | Inferred | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--scheduled_functions | | File storage | ○ | Inferred | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--file_storage | | Vector search | ◐ | Inferred | - | - | Available in your Postgres; not part of Electric. | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--vector_search | | Full-text search | ◐ | Inferred | - | - | Available in your Postgres; not part of Electric. | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--full_text_search | | Auth | bring-your-own | Vendor-claimed | 2026-11-06 | https://electric.ax/docs/guides/auth | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--auth_included | | Hard limits | Shape size, a shape has to be small enough to hold on the client and cheap enough to re-materialise on the server. | Inferred | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--hard_limits | | Cold start | - | Unknown | - | - | Electric is a long-running sync service, not a function runtime. | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--cold_start | | Function timeout | - | Unknown | - | - | No function runtime. | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--function_timeout | | Exit cost | 2 | Inferred | - | - | The lightest commitment here. Your Postgres, schema, writes and API are untouched; removing Electric means replacing shape subscriptions with fetches. Nothing about your data model was ever Electric-shaped. | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--exit_cost | | Self-hostable | ● | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-20 | https://electric-sql.com/docs/guides/deployment | Apache-2.0; a single service beside your Postgres. | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--self_hostable | | Bulk export | ● | Inferred | - | - | It is your Postgres. | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--bulk_export | | Raw SQL | ● | Inferred | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--raw_sql | | Schema changes | sql-migrations | Inferred | - | - | Your own migrations; Electric follows the logical replication stream. | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--schema_migrations | | MCP server | ○ | Inferred | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--mcp_server | | Agent fit | 2 | Inferred | - | - | A minimal surface, but the agent must still assemble the write path, auth proxy and client store, most of the app is not Electric. | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--agent_fit | | Pricing model | free (self-host) + usage-based cloud | Vendor-claimed | 2026-11-06 | https://electric.ax/pricing | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--pricing_model | | Entry price | $0/mo | Vendor-claimed | 2026-11-07 | https://electric.ax/pricing | Pay-as-you-go has no monthly fee, usage-billed (writes $1/million, retention $0.10/GB-month). Next fixed tier is Pro at $249/mo. | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--entry_price | | Egress metered | ◐ | Inferred | - | - | Self-hosted, your own bandwidth. On the cloud, data transferred is a billed dimension. | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--egress_billing | | GitHub stars | 8,000 | Inferred | - | - | Approximate as of mid-2026. | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--github_stars | | Backing | venture-backed | Inferred | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--backing | | Positioning | Postgres sync engine, sync little subsets of your data into local apps. | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-20 | https://electric-sql.com | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/convex-alternatives#electricsql--positioning | **Verdict.** The narrowest, best-behaved tool: read-path sync over your own Postgres with an exit close to free. ## Alternatives - [Appwrite](https://toolweight.com/tools/appwrite), Open-source backend platform: databases, auth, storage, functions, self-hostable. - [Convex](https://toolweight.com/tools/convex), Reactive TypeScript backend: database, functions and live queries in one project. - [Firebase](https://toolweight.com/tools/firebase), Google's app platform: Firestore documents, auth, functions, deep mobile SDKs. - [InstantDB](https://toolweight.com/tools/instantdb), Client-side reactive database with a relational graph model and instant sync. - [Neon + Drizzle](https://toolweight.com/tools/neon-drizzle), The DIY baseline: serverless Postgres, a typed SQL query builder, nothing else. - [Nhost](https://toolweight.com/tools/nhost), Postgres plus Hasura GraphQL, auth, storage and serverless functions. - [PocketBase](https://toolweight.com/tools/pocketbase), One Go binary: SQLite database, auth, file storage, realtime and an admin UI. - [Zero](https://toolweight.com/tools/rocicorp-zero), Sync engine that puts a queryable client cache in front of your own Postgres. - [Supabase](https://toolweight.com/tools/supabase), Managed Postgres with auth, storage, realtime and edge functions around it. - [Triplit](https://toolweight.com/tools/triplit), Full-stack database that syncs: local cache, server, relational queries, offline. ## Logo & brand colours SVG files: https://toolweight.com/teams/electricsql/logo.svg and https://toolweight.com/teams/electricsql/mono.svg. JSON: https://toolweight.com/api/v1/brands/electricsql. | Hex | oklch | | --- | --- | | #75fbfd | oklch(91.4% 0.118 196.6) | ## Licence and attribution Data from Toolweight (https://toolweight.com), licensed CC-BY-4.0. - Licence: [CC-BY-4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) - Canonical HTML: https://toolweight.com/tools/electricsql - Machine-readable: https://toolweight.com/tools/electricsql.md · https://toolweight.com/api/v1 · https://toolweight.com/mcp - Toolweight takes no affiliate revenue and sells no placements.