InstantDB vs Manifest
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted developer tools & git options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
InstantDB
Realtime client-side database with relational queries
VS
Manifest
Open-source backend defined from a single YAML file
| Feature | InstantDB | Manifest |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Developer Tools & Git | Developer Tools & Git |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 10,383 | ★ 7,413 |
| First released | 2024 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Firebase | Firebase, Supabase |
Why pick each one
Choose InstantDB if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 10.4k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
Choose Manifest if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 7.4k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is InstantDB or Manifest better?
Neither is universally better. InstantDB has the larger community, while Manifest is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are InstantDB and Manifest free and open-source?
Yes. InstantDB is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Manifest under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run InstantDB and Manifest with Docker?
InstantDB: yes. Manifest: yes.