InstantDB vs Wasp
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted developer tools & git options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | InstantDB | Wasp |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 91 · Excellent | 96 · Excellent |
| Category | Developer Tools & Git | Developer Tools & Git |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 10,521 | ★ 18,745 |
| First released | 2024 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Firebase | Firebase |
What are InstantDB and Wasp?
InstantDB
Instant is an open-source realtime database that gives apps offline-first relational queries and instant sync. The backend server can be self-hosted to keep app data on your own infrastructure.
- Realtime sync
- Relational queries
- Offline support
- Self-hostable backend
Wasp
Wasp is an open-source language and framework for building full-stack web apps with React, Node.js and Prisma using a concise declarative config. The generated apps are deployed and self-hosted as standard containers.
- Declarative app config
- Full-stack React + Node
- Built-in auth
- Self-hosted deploys
InstantDB vs Wasp: key differences
Both projects are written in TypeScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for InstantDB versus MIT for Wasp. Wasp is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for InstantDB. Wasp is the more established project (first released 2021), while InstantDB arrived in 2024.
Why pick each one
Choose InstantDB if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 10.5k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
Choose Wasp if…
- Concise declarative config
- Auth built in
- Full stack from one spec
Watch out for
- Own DSL to learn
- Young evolving framework
Frequently asked questions
Is InstantDB or Wasp better?
Neither is universally better. Wasp has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are InstantDB and Wasp free and open-source?
Yes. InstantDB is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Wasp under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run InstantDB and Wasp with Docker?
InstantDB: yes. Wasp: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, InstantDB or Wasp?
Wasp has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for InstantDB. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.