Instant
Instant is a database solution for building real-time and offline-enabled applications, simplifying the development of collaborative products.
Technical Profile & Specs
verified 2026-11-07
- Cost
- $0 / forever (Open Source)
- License
- Open Source
- Hosting Model
- Local (on your machine)
- Platforms
- desktopcross-platformone-click install
- Installation
- Clone https://github.com/instantdb/instant or deploy with Docker Compose
- Operational Setup
- Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
- Where Your Data Lives
- All application data lives locally on your own machine.
- The Catch / Trade-off
- Community-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
Replaces 5 paid apps
up to $125/mo ($1,500/yr) in subscriptions
Instant FAQ
Common questions
Is Instant free and open source?+
Instant is an open-source tool licensed under Open Source that runs on local. Instant is a database solution for building real-time and offline-enabled applications, simplifying the development of collaborative products.
What paid software does Instant replace?+
Instant serves as a free replacement for 5 paid SaaS applications: Fauna, Firebase, MongoDB, PlanetScale, Supabase, saving up to $125/month ($1,500/year) in subscription bills.
How do you install and set up Instant?+
Installation: Clone https://github.com/instantdb/instant or deploy with Docker Compose. Setup notes: Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
What is the catch or trade-off with Instant?+
Community-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.