# Cheap Cloud Databases for Node

#### You:
any cheap cloud databases easy to setup in node js? like $1/month

#### ChatGPT:
Yeah - **$1/month is *very* hard** for managed cloud DBs, but you can get **effectively free or \~$0-5/month** setups that are super easy with Node.js.

Here’s the real landscape (no BS):

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# 🟢 Easiest + basically free (best for Node.js apps)

## 1. **Supabase (🔥 easiest overall)**

- Free tier: \~500MB Postgres + auth + API
- Node.js: works instantly via REST or JS client
- Setup: \~2 minutes

👉 Why it’s great:

- Auto-generated API (no backend needed)
- Works like Firebase but SQL
- реально “batteries included” ([AgentDeals](https://agentdeals.dev/database-pricing?utm_source=chatgpt.com))

💸 Cost:

- Free → then \~$25/month if you scale

👉 Verdict: **Best starting point**

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## 2. **Neon (serverless Postgres)**

- Free: \~512MB
- Auto-scales to zero (no idle cost)

👉 Why it’s nice:

- Pure Postgres (no extra stuff)
- Great with Node (pg, Prisma, Drizzle)

💸 Cost:

- Free → \~$19/month later ([AgentDeals](https://agentdeals.dev/database-pricing?utm_source=chatgpt.com))

👉 Verdict: **Best “just a DB” option**

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## 3. **Cloudflare D1 / Turso (edge SQLite)**

- Free tiers:
  - D1: \~5GB
  - Turso: \~9GB ([AgentDeals](https://agentdeals.dev/database-pricing?utm_source=chatgpt.com))

👉 Why it’s interesting:

- Super fast globally
- No connection limits (big deal for Node)

👉 Downsides:

- SQLite (not full Postgres/MySQL)
- Slightly different workflow

👉 Verdict: **Best for tiny apps / edge APIs**

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# 🟡 Cheap but not $1 (realistic low-cost)

## 4. **Self-host on cheap VPS**

- Providers:
  - Hetzner (\~$3.5/mo)
  - DigitalOcean (\~$4-5/mo)
- Run:
  - Postgres / Mongo yourself

👉 Reality:

- Cheapest *real* persistent DB option ([Ventus Servers](https://ventusserver.com/on-cheap-nodejs-vps/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))

👉 Downsides:

- You manage backups, scaling, etc.

👉 Verdict: **Closest to “$1/month” in practice**

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## 5. **Cloudflare Workers + D1 combo**

- DB + backend together
- Can stay **$0-5/month total** ([CompareTiers](https://comparetiers.com/blog/best-cloud-hosting-pricing-2026?utm_source=chatgpt.com))

👉 Verdict: **Cheapest modern stack**

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# 🔴 Things that *used* to be cheap (but aren’t anymore)

- PlanetScale → ❌ no free tier anymore ([AgentDeals](https://agentdeals.dev/database-pricing?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
- Heroku → ❌ no real free tier now
- AWS/GCP → ❌ confusing, rarely <$5 after credits

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# 🧠 Honest recommendation

If you want:

- **Zero setup + Node friendly → Supabase**
- **Pure DB + minimal → Neon**
- **Ultra cheap long-term → VPS + Postgres**
- **Modern + serverless → Cloudflare D1**

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# 💡 My “$1/month mindset” stack

If I were you:

- DB → **Neon (free)**
- Backend → **Cloudflare Workers (free)**
- Total: **$0**

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If you want, tell me:

- SQL or NoSQL?
- hobby app or real users?

I can suggest a *perfect stack + sample Node setup code* in like 2 mins.
