Quick answer
Xata - Xata wins for most builders because its free tier is explicitly free forever with no stated caps, while Koyeb’s free value is capped and embedded in a usage-based platform that you can outgrow quickly.
How the free tiers compare
Koyeb and Xata solve different parts of the stack. Koyeb is broader: it is a general cloud platform for deploying apps, APIs, and even managed Postgres, with free compute credit, bandwidth, domains, logs, and service limits bundled together. That makes it useful if you want one place to run a small app and its database. Xata is narrower but cleaner: it is a hosted PostgreSQL platform with copy-on-write branching, scale-to-zero, and an open source plan that is explicitly free forever. For builders who mainly need database workflow features, Xata’s free tier is much easier to stay on. Koyeb gives more general hosting surface area, but the free tier is a capped allowance inside a paid usage model, so the moment you need more compute, it starts billing. If you need app hosting plus database together, Koyeb is the broader free starter. If you want uncapped Postgres-centric usage, Xata is the safer free-tier choice.
Koyeb vs Xata free tier, side by side
| KoyebFTV 40 | XataFTV 85 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free compute / DB allowanceKoyeb’s free value is a capped compute credit. Xata’s free plan is described as uncapped. | $10 included compute credit | Free forever open source plan; no stated cap |
| Postgres includedKoyeb includes a small amount of managed Postgres runtime. Xata centers the product on database workflow features. | 5 hours/month at $0/hr | Copy-on-Write branches, scale-to-zero |
| StorageOnly Koyeb provides an explicit storage quota in the input. | 1 GB Postgres storage included | Not stated |
| Custom domainsRelevant if you plan to put a public app on the free tier. | 10 included | Not stated |
| BandwidthKoyeb is explicit here; Xata’s free-tier bandwidth is not stated. | 1 TB/month included | Not stated |
| UsersKoyeb’s free tier includes a user cap. | Up to 10 users | Not stated |
| ServicesUseful for app sprawl and microservices on Koyeb. | Up to 100 services | Not stated |
| RegionsKoyeb provides explicit region access on the free tier. | 7 regions in the US, EU, and Asia | Not stated |
| Logs and metrics retentionKoyeb includes short retention for observability. | 7 days each | Not stated |
After you outgrow the free tier
Koyeb starts with a flat Pro plan at $29/mo plus compute, then scales to $299/mo plus compute and eventually custom enterprise pricing. That means the first meaningful cost is a fixed monthly fee on top of usage. Xata is usage-based: Standard starts at $0.012/hour plus storage, with Enterprise as contact sales. So Koyeb is easier to reason about at low team size, while Xata stays cheaper only if your database usage stays small. As usage grows, Xata’s bill rises with hours and storage, while Koyeb adds fixed platform cost plus compute.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Koyeb | Xata |
|---|---|---|
| Light always-on usage over a monthXata estimate assumes 24/7 compute at $0.012/hour for 30 days, excluding storage. | $29/mo + compute | est. $8.64/mo + storage |
| Moderate usage over a monthWithout storage rates in the input, Xata’s full cost cannot be computed. | $29/mo + compute | est. $8.64/mo + storage, plus more for storage/usage |
| Need to exceed the free tierKoyeb also includes $10 compute credit on Pro; Xata includes a $100 trial credit for 14 days on Standard. | Starts at $29/mo + compute | Starts at $0.012/hour + storage |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick Koyeb when…
- You want to deploy an API or web service and also have a small built-in Postgres option.
- You need a broader platform with custom domains, logs, metrics, scaling, and deployment tooling in one place.
- You are testing a containerized app and want free bandwidth, service slots, and region coverage without stitching together multiple tools.
- You expect to stay very small and want a bundled hosting stack rather than a database-only product.
Pick Xata when…
- You mainly need hosted PostgreSQL with branching and copy-on-write cloning for development or CI.
- You want an explicitly free forever option with no stated caps on the open source plan.
- You need scale-to-zero behavior for databases and workflows that spin up and down.
- You work on agent-driven development, simulation, or multi-tenant testing where isolated branches matter more than general app hosting.
- You want to start free without a built-in compute-credit ceiling pushing you toward paid usage sooner.
Bottom line
For the most common builder case, Xata is the better free-tier pick if your main need is PostgreSQL and you value an uncapped free plan with branching and scale-to-zero. Koyeb wins if you need a broader app hosting platform and want free domains, bandwidth, regions, and deployment tooling in one place. The tradeoff is that Koyeb’s free tier is a capped allowance, while Xata’s open source plan is free forever. If you are choosing the safer long-term free tier, Xata is the cleaner default.
Read the full listings: Koyeb and Xata. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.