Serverless FerretDB
Managed FerretDB, the Apache-licensed MongoDB-compatible database. Same wire protocol, same drivers, no SSPL fine print. Cloud, desktop, or self-host with SpinDB.
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Where to run it
Cloud, desktop, or self-host
One database, three places it can live. Pick the speed you want and move between them when you outgrow it.
Branch FerretDB in seconds
Fork a running FerretDB into a full, isolated copy with its own connection string. Copy-on-write makes it near-instant, not a dump and restore. Point a preview deploy at it, test a migration, then throw it away. Layerbase branches 9 engines, not just Postgres.
See how branching worksWhat you get
Production features, free tier included
Every FerretDB database ships with the same primitives: TLS, web console, hibernation, and a real dashboard. No tiered features hidden behind a sales call.
Web IDE
Query console in the dashboard, no extra client to install.
TLS by default
All connections encrypted. No setup required.
Always-on connections
Pin a database to your always-on pool to prevent hibernation.
Scale to zero
Hibernates when idle. Wakes on the next connection.
Connection pooling
Pooled endpoint for serverless and edge workloads.
Direct connections
Bypass the pooler for migrations and replication.
Native HTTPS endpoint
Engines whose own wire protocol speaks HTTPS. Every database, including this one, is also queryable over the platform's HTTPS query API and web console.
Serverless driver
Drop-in HTTP driver for edge runtimes (Upstash REST, PlanetScale, or the engine-native client).
IP whitelisting
Restrict access to specific IPs or CIDR ranges.
Automatic backups
Scheduled dumps and volume snapshots with one-click restore on paid plans. Free tier includes a manual backup slot.
Why Layerbase
Predictable pricing, no cloud setup
FerretDB on Layerbase Cloud is priced the same way as every other engine: a flat monthly plan with nothing metered behind it.
A fixed monthly price
Plans are flat: Free at $0, then $5/mo Solo and $15/mo Pro. No per-hour compute meter, no per-database line items, and no bill that changes shape when your traffic does.
No bandwidth charges
Reads and writes are not metered. There are no ingress or egress fees, so moving data in and out of your database never adds to the bill.
No cloud account to wire up
You do not need an AWS, GCP, or Azure account. Sign up, create a database, and connect. Layerbase runs the infrastructure, so there is no cloud provider to configure or pay separately.
Side by side
Hosted FerretDB, compared
| Provider | Free tier | Billing |
|---|---|---|
| FerretDB Cloud | Waitlist-gated; the free tier lacks TLS | - |
| Layerbase | FerretDB from Solo at $5/mo, TLS included on every plan | $5 or $15/mo flat. No meters. |
FerretDB Cloud
- Free tier
- Waitlist-gated; the free tier lacks TLS
Layerbase
- Free tier
- FerretDB from Solo at $5/mo, TLS included on every plan
- Billing
- $5 or $15/mo flat. No meters.
Layerbase is the only FerretDB cloud you can sign up for today: no waitlist, and TLS is included on every plan.
Competitor facts as of July 2026, from public pricing pages.
Quick start
Connect with any FerretDB client
Teams that want managed FerretDB with Apache 2.0 licensing, document-shaped data on top of Postgres, and existing Mongo apps that want to escape the SSPL.
- Drop MongoDB-shaped data into a project that needs a permissive license
- Run document workloads alongside Postgres on the same infra without dual ops
- Spin up a per-environment document store that scales to zero between bursts
- Migrate off Atlas without rewriting drivers or queries
- Self-host on your own hardware when compliance requires it
mongosh "mongodb://layerbase:password@your-host.cloud.layerbase.dev:27017/app?tls=true"
More on FerretDB
All articles- July 17, 2026
Run FerretDB on Windows (No Docker, No WSL)
FerretDB v2 needs a PostgreSQL extension that is not on Windows yet. We built custom binaries to run FerretDB v1 natively on Windows, no Docker or WSL.
Read - June 23, 2026
7 reasons to choose FerretDB over MongoDB
FerretDB gives you the MongoDB API on top of PostgreSQL, under an Apache 2.0 license. Here are seven concrete reasons teams pick it over MongoDB, and an honest list of when you should not.
Read - June 14, 2026
Branching with any database
Neon branches Postgres. PlanetScale branches MySQL. Layerbase branches all of them, because branching happens at the filesystem, not inside the engine. Here is how it works.
Read - June 10, 2026
Branching with MongoDB
MongoDB never got Neon-style branching. Layerbase Cloud gives it to you: a serverless, Mongo-compatible database you branch from the dashboard in seconds, plus the same workflow locally with SpinDB or Layerbase Desktop.
Read - May 20, 2026
PayloadCMS Setup: PostgreSQL or FerretDB
Set up PayloadCMS with managed PostgreSQL or MongoDB-compatible FerretDB on Layerbase Cloud, and why FerretDB beats MongoDB for most Payload projects.
Read
FAQ
Common FerretDB questions
What does FerretDB hosting on Layerbase include?
A `mongodb://` endpoint with TLS, automated backups, IP allowlisting, and a document console in the browser, plus hibernation that scales the database to zero when it is idle and wakes it on the next connection. There is no cluster to size and no cloud provider account to link: sign up, create the database, copy the connection string.
How is FerretDB different from MongoDB?
FerretDB implements the MongoDB wire protocol on top of PostgreSQL. From your driver, it looks like Mongo. Under the hood, your documents are stored in PostgreSQL through the DocumentDB extension (a binary BSON type), not plain tables you query directly. Licensing: FerretDB is Apache 2.0 and the DocumentDB extension is MIT, instead of SSPL.
Will my MongoDB driver work?
Yes. Any driver that speaks the MongoDB wire protocol (pymongo, mongoose, mongo-go-driver, Java, etc.) connects to FerretDB without code changes. mongosh works against the same endpoint.
Is there feature parity with MongoDB?
The common 90% is covered: CRUD, indexes, aggregations, and transactions. Mongo-only features like change streams and Atlas Search are not supported. The FerretDB compatibility page tracks specifics.
Can I move data from MongoDB to FerretDB?
Yes. mongodump and mongorestore work against FerretDB. Most apps move with zero driver-side changes; you typically only re-verify queries that exercise less-common operators.
How does it relate to /db/mongodb on Layerbase?
/db/mongodb explains the Mongo story on Layerbase Cloud, which is implemented by FerretDB. /db/ferretdb is the same engine viewed through its own brand and license story; pick whichever framing fits your audience.