restdb.io

restdb.io is a cloud NoSQL database service for business application backends, dynamic web content, and API-centric solutions. It generates REST and JavaScript APIs from a database schema, with data available as JSON over HTTPS. Collections support common data types, media, documents, and several relationship types. Realtime access, webhooks, and server-side JavaScript codehooks let applications respond to data changes or run server-side logic. The Data Manager includes search, filtering, Excel import and export, record locking and versioning, and an activity log. Collection roles control read, create, update, and delete permissions; private data can limit users to records they created. Server-side Pages serve HTML, JSON, CSS, or RSS from database-backed URLs. All plans support custom domains for Pages, while paid plans add automatic HTTPS. Connections require HTTPS and an access token, with options including API keys, Auth0, JWT, and user sessions. The free Development plan allows 2,500 records and manual snapshots, but has no automatic backup. Standard is $19 a month when billed annually, or $$29 if billed monthly; Premium is $79 a month annually or $$99 monthly.

restdb.io offers database, API, and page-hosting capabilities across free and paid tiers. Compare plan limits and backup needs before choosing a tier.

restdb.io suits developers and teams building web or serverless business applications that use database-backed APIs or dynamic content.

Overview

restdb.io is a managed cloud NoSQL database that generates REST and JavaScript APIs for business backends, dynamic content, and API-centric applications. It suits developers building web or serverless services who want database-backed endpoints and page hosting without assembling those capabilities separately. Its strongest case is the combination of schema-driven APIs, access controls, and built-in Pages; the main trade-off is that backup protection and capacity depend sharply on the plan.

Key features

REST and JavaScript APIs reflect the database schema, with JSON data delivered over HTTPS. That can simplify the route from a modeled collection to an application-facing API, while the realtime API, collection webhooks, and server-side JavaScript codehooks support event-driven behavior and server-side logic. Webhooks can call other systems when records are created, updated, or deleted; Zapier is one documented integration example.

Collections handle common data types, media, documents, and one-to-one, one-to-many, and parent/child relationships. The Data Manager adds global search, filtering, Excel import and export, record locking and versioning, and an activity log. These features make it more than a bare data store, particularly for teams that need to inspect and manage records directly.

Collection roles can restrict users to reading, creating, updating, or deleting records, and private data can limit users to records they created. Connections require HTTPS and an access token. Authentication options include API keys, limited CORS keys, Auth0, JWT, and valid user sessions. Administrators can create scoped, filtered, or limited CORS keys; full-access keys cannot be used from web pages. That separation is a useful safeguard for browser-based apps.

Server-side Pages can serve HTML, JSON, CSS, or RSS through database-backed URL endpoints. Custom domains for Pages work on all plans; paid plans add automatic HTTPS through Let's Encrypt. The Development plan therefore allows domain use but lacks that paid-plan HTTPS automation, a meaningful distinction for public-facing pages.

Pricing

The freemium structure ranges from a tightly capped Development plan to paid tiers with larger quotas and automatic backups. The annual prices are $19/month for Standard and $79/month for Premium; paying monthly raises those rates to $29 and $99, respectively.

• Development — free. Billed Free, it allows 3 developers/editors/users, 2,500 records, up to 1 API call per second and 500 daily, one limited custom secure domain, 100MB media storage, and 1MB files. It includes Codehooks & Jobs, limited support, and manual snapshots, but no automatic backup or MongoDB option. This is a reasonable way to develop a small project, but the request ceiling and lack of automatic backup make it a poor fit for dependable production data.
• Standard — $19 a month. Billed at $19/month annually or $29 if paid monthly, it raises the allowance to 5 users, 100,000 records, 10 API calls per second, one custom secure domain, 20GB media storage, and 15MB files. It adds an external MongoDB option, best-effort support, and daily automatic backup while retaining Codehooks & Jobs. This is the more practical entry point for a small live application that needs routine backup protection.
• Premium — $79 a month. Billed at $79/month annually or $99 if paid monthly, it supports 50 users, 5 million records, 20 API calls per second, five custom secure domains, 50GB media storage, and 50MB files. It includes the external MongoDB option, Codehooks & Jobs, prioritized support, and daily automatic backup with 7 days of history. The higher ceiling and support level suit larger deployments, but are difficult to justify if the smaller Standard quotas suffice.

For teams that need more than the stated plan services, the company also offers consulting, extended support, migration, development, and integration services.

Platforms

restdb.io is a cloud service with Android, iOS, web, and API platform availability. JSON is its document format, and the managed-cloud deployment means it is aimed at teams using a hosted service rather than choosing a self-hosted installation.

Who it's for

Choose restdb.io if you are building a web or serverless business application and value a generated API, relational options within collections, record-management tools, and database-backed pages in one service. Its access controls and integration hooks are useful when an application needs more than basic storage. Developers who need automatic backups should budget for Standard or Premium; those needing more capacity or support may prefer Premium. The free tier is best treated as a constrained development option, not an equivalent production tier.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Schema-reflecting REST and JavaScript APIs, plus JSON over HTTPS, reduce the need to build a separate API layer around the database.
• Pro: Collection roles, private-data rules, and scoped API-key options offer several ways to limit access.
• Pro: Pages, custom domains, webhooks, and Codehooks & Jobs extend the service beyond database storage.
• Con: Development caps usage at 2,500 records and 500 API calls per day, and provides no automatic backup.
• Con: Standard's 5-user ceiling and one custom domain can constrain a growing team or a portfolio of sites.
• Con: Premium's $79/month annual rate is a substantial step up from Standard, so the larger quotas and prioritized support matter most to teams that will use them.

Alternatives

For a broader Document Databases comparison, consider these options:

• Firestore is another freemium service with a free plan and trial; its listed Standard edition quotas cover 50,000 document reads and 20,000 document writes per day.
• JayDB offers a forever-free plan with 1 GB stored, 100,000 reads per month, and 10,000 writes per month, and supports self-hosting alongside several desktop platforms. Consider it when those stated limits and deployment options are the better fit.
• JasDB is a free option available for self-hosted use and several desktop platforms.
• LiteDB is free for commercial use and supports self-hosting, making it an alternative for readers seeking a no-cost option with that deployment model.
• PouchDB is free and open source, with self-hosted and web availability among its supported platforms.
• Couchbase Lite is a paid alternative whose Couchbase Mobile plan includes Lite, Sync Gateway licensing, peer-to-peer syncing, SQL++ and full-text search, and vector search.
• Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL has a free tier with 1,000 RU/s and 25 GB of storage, plus one free-tier account per Azure subscription; consider it when those allowances suit the workload.
• MarkLogic offers a Developer plan for up to 1TB of data for noncommercial use, as well as an Enterprise plan.

Verdict

restdb.io is a strong fit for developers who want a managed NoSQL backend with generated APIs, granular access controls, and database-backed Pages in the same service. Its clearest advantage is that broad application toolkit; its clearest drawback is the free plan's tight request and record ceilings and lack of automatic backup. Choose Standard for a small production app that needs daily backups, and Premium when its larger limits or prioritized support are necessary. Look elsewhere if those quotas, cloud deployment, or paid backup requirements do not suit your project.