Side by side
H2 Database Engine vs LMDB
Both stand on embedded databases. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APILinuxMac+3
H2 offers several deployment modes, SQL interfaces, and compatibility modes without a listed price. Its explicit caution about untrusted connections should shape deployment decisions.
Visit H2 Database Engine Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+2
LMDB emphasizes compact deployment, persistence, and concurrent transactions with minimal maintenance. It is a focused key-value store rather than a synchronized database service.
Visit LMDBThe facts
| H2 Database Engine | LMDB | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows | Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Maker | H2 Database Engine | Not published |
| Website | h2database.com | symas.com |
| On embedded databases | #8 of 30 | #12 of 30 |
H2 Database Engine: what it does well
- Free to use, with source code included.
- Supports embedded, server, and mixed modes.
- Offers a browser-based Console with autocomplete.
- Dual licensed under MPL 2.0 or EPL 1.0.
What to know first
- Not designed for adversarial environments.
- Guidance warns against untrusted server connections.
- Remote JDBC TLS is listed; no broader security claim is given.
LMDB: what it does well
- Free embedded key-value database
- About 32KB of object code
- ACID transactions with MVCC
- Readers and writers do not block each other
- Requires no external process or crash-recovery procedure
What to know first
- No data synchronization
- Uses a key-value, NoSQL query model
- Encryption is listed but implementation details are not provided
- Professional support is fixed-price
Alternatives to H2 Database Engine Alternatives to LMDB The whole list