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Software · head to head

Neon vs Tencent Cloud

Neon logo

Neon

Software

Serverless Postgres for modern developers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tencent Cloud logo

Tencent Cloud

Software

Cloud solutions for global enterprises

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Neon compute pricing at $0.106-$0.222/CU-hour means costs scale directly with workload, unlike fixed-price alternatives; Tencent Cloud standard SA5 2-core instance in Beijing is priced at 1567 CNY per year while an 8-core Standard S6 in Shanghai runs 5719 CNY per year
  • They diverge on capability: Neon covers Serverless PostgreSQL, Tencent Cloud covers CVM - Cloud Virtual Machines.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Neon and Tencent Cloud actually diverge.

Attributes where Neon and Tencent Cloud differ
AttributeNeonTencent Cloud
Pricing modelUnknownusage-based
PlatformsCloudLinux, Windows, Api, Cli
Founded20212010

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Neon

  • Serverless PostgreSQL
  • Database Branching
  • Autoscaling
  • Bottomless Storage
  • Point-in-time Recovery
  • Connection Pooling
  • Read Replicas
  • Instant Cloning

Only in Tencent Cloud

  • CVM - Cloud Virtual Machines
  • COS - Cloud Object Storage
  • TencentDB
  • SCF - Serverless Computing
  • CDN
  • Load Balancer
  • VPC
  • API Gateway

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Neon

  • Serverless applicationsnot Tencent Cloud
  • Development databasesnot Tencent Cloud
  • Preview environmentsnot Tencent Cloud
  • Testingnot Tencent Cloud

Tencent Cloud

  • Gaming platformsnot Neon
  • Social medianot Neon
  • Video streamingnot Neon
  • Asia-Pacific deploymentnot Neon
  • Mobile applicationsnot Neon

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Neon

  • Compute pricing at $0.106-$0.222/CU-hour means costs scale directly with workload, unlike fixed-price alternatives
  • Separation of compute and storage may add complexity to cost prediction compared to all-in-one plans

Tencent Cloud

  • Standard SA5 2-core instance in Beijing is priced at 1567 CNY per year while an 8-core Standard S6 in Shanghai runs 5719 CNY per year

Pricing, plan by plan

Neon

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 100 CU-hours/month
    • 0.5 GB storage
    • 1 project
  • Launch$15/month
    • Pay-as-you-go compute
    • $0.35/GB storage
    • Multiple projects
  • Scale$31/month
    • Higher compute rates
    • 99.95% SLA
    • HIPAA compliance

Tencent Cloud

Free
  • Free TrialFree
    • Free trial credits
    • CVM instances
    • Cloud storage
  • Pay-as-You-GoFree
    • Flexible pricing
    • No long-term contracts
    • Global infrastructure

Which should you pick?

Choose Neon if

  • You need serverless postgresql.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud.
  • You also want database branching.
Neon review

Choose Tencent Cloud if

  • You need cvm - cloud virtual machines.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli.
  • You also want cos - cloud object storage.
Tencent Cloud review

Questions people ask

Is Neon or Tencent Cloud better?
Neither clearly leads. Neon starts at Free and Tencent Cloud at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Neon or Tencent Cloud?
Neon starts at Free and Tencent Cloud at Free.
Does Neon or Tencent Cloud run on more platforms?
Neon runs on Cloud. Tencent Cloud runs on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli.
Can I use Neon for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Neon best used for?
Neon is most often used for serverless applications, development databases, preview environments, testing. Of those, serverless applications and development databases are not what Tencent Cloud is typically brought in for.
What can Neon do that Tencent Cloud cannot?
Neon covers Serverless PostgreSQL, Database Branching, Autoscaling, Bottomless Storage. Tencent Cloud covers CVM - Cloud Virtual Machines, COS - Cloud Object Storage, TencentDB, SCF - Serverless Computing. Both handle Cloud deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Neon: What is Neon and what makes it different?

Neon is a serverless PostgreSQL database that separates compute and storage, enabling automatic scaling and instant database branching. After acquisition by Databricks in May 2025, pricing has been significantly reduced.

Source
Neon: Does Neon offer a free tier?

Yes, Neon's free tier includes 100 compute units per month and 0.5 GB of storage. This is suitable for development and small projects.

Source
Neon: What are the paid plans and pricing for Neon?

Neon offers consumption-based pricing on Launch ($0.106/CU-hour, approximately $15/month) and Scale ($0.222/CU-hour, approximately $31/month) plans with separate storage billing at $0.35/GB-month. No monthly minimum required.

Source
Neon: What features does Neon provide?

Neon includes git-like branching for database copies, point-in-time recovery, data anonymization for testing, managed authentication, serverless functions, and object storage that branches with projects.

Source
Neon: What compliance and reliability guarantees does Neon provide?

Neon's Scale tier offers 99.95% uptime SLA, HIPAA compliance, SOC2 certification, and private networking via PrivateLink at no extra cost.

Source
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Related pages

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