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About SQLite

Open source database engine used by applications due to its compact size, cross platform stability and serverless functionality.

Learn more about SQLite

Pros:

If the application is not an ERP sort of then Sqlite is the best choice, it's easy to integrate and fast if the data is small. Best choice for beginners as well.

Cons:

Sometimes loading files takes too long, making the working of the data bases difficult. It also can get laggy if using other applications.

SQLite ratings

Average score

Ease of Use
4.4
Customer Service
3.6
Features
4.1
Value for Money
4.5

Likelihood to recommend

8.4/10

SQLite has an overall rating of 4.4 out 5 stars based on 117 user reviews on Capterra.

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Filter reviews (117)

Stephen
Stephen
Lead Android Developer in Nigeria
Verified LinkedIn User
Computer Software, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Perfect database tool for embedded software

5.0 6 years ago

Comments: I work a lot with SQLite as it is the primary medium of local storage in Android devices (and by extension, Android applications) which I work with on a daily basis, and SQLite is just perfect for the purpose it serves on these devices. It's lightweight so you don't have to worry most times about how much of the user's storage space your database is going to take up. There's not much difference between the standard SQL commands and those used in SQLite, and many have reported that SQLite is a good starting and training resource for SQL in general.

Pros:

Doesn't need a separate server. Lightweight and portable. Integrates most of the commands, functions and syntax of other SQL software. Optimized for use on devices that need to store data locally. Large user base and community (support).

Cons:

All operations are locked to a single process, so it's not suitable for large scale database operations (which is not what you should be doing locally on a device anyway).

Jacek
DevOps Engineer in Spain
Information Technology & Services, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Alternatives Considered:

Power in the simplicity

5.0 last year

Comments: Works very well in simple scenarios! It might be a great choice for small applications that require low maintenance and easy setup

Pros:

It's very simple to use and lightweight. Typically does not require a separate server (it could run on the same server as a web application). It's quite handy that the database is contained in one file, which then can be backed up easily or transferred across machines. It's quite fast for certain uses.

Cons:

Compared to other RDBMSes, it's very simple - which means that it's lacking certain features when it comes to scalability - it performs well in simple scenarios, and in complex ones - it just won't (unless you are very lucky and it's e.g. a case when there is only a single connection).Moreover, it lacks certain security features like user management and access control.

Chaya
Chaya
Trainee Software Engineer in Sri Lanka
Verified LinkedIn User
Computer Software, 51–200 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

SQLite - compatability at it's best level

3.0 6 years ago

Comments: SQLite has become more and more popular among the users because of its easy installation and easy accessing . As it is compatible with most of the programming languages and its light weight it is more popular among mobile application developers

Pros:

SQLite is a light weighted data base which could be embedded with any software. Due to the light weightage of the product the data base is more popular In mobile application development. With it’s light weight it is also fast. SQLite is almost 35% faster than any other file system. SQLite is easy to use and there is not special installation or configurations needed to be done in order to use the product. All user have to do is download the libraries and run them in the computer. It is compatible which is why the product can be used with many programming languages with out any issues. Users are given a chance to extend their data base in future by adding new tables or new columns to the existing tables which is a great help for the ongoing projects.

Cons:

SQLite is not a multi-user platform where the users can handle concurrent writes. There for SQLite is not good for intensive applications with rapid data logging. If the system has concurrent transactions where lot of users keep accessing the same set of data simultaneously then SQLite is not a good choice for the project. SQLite data bases are restricted to maximum of 2GB in most of the cases.

Jonathan Alexander
Jonathan Alexander
IT infrastructure analyst in Dominican Republic
Verified LinkedIn User
Hospital & Health Care, 1,001–5,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Alternatives Considered:

An excellent database for mobile projects

4.0 2 years ago

Comments: I have used this database for the development of mobile application projects and for the prototyping of web pages, which makes it a very good database, easy and agile when manipulating data

Pros:

What I like most about this product or database is how easy it is to integrate with mobile projects in the creation of applications and its easy portability, as well as performance, agility and little space in its implementation that makes it unique when it comes to of mobile application projects

Cons:

That for very large projects it is not so robust handling so many transaction threads

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Computer Software, 501–1,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

The best database management

5.0 7 months ago

Comments: I've been using SQLite to store databases and manage them easily. It's a fast and light tool, which helped me in several different cases.

Pros:

It's light (doesn't require much resources), fast, it's stable, cross-platform. It's a free and open-source software which helps a lot with saving money and making sure it's secure.

Cons:

It's not recommended for big databases, only for small ones.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Marketing & Advertising, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 1-5 months
Reviewer Source

A useful, yet untidy tool

2.0 4 months ago

Comments: quick to deploy and simple to implement, although certain users may want to be aware of some UI and security concerns.

Pros:

Very simple to use and undoubtedly reduces the amount of physical memory used

Cons:

Some security issues and occasionally non-loading user interface parts make me doubt its reliability

Carlos Hugo Martin
Carlos Hugo Martin
Consultor in Peru
Verified LinkedIn User
Computer Software, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Experience with SQLite

5.0 3 years ago

Comments: Describe your general experience with SQLite
It is very useful for me to be able to store information and consume it from different sources without having to implement specific software to do so. Its portability capacity has allowed us to distribute work effectively.

Pros:

The few resources you need and its portability. This allows us to use the stored data from any medium.

Cons:

That there is no native way to make it multi-user. That there is no native way to merge files from the same database, when they have been modified by different users and platforms.

Shola
Shola
Internship in Nigeria
Verified LinkedIn User
Financial Services Software, 10,000+ Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

SQLite: The best Database ever

5.0 10 months ago

Comments: It is an excellent database as compared to others. I do not see any database competing with SQLite

Pros:

SQLite operates with lightning speed. It is the compressed version the MYSQL. It is extremely efficient in website management and many other managerial tasks in any organization.

Cons:

It is very complex for beginners, but easy to understand.

Ramindu
Ramindu
Software Technical Lead in US
Verified LinkedIn User
Computer Software, 10,000+ Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

The best solution for small, pre-packaged databases

5.0 5 years ago

Comments: We included SQLite alongside web and mobile applications where a small database was needed with minimum latency. Most commonly, this use case involved storing dynamic configuration values and user preferences.

Pros:

SQLite is a great database solution when you have a small database that you need to package alongside an application, for example a database that stores user preferences. As it is local to the application, it bypasses issues you would have with other, larger database servers in terms of network latency. Its conformity (in the large part) to MySQL syntax and features make it easy to use as well.

Cons:

While SQLite's lack of scaling features is forgivable (that wasn't what it was built for after all) some SQL features that are not implemented make it a hassle to write queries to SQLite databases in some instances.

Rahul
Rahul
Back End Developer & Programmer in India
Verified LinkedIn User
Information Services, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

A lightweight relational database management system especially for offline mobile applications and d

5.0 6 years ago

Comments: We have used SQLite in developing many mobile apps, mostly Android App and as a database at back end we integrated this light weight DB system. The processing speed of queries is exceptionally fast. All the databases are working well.

Pros:

SQLite is object based relational query language which keeps and maintained the whole databases in a very light weight, usually within 500kb to 1mb size, depending on size of databases. This database system has everything which a standard databases must have like relationships, events, all operations, etc. SQLite is very helpful in building application for Mobiles which stores databases in locally.

Cons:

1. No dedicated server required. 2. Very light weight and easy to follow commands with knowledge. 3. Large community support makes learning this language even more fast and easy 4. Easy to keep backups as the whole database stored in single file. 5. Easy to implement and integrate.

Gareth
Web Developer in South Africa
Computer Software, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

A standard for testing

5.0 5 years ago

Comments: SQLite allows us to setup and test all our database structures, it's quick and easy to get going and it stays out of your way. Most of the time you'll forget that it's even part of your tech stack.

Pros:

I like that SQLite for the most part stays out of your way. As soon as you have your desired config set up, you can transfer it with ease to most other projects and it just works. We use SQLite for testing purposes as it speeds up the entire process. You can either spin a local instance up or have it run in-memory to speed up your tests. The fact that it's usage is so ubiquitous, finding help or answers online isn't an issue at all.

Cons:

If I had to fault it at something, there is an edge case with how it builds your database structure, especially with how it handles foreign keys. It's easily handled by adjusting your test setup structure. That's the only hiccup we ever had and resolved with ease.

Semih
Database design for companies in Türkiye
Program Development, Self Employed
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

My SQLite Experience

5.0 last year

Comments: Its average in my opinion. The data management are good but complicated

Pros:

The using of tools, tables and manage datas

Cons:

The less functions compare other programs(etc. SSMS)

Prince
Software developer in Ghana
Computer Software, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Best Lightweight Relational Database for Small Applications and Websites.

5.0 3 years ago

Comments: We always use SQLite as our database when building software and web application prototypes and when deploying basic websites and apps that are not data-intensive.

Pros:

SQLite does not run on a server like MySQL but is part of the end application thus making data storage and retrieval very fast.

Cons:

It is not reliable when deploying it with applications with multi-user access to database. With websites, SQLite can only handle sites with low to medium traffic.

Steve
Programmer in Canada
Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Very good local database.

5.0 2 years ago

Pros:

We use it in our software when we need little local database. The API with c# is very easy to learn. I recommand this if you need local database.

Cons:

There is no data viewer include. You need to find an alternative.

Barış
Data Scientist in Türkiye
E-Learning, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 1-5 months
Reviewer Source

Database easily with SQLite

5.0 2 years ago

Comments: I used this application to learn database systems. I transferred the excel data I had, created tables, and transferred this data to the external environment with an external connection.

Pros:

The application is very easy to use. The interface is simple and user friendly. The convenience of the download process is amazing. Very little space on the computer

Cons:

There is nothing wrong with the application, it is suitable for learning purposes.

valerian
Support in Georgia
Accounting Software, 1,001–5,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Small business helper

4.0 11 months ago

Comments: Overall SQLite is good software in its field that can help greatly.

Pros:

SQLite is suitable for small companies that doesn't have big databases. SQLite handles small data very easily. It doesn't load the computer. And is relatively easy to use.

Cons:

As i mentioned SQLite is comfortable for small databases. But won't be affordable for large amount of data.

Zach
Director in US
Computer Networking, 10,000+ Employees
Used the Software for: 6-12 months
Reviewer Source

fast flexible database with robust features

4.0 4 years ago

Comments: SQLite works great for our specific use case as we prefer performance over HA / concurrency.

Pros:

Extremely portable and fast ACID store. SQLite is very battle tested and highly performant. There are many bindings for various programming languages which makes it easy to get started with. If you couple SQLite with fast SSD, the performance is incredible (since it's just a file). Backup and restore is super easy and fast.

Cons:

SQLite is for a very specific use case and there are no distribution properties or guarantees. Designed to be very simple so not a lot of tuning for SQLite. If you want high availability and concurrency, you may want to look at a different solution.

Kshitij
N/A in India
Computer Software, Self Employed
Used the Software for: Free Trial
Reviewer Source

SQl lites is very helpful company

5.0 last year

Pros:

Sql lite is eaay to use and the built are function is alo very good it helps me to save my time. The best i like is the supporting multiple languages like drupal and python

Cons:

I like the least is supporting the multiple languages because i an a data analyst student and for that i need data which is store in database and i can arange the data in order

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Financial Services Software, 10,000+ Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Depends on how you store your data

5.0 6 years ago

Pros:

If you are storing variable data that resemble objects, use this instead of MySQL! There are also a lot of libraries built for accessing and manipulating SQLite databases now.

Cons:

It takes up much more space and memory compared to conventional databases like MySQL

Julio
Developer in Brazil
Computer Games, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Database on the go!

5.0 6 years ago

Pros:

SQLite is a great solution when your application needs a small footprint database with all the powers from relational SQL. It integrates with any language you need and is available in any platform!

Cons:

Being a smaller library, it misses some features from bigger database systems.

Rita
Software Engineer in Norway
Computer Software, 501–1,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Invaluable offline database

4.0 5 years ago

Pros:

SQLite is great for rapid applications development and testing out how your application works without having to connect to a server. It serves as a decent local cache of data.

Cons:

Understandably not suitable for large data content

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Hospitality, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

A must for BI

4.0 6 years ago

Comments: Used SQLite for querying a relational database at work. Once you learn the basic syntax, it becomes fairly easy to use.

Pros:

Once you figure out syntax, there is no better language for writing queries to a relational database. SQL is the measuring stick

Cons:

Like any language, there is a learning curve (albeit not as bad as most others)

Jesse
Jesse
Student in US
Verified LinkedIn User
Computer Software, Self Employed
Used the Software for: 1-5 months
Reviewer Source

Easy to use Database

5.0 6 years ago

Comments: Overall I'd say my experience with using SQLite in school has been fantastic. It's easy to pick up and use, lots of features, easy to use software that allows you to connect and create databases as well.

Pros:

SQL is pretty easy to understand. The syntax is common words so you can figure out what the code is trying to accomplish very easily.

Cons:

Learning the language can be confusing sometimes if you don't know where to go.

Barton
Data Analyst II in US
Computer Software, 51–200 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

My favorite file-based database

5.0 5 years ago

Pros:

Reliable SQL relational database meets file-based database. Those cases where you need some modest relational data access, but don't need or can't accommodate a full RDBMS server instance. The small footprint and portability makes SQLite a great choice for small applications.

Cons:

Can't be as feature rich as a full blown server application. More of a trade-off than a con.

Marco
Marco
Coordinatore Area Business Intelligence in Italy
Verified LinkedIn User
, 1,001–5,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Database small and effective

5.0 6 years ago

Comments: If you need a small and robust DB it is the right choice

Pros:

Given its size, it is almost an obligatory choice for small databases to be distributed, for example through an app. The latest releases have also made it very robust.

Cons:

From the name it is clear that the database is not designed to accommodate large amounts of data, so we need to evaluate the adoption well.