At a glance
| Supported databases | Prisma 7: PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQL Server, SQLite, CockroachDB (MongoDB via Prisma 6.19); Prisma 8 RC: PostgreSQL and MongoDB |
| Migration approach | Versioned SQL migrations generated from the declarative Prisma schema; db push for schema sync |
| Schema diff and generation | migrate dev and migrate diff generate SQL from schema changes; db pull introspects |
| Rollback | No automatic down migrations; documented manual workflow with migrate diff and db execute |
| CI/CD and automation | prisma migrate deploy applies pending migrations in pipelines |
| Language or runtime | TypeScript and JavaScript on Node.js; Prisma 8 RC requires Node.js 22.18 or later |
| Licensing | Apache 2.0 ORM; Prisma Postgres from USD 0 to USD 129 per month plus usage |
Prisma suits TypeScript teams that want a high-level, generated client and an integrated migration workflow driven by one schema file. Pin your version: npm's latest tag installs the Prisma 8 release candidate, which so far targets PostgreSQL and MongoDB, while Prisma 7 covers MySQL, MariaDB, SQL Server, SQLite and CockroachDB as well.
Overview
Prisma ORM is a Node.js and TypeScript ORM. In Prisma 7 you describe models in the Prisma Schema Language, run prisma generate to produce a type-safe client, and use Prisma Migrate to turn schema changes into SQL migration files: prisma migrate dev creates and applies them in development, prisma migrate deploy applies pending ones in production, and prisma db push syncs a schema without files for prototyping. Prisma 7 uses a TypeScript-based query compiler and driver adapters instead of the earlier Rust engine.
Prisma 8 is a TypeScript rewrite that the README calls a release candidate, with the final 8.0.0 expected within four to eight weeks. It names the schema a contract and introduces new commands such as prisma migration plan and prisma db migrate. The README lists first-class PostgreSQL and MongoDB support, with SQLite and then MySQL to follow. Prisma Data also runs Prisma Postgres, a managed PostgreSQL service; the ORM works without it.
Key features
- Prisma Schema Language model file and a generated, type-safe client with nested reads and writes
- Prisma Migrate: migrate dev and migrate deploy with one SQL file per migration
- prisma db push for prototyping and db pull for introspecting an existing database
- prisma migrate diff to compare schemas and generate scripts, including a documented manual down-migration workflow
- Driver adapters and a TypeScript query compiler (Prisma 7) for serverless and edge deployments
- Prisma Studio for browsing and editing data
Pros and cons
Pros
- High-level generated client that avoids hand-written joins
- One schema file drives the client, migrations and Studio
- Prisma 7 covers six SQL databases on a stable release
- Apache 2.0 ORM with no paid tier; the managed database is optional
Cons
- Major-version transition: npm's latest tag is a release candidate, so versions must be pinned
- Prisma 8 RC supports fewer databases than Prisma 7 for now
- No automatic down migrations
- Prisma 7 does not support MongoDB; Prisma's docs direct MongoDB users to Prisma 6.19
Pricing
Prisma ORM, including Prisma Migrate and Prisma Studio, is free; Prisma's pricing page says it is open source and will always be free. The managed Prisma Postgres database is billed per month in USD: Free (USD 0, 200,000 operations, 2 GB storage), Starter (USD 10, 1 million operations, 10 GB), Pro (USD 49, 10 million operations, 50 GB) and Business (USD 129, 50 million operations, 100 GB), with overage per million operations and per GB on paid plans. Prisma Compute app hosting is usage-based.
Pricing checked on the vendor's official page on 7 November 2026. Prices change; confirm before buying.
Who it is best for
TypeScript teams that want a generated, high-level client and an integrated migration workflow from one schema file.
Who should look elsewhere
- Developers who want queries that read like SQL and a schema in plain TypeScript: see Prisma vs Drizzle ORM.
- Databases shared by services in several languages, where a stand-alone tool keeps one history: see Flyway vs Liquibase.
Verdict
Prisma offers one of the most complete TypeScript ORM toolchains, with a generated client, migrations and a data browser driven by one schema. Its main risk today is the transition to Prisma 8, so pick the line deliberately: Prisma 7 for MySQL, SQL Server or SQLite, and evaluate Prisma 8 on PostgreSQL once 8.0.0 is final.
Frequently asked questions
Is Prisma 8 released?
Not as a final release on 7 November 2026. npm's latest tag points to 8.0.0-rc.33 and the README calls Prisma 8 a release candidate. Prisma 7 stays maintained for 18 months after 8.0.0 is final.
Is Prisma free?
Prisma ORM, Prisma Migrate and Prisma Studio are free under Apache 2.0. Prisma Postgres, the managed database, has a free plan and paid plans from USD 10 per month.
Does Prisma Migrate support rollback?
Not automatically. Prisma documents generating a down script with prisma migrate diff, running it with prisma db execute and marking the migration as rolled back; this reverts the schema, not data changes.
Sources
- Prisma documentation
- Prisma ORM 7: Supported databases
- Prisma: Generating down migrations (v7)
- Prisma repository and licence (GitHub)
- Prisma pricing
- npm registry: prisma
Checked November 2026.
How we research reviews and what star ratings mean: our editorial method.