Prisma
Prisma is a developer data platform for TypeScript applications, offering a type-safe ORM, managed serverless PostgreSQL, and application hosting under a usage-based pricing model, serving primarily TypeScript developers and platform builders with a self-serve, product-led go-to-market.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Prisma does
Prisma is a developer data platform for TypeScript applications, built around three natively integrated products: Prisma ORM, a type-safe database access layer with schema-first workflow and a generated client; Prisma Postgres, a managed PostgreSQL service with built-in connection pooling, serverless deployment, and provisioning in under one second; and Prisma Compute, a TypeScript application hosting runtime that deploys apps as long-lived processes co-located with the database. The company serves primarily TypeScript developers and platform builders, with secondary segments including startup teams, enterprise engineering groups, AI code generator platforms, and no-code tools.
The platform is monetized through a freemium, usage-based model: Prisma ORM is free and open-source under Apache 2.0, functioning as the adoption funnel, while Prisma Postgres and Prisma Compute charge on usage metrics (requests, provisioned memory, active CPU, outbound bandwidth). A four-tier Partner Network (Entry, Growth, Scale, Reseller) adds recurring subscription revenue with white-label and revenue-share arrangements of 10–20%. Go-to-market is product-led and self-serve via console.prisma.io with GitHub/Google OAuth, supplemented by a Vercel Marketplace listing and a developer community ecosystem (500K+ monthly active developers, 45.5K GitHub stars, Discord, OSS Friends program).
Prisma is venture-backed and private, having raised approximately $56.5M across disclosed rounds (Series B of $40M in May 2022 led by Altimeter Capital, with Amplify, Kleiner Perkins, IVP, Fathom, and System.one as investors). The company maintains enterprise compliance certifications (GDPR, HIPAA, ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II), supporting expansion into regulated workloads. Named enterprise customers include Rapha and Lush, with broader adoption among startups such as Dub.co.
Prisma firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Prisma
- Legal name
- Prisma GmbH
- Website
- https://prisma.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Prisma is a developer data platform for TypeScript applications, offering a type-safe ORM, managed serverless PostgreSQL, and application hosting under a usage-based pricing model, serving primarily TypeScript developers and platform builders with a self-serve, product-led go-to-market.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Prisma industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Developer Database Platform
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Data Platform (Unified Data & Analytics) Suites (HDAEABAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Embedded / Edge Databases (HDAEAAAM), IT Operations Management (ITOM) Platforms (HDAEALAC)
Keywords
Where Prisma is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Prisma business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Prisma Postgres: Managed PostgreSQL database with usage-based pricing. Free tier available with pay-as-you-go scaling for production workloads.
- Prisma Compute: TypeScript app hosting with usage-based metering on requests, provisioned memory, active CPU, and outbound bandwidth. Free during public beta.
- Prisma ORM: Open-source ORM available free under Apache 2.0 license. Core product that drives adoption of managed services.
- Partner Network - Entry Tier: Up to 5,000 databases/month with 10% partner revenue share, transferable database ownership.
- Partner Network - Growth Tier: Up to 50,000 databases/month with 15% revenue share, 12-month contract, white-label with partner branding.
- Partner Network - Scale Tier: Custom database limits with 20% revenue share, full white-labeling, 12-month contract.
- Partner Network - Reseller Tier: Custom pricing with 24-month contract, non-transferable database ownership.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Requests: $1.00 per 1M requests |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Provisioned memory: $0.006 per GB-hour |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Active CPU: $0.064 per vCPU-hour |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Outbound bandwidth: $0.025 per GB |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Free during public beta |
| Subscription | Monthly | Included with Prisma Postgres at no additional cost |
| Subscription | Monthly | Partner Entry Tier - 5,000 databases/month, 10% revenue share |
| Subscription | Annual | Partner Growth Tier - 50,000 databases/month, 15% revenue share |
| Subscription | Annual | Partner Scale Tier - Custom limits, 20% revenue share |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Partner Reseller Tier - Custom pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Prisma product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Prisma provides a developer data platform for TypeScript applications, combining the open-source Prisma ORM for type-safe database access, the managed Prisma Postgres service (a serverless PostgreSQL with branching, scaling-to-zero, and integrated caching), and Prisma Compute for hosting TypeScript applications. Optional add-on modules include Prisma Pulse for database change events, Prisma Accelerate for connection pooling and global query caching, Prisma Optimize for AI-driven query analytics, and Prisma Studio as an embeddable database UI. The platform is sold primarily to developer teams and enterprise engineering organizations on a usage-based subscription model.
Product overview
Prisma is a developer data platform offering a suite of products for TypeScript applications: Prisma ORM (type-safe database access with schema-first workflow), Prisma Postgres (managed PostgreSQL with serverless architecture), and Prisma Compute (TypeScript app hosting). These core products work together natively, with Prisma ORM providing database access, Prisma Postgres delivering managed infrastructure, and Prisma Compute enabling app deployment on the same infrastructure. Additional modules include Prisma Studio (embeddable data explorer), Query Insights (AI-powered query analysis), Prisma Pulse (database-event infrastructure for real-time features), Prisma Accelerate (global caching and connection pooling for performance), Prisma Streams (durable event logging), Prisma Optimize (AI-powered performance recommendations), and the MCP Server for AI agent automation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Prisma ORM: Type-safe database access ORM for TypeScript with schema-first workflow, generated client, and autocomplete.
- Prisma Postgres
- Prisma Compute
- Prisma Query Insights
- Prisma Studio
- Prisma Pulse
- Prisma Accelerate
- Prisma Streams
- Prisma Partner Network
Products and services
- Prisma ORM Open-source TypeScript ORM licensed under Apache 2.0 that provides a type-safe Prisma Client and a schema-first workflow for relational databases. Used by application developers to get end-to-end type safety from the database schema through to application code.
- Prisma Postgres Managed PostgreSQL service with serverless scaling, database branching for preview environments, scaling-to-zero, and an integrated cache. Sold as a usage-based subscription to development teams building data-driven applications.
- Prisma Compute Hosting service for deploying TypeScript applications alongside Prisma Postgres, providing a tightly integrated runtime for TypeScript backends on Prisma's infrastructure. Sold as a usage-based subscription for TypeScript application deployment.
- Prisma Studio Embeddable database user interface with white-label support for inspecting and editing data. Sits alongside Prisma Postgres and ORM, targeting both end-user developers and partners wanting to embed a database UI in their platforms.
- Prisma Pulse Add-on service that delivers database change events from Prisma Postgres, enabling event-driven architectures. Sold as a usage-based add-on for application teams that need reactive data pipelines.
- Prisma Accelerate Add-on service providing connection pooling and global query caching for Prisma Postgres to scale read-heavy and multi-region workloads. Sold as a usage-based add-on for production applications.
- Prisma Optimize AI-driven query analytics and optimization add-on for Prisma Postgres, surfacing slow or expensive queries and recommending optimizations. Sold as a usage-based add-on to engineering teams operating production databases.
- Prisma Streams Append-only event log / streaming primitive offered alongside the Prisma data platform for ingesting durable events that other services can react to. Sold as part of the Prisma data platform to teams building event-driven applications.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 1000x faster database interactions with latency as low as 5ms
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Prisma
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Prisma technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration22 records
AI capability6 records
Feature11 records
Prisma partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- VercelcoreDeep partnership for instant app deployment. One-click full-stack app deployment with Prisma Postgres and Vercel integration. User claiming lets entire deployments transfer into users' own Vercel and Prisma accounts.
- DenocoreDeno Deploy uses Prisma for per-branch databases and migration testing isolation. Quote: 'The provisioning experience was smooth and fast... With per-branch databases, developers can safely test migrations and isolate changes when using Deno Deploy.'
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Prisma competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Supabase: Supabase offers a managed Postgres service with authentication, storage, and realtime APIs targeting JavaScript/TypeScript developers. It is the closest direct competitor to Prisma Postgres given the shared developer-tool positioning and managed Postgres offering.
- Neon: Neon provides serverless, branchable managed Postgres with separation of storage and compute, designed for modern app deployment environments. Competes head-on with Prisma Postgres on serverless architecture, per-branch isolation, and developer experience.
- Drizzle ORM: Drizzle is a TypeScript-first ORM with schema-in-TypeScript design competing directly with Prisma ORM for TypeScript developer mindshare. It is a primary OSS competitor in the ORM layer that drives Prisma's free-tier funnel.
- PlanetScale: PlanetScale is a managed MySQL-compatible database platform with branching, schema migrations, and developer-focused tooling. Comparable to Prisma Postgres as a managed database platform targeting application developers with workflow features.
- CockroachDB: CockroachDB offers a distributed SQL database with PostgreSQL compatibility and managed cloud offerings. Competes with Prisma Postgres in the scalable managed PostgreSQL-compatible database category, especially for enterprise deployments.
Emerging players
- Railway: Railway is an application and database hosting platform with simple deployment and managed Postgres. It overlaps with Prisma Compute and Prisma Postgres in providing app and database infrastructure for developers.
- Fly.io: Fly.io provides application hosting with managed Postgres globally distributed close to users. Comparable to Prisma Compute and Prisma Postgres for teams building globally distributed TypeScript applications.
- Kysely: Kysely is a type-safe SQL query builder for TypeScript. It is a competing open-source data-access layer in the TypeScript ecosystem, partially overlapping with Prisma ORM's query-building functionality.
- Turso: Turso is a distributed SQLite-based database platform with edge replicas, targeting developers building serverless and edge applications. It overlaps with Prisma's edge/serverless positioning and competes in the modern developer database category.
Others
- Vercel: Vercel is a deep strategic partner and Prisma's largest distribution channel via Vercel Marketplace, but is also a potential competitor in the compute layer and recommended-database stack for Next.js applications.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Prisma social profiles
Digital presencePrisma compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Prisma financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Prisma leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Prisma funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Prisma M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Prisma
What does Prisma do?
Prisma provides a developer data platform for TypeScript applications, combining the open-source Prisma ORM for type-safe database access, the managed Prisma Postgres service (a serverless PostgreSQL with branching, scaling-to-zero, and integrated caching), and Prisma Compute for hosting TypeScript applications. Optional add-on modules include Prisma Pulse for database change events, Prisma Accelerate for connection pooling and global query caching, Prisma Optimize for AI-driven query analytics, and Prisma Studio as an embeddable database UI. The platform is sold primarily to developer teams and enterprise engineering organizations on a usage-based subscription model.
Is Prisma a public or private company?
Prisma is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Prisma founded?
Prisma was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Prisma based?
Prisma is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Prisma make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Prisma Postgres are the primary driver. The others are prisma Compute, prisma ORM, partner Network - Entry Tier, partner Network - Growth Tier, partner Network - Scale Tier and partner Network - Reseller Tier.
Who are Prisma's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Supabase, Neon, Drizzle ORM, PlanetScale and CockroachDB. Emerging players are Railway, Fly.io, Kysely and Turso. Vercel is listed as an others.
Does Prisma have an API?
Yes. Prisma offers a Management API for provisioning and managing Prisma Postgres databases programmatically. The API can provision databases in under a second. Additionally, Prisma provides an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for Prisma Postgres that enables AI agents to automate database creation and management through natural language commands. The platform also offers a CLI with commands like app deploy, database management, and project operations.
What industry is Prisma in?
Prisma's product category is Developer Database Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAEABAD, Data Platform (Unified Data & Analytics) Suites, with a secondary code of HDAEAAAM, Embedded / Edge Databases. Its NAICS code is 5182 and its SIC code is 7370.