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ObjectBox

High-performance on-device object and vector database for mobile and edge AI

High-performance on-device object and vector database designed for mobile, IoT, and edge applications, providing sub-millisecond local HNSW vector search and optional cloud-optional data synchronization.

About ObjectBox

ObjectBox is an embedded, high-performance database engine built specifically for on-device edge computing, mobile applications, and embedded AI workloads. Operating with an ultra-compact binary footprint and zero-copy flat-buffer memory architecture, ObjectBox enables developers to persist structured application objects directly alongside high-dimensional vector embeddings without requiring network roundtrips or client-server database overhead.

The database provides native on-device approximate nearest neighbor (ANN) vector search backed by optimized HNSW indexing. Developers can execute semantic queries, similarity lookups, and hybrid object-vector filtering across Android, iOS, Linux, and embedded hardware using multi-language SDKs including Java/Kotlin, Swift, Python, Dart/Flutter, and C/C++. Queries operate directly on memory-mapped files via LMDB-inspired transactional storage, delivering sub-millisecond response times under constrained device RAM and battery budgets.

Unlike raw SQLite vector extensions that require manual SQL string concatenation, ObjectBox exposes a strongly typed, fluent object-relational API with ACID transactions and reactive live data observers (such as Kotlin Flow and Flutter Stream). This enables mobile developers to embed local RAG pipelines and on-device semantic search without maintaining separate database schemas or native compilation bridges.

While the core embedded database is completely free and open-source under Apache 2.0, ObjectBox offers an enterprise-grade Data Sync service for distributed edge architectures. ObjectBox Sync handles bi-directional data flow, conflict resolution, and offline-first synchronization across peer devices and backend clusters without requiring constant internet connectivity. This makes ObjectBox a foundational component for local RAG pipelines, on-device mobile AI assistants, and autonomous industrial IoT deployments.

Pricing & Platform Specs

Pricing Summary

Free and open source (Apache 2.0) for the core on-device database; ObjectBox Sync and enterprise SLAs are available via custom commercial licensing.

full pricing breakdown →
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Community experience

Sources & verification

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FAQ

What is ObjectBox?

High-performance on-device object and vector database designed for mobile, IoT, and edge applications, providing sub-millisecond local HNSW vector search and optional cloud-optional data synchronization.

Is ObjectBox free?

ObjectBox offers a free tier alongside paid plans. Free and open source (Apache 2.0) for the core on-device database; ObjectBox Sync and enterprise SLAs are available via custom commercial licensing.

Is ObjectBox still maintained?

Yes — ObjectBox is active. Its listing was last verified on August 26, 2026.

What are the best ObjectBox alternatives?

The first editor-selected ObjectBox alternatives are sqlite-vec, VexDB-Lite, LanceDB, and more.

How does ObjectBox score in our review?

The published editorial review lists ObjectBox at 88/100 overall across speed, privacy, and developer experience. Check the review's evidence status and test metadata for its verification level.