Interactive everything for the modern era.
Lark is the open-source realtime database for web apps, games, and mobile. Fast-twitch updates for high speed data paired with persistent state synced across thousands of users.
⚡ Already using Firebase RTDB? We're 100% drop-in compatible. Change one config var, and you're done.
We believe that every developer should be able to own their backend. Lark is proudly open-source under an AGPL license, allowing you to use it in commercial projects with no limits. Don't want to deal with devops? Let us host it. Either way, your data and your code stay yours.
The entire server is on GitHub under the AGPL license which means you can use it for your next weekend hack or your major commercial day-job.
Read it, fork it, audit it, ship patches. The stack that runs our cloud is the same code you can run yourself.
Clone the repo and make up brings up the whole stack locally so you can take it for a test drive.
Going to production? Our Fly.io quickstart stands up a real, TLS-terminated deployment in a few minutes.
Lark Cloud is powered by the same server in the Github repo, with more advanced management layered on top.
Start on Cloud and move in-house later, or start self-hosted and hand us the ops when you scale.
Firebase Realtime Database was magical when it launched. Lark keeps everything you love about that API and gives you the part you never had: full control. Use the same client SDKs and skip the major rewrite while getting a fast, modern engine powering your data.
Just change firebaseio.com to larkdb.net in your Firebase config. You're done.
Lark can be used as a drop-in replacement for Firebase RTDB in your existing apps. Use the official Firebase SDKs (Web, Mobile, REST). We pass every one of their 300+ integration tests. Keep your auth, keep your code, get a better engine.
Firebase was built for 2012. Lark is built for 2026.
With Firebase, there's exactly one place your data can live: Google's. With Lark, it's your call.
Self-host the open-source server for free, or run on Lark Cloud at half of Firebase's rates — and move between the two whenever you want.
Either way, the same drop-in API and you're in control.
Run the open-source version on your own infrastructure, or let us handle the devops so you can focus on building your app.
Own your whole stack.
We run it. You ship.
For serious scale.
Full breakdown and pricing FAQ on the pricing page.