Does a Startup Web App Really Need a Database?

When you are building a startup web app, one of the first technical questions that comes up is: Do we really need a database right now? The answer depends on where you are in your product journey.

In the early stages, simplicity often wins. If you are building a minimum viable product (MVP) just to validate an idea, a full database might be unnecessary. In-memory storage, flat files, or lightweight key-value stores can work perfectly fine for prototypes. These options are fast to set up, easy to modify, and—most importantly—cheap. In fact, this type of storage should be "free" in the sense that it can be packaged with your code and hosted on the same server. When your goal is learning, not scaling, the added complexity of managing a production database can be more burden than benefit.

However, once your MVP starts gaining traction and users expect reliability, it is time to think about a real database. A database provides persistence, consistency, and scalability—three things that matter when real users (and their data) enter the picture. Whether you choose PostgreSQL, MySQL, CouchDB, ArangoDB, or another option, a proper database becomes essential for long-term growth.

That said, running a database is not free. Hosting costs can add up quickly, especially if you need high availability, backups, and monitoring. Managed services like AWS RDS, Google Cloud SQL, or Supabase simplify operations but come at a premium. On the other hand, self-hosting is cheaper, but requires your team to handle maintenance, updates, and scaling. This is time that could be spent building features.

You probably do not need a database if:

• You only have a handful of users and total data is less than 1 GB.

• The data can be regenerated or is not mission-critical (e.g., analytics logs, cache data).

• You are building a prototype or MVP to test an idea quickly.

• You do not need complex queries, relationships, or transactions.

• All state can safely live in memory or lightweight files without risk of loss.

You likely do need a database if:

• You are storing user accounts, payments, or other persistent records.

• You are integrating with third-party systems (like payment processors or CRMs).

• You need to query or filter data efficiently.

• Your app must survive restarts or scale across multiple servers.

• You are approaching hundreds or thousands of users, or expect rapid growth.

• You need data consistency, backups, and auditability.

At Bloomware, we help startups make smart technical decisions that fit their stage. Early on, a lightweight solution keeps you agile. Later, a robust database ensures your app can handle real users with confidence. Contact us to discuss how we can help you.