ORM Data v1.2.0 Updated 2025-12-28

Prisma

Next-generation Node.js and TypeScript ORM

40k 1.8M/week No known vulns 2.5MB engine
85 /100
Strong pick High confidence (92%)

Quick Verdict

Best For

  • Teams wanting maximum DX
  • Rapid prototyping and MVPs
  • Projects with complex data models
  • Teams preferring schema-first development

Consider Alternatives If

  • Performance-critical applications
  • Serverless with tight cold start requirements
  • Teams requiring raw SQL control

Top Alternatives

Drizzle 88

Score Breakdown

6 dimensions evaluated with transparent methodology

Performance
75 −25

Good performance with some overhead trade-offs

  • Query engine optimization
  • Connection pooling built-in
  • Efficient batching of queries
Why not 100%:
  • −6 Rust query engine adds cold start time
  • −6 Large binary size (~10MB)
  • −6 N+1 queries possible without care
Developer Experience
95 −5

Best-in-class DX with intuitive schema design

  • Prisma Schema DSL is intuitive
  • Prisma Client with full autocomplete
  • Prisma Studio for visual data editing
Why not 100%:
  • −2 Schema DSL has learning curve
  • −2 Codegen step required after schema changes
Ecosystem
88 −12

Large ecosystem with enterprise backing

  • Official accelerate and pulse products
  • Wide framework support
  • Active community and Discord
Why not 100%:
  • −6 Some advanced SQL features unsupported
  • −6 Lock-in to Prisma patterns
Maintainability
88 −12

Strong company backing with clear roadmap

  • VC-funded with dedicated team
  • Regular releases and updates
  • Clear deprecation policies
Why not 100%:
  • −6 Major version updates can require effort
  • −6 Some breaking changes in releases
Cost Efficiency
85 −15

Open-source core with paid premium features

  • Apache 2.0 licensed core
  • Free local development
  • Self-hostable entirely
Why not 100%:
  • −5 Accelerate/Pulse are paid services
  • −5 Large binary increases deployment size
  • −5 Cold starts affect serverless costs
Compliance
90 −10

Enterprise-ready with SOC 2 compliance

  • Prisma Cloud SOC 2 Type II certified
  • Type-safe queries prevent injection
  • Audit logging available
Why not 100%:
  • −5 Self-hosted compliance is your responsibility
  • −5 Query engine is closed-source binary

Compare Alternatives

How Prisma stacks up against similar technologies

TechnologyOverallPerfDXEcosystem
Current Prisma85759588
Drizzle Better performance, SQL-like syntax88———Compare →
Full comparison with Drizzle

Sources & Methodology

How we calculate these scores — transparent and reproducible

Deterministic Scoring

Same inputs always produce the same outputs. We use versioned lookup tables, not LLM opinions. Every score is explainable and reproducible.

Learn how it works →
primary

GitHub

Repository activity, stars, contributors, issue resolution time

primary

NPM Registry

Weekly downloads, package dependencies, version history

secondary

Bundlephobia

Bundle size, tree-shaking efficiency, dependency weight

secondary

OSV Database

Known vulnerabilities, security advisories, CVE tracking

contextual

Community Signals

Stack Overflow activity, Discord engagement, developer surveys

Data version: 1.2.0 Last updated: 2025-12-28 Confidence: 92%

Frequently Asked

Why doesn't Prisma score 100%?

No technology is perfect for every use case. Our scoring reflects real-world trade-offs. Prisma's main gaps are in performance, where rust query engine adds cold start time.

What does confidence percentage mean?

Confidence (92%) indicates how much data we have to support the score. Higher confidence means more data points from multiple sources (GitHub activity, NPM downloads, security audits, community surveys).

How often are scores updated?

Scores are recalculated weekly using automated data pipelines. Major version updates trigger immediate recalculation. Last update: 2025-12-28.