SQL Server and SQLite are free.
Microsoft’s relational database. The usual pair with C# and Azure.
Try itNatural pair with C#
Strong Azure tooling
Express is free to start
Paid editions get expensive
Less common outside Microsoft shops
A SQL database stored in one file, with no server to run.
Try itNothing to install beyond the library
Easy to copy, back up, or reset in development
Drizzle can use it the same way as Postgres
One writer at a time is the comfortable limit
You outgrow it once you need hosted auth and storage