Vela vs Simplyblock - What's the Difference?

Vela is a full Postgres platform with cloning, branching, and enterprise controls. Simplyblock is the high-performance NVMe storage layer that powers Vela or supports multi-database environments.

Vela is built on top of Simplyblock. Simplyblock provides the high-performance NVMe software-defined storage engine, while Vela delivers the full Postgres platform with instant cloning, Git-style branching, and enterprise RBAC/IAM. Together, they help platform teams test safely on production-like data and ship with fewer mistakes.

Vela At a Glance

Vela lets you run Postgres for apps in your cloud and accelarate time-to-market for modern , AI-driven applications. From prototype to production on a single paltform.

BYOC / On‑prem

Data stays in your account & region. Simplify residency.

Instant Branching

Copy‑on‑write clones for production‑like data in seconds.

Enterprise RBAC

Org‑wide roles, SSO, quotas, and guardrails.

Built on Simplyblock

Vela runs on Simplyblock’s distributed NVMe SDS, providing ultra-low latency (~150µs), high IOPS, and copy-on-write snapshotting. This enables instant Postgres clones, safe rollbacks, and independent scaling of compute and storage with enterprise durability and isolation.

What This Means in Practice

Instead of waiting hours for staging refreshes, teams spin up production-like environments in seconds. Developers branch databases like code, QA runs tests on real datasets, and platform engineers leverage RBAC, IAM, and observability. The result: fewer production mistakes and faster release cycles.

Feature‑by‑Feature Comparison

See how Vela compares across what matters

What it is

V

Vela

  • Enterprise Postgres platform extended from open-source Supabase
  • Adds instant cloning, Git-like branching, RBAC, IAM, observability
  • Designed for developers, QA, and platform teams
T

simplyblock

  • Software-defined storage (SDS) platform optimized for NVMe
  • Ultra-low latency (~150µs) and 1M+ IOPS performance
  • Database-agnostic storage foundation for any workload

Main Purpose

V

Vela

  • Enable instant production-like clones for QA, CI/CD, staging
  • Reduce production mistakes and speed up testing
  • Offer BYOC / on-prem deployment with enterprise controls
T

simplyblock

  • Provide fast, durable, and scalable storage for databases and apps
  • Run on hyperscalers, bare metal, or tier-2 clouds
  • Deliver multi-tenant isolation, QoS, and elastic scaling

How they relate

V

Vela

  • Runs on Simplyblock’s storage engine
  • Turns raw storage into a Postgres developer platform
  • Exposes developer-friendly APIs and UI
T

simplyblock

  • Powers Vela under the hood
  • Enables instant clones, scaling, and durability features
  • Can also be used standalone for other workloads

Audience

V

Vela

  • Developers building with Postgres + Supabase APIs
  • QA engineers needing realistic test databases
  • Platform teams ensuring compliance and governance
T

simplyblock

  • Platform engineers managing infrastructure
  • Teams needing fast, resilient, multi-tenant storage
  • Cloud and on-prem providers offering database services

Which One Fits Your Situation?

A quick guide for choosing between Vela and Simplyblock

Choose Vela if…

  • • You want a full Postgres platform (database + APIs + UI).
  • • You need instant cloning/branching for CI, QA, and staging.
  • • You prefer a BYOC/on-prem solution with enterprise RBAC/IAM.
  • • You want a single solution optimized for getting the most out of Postgres.

Choose Simplyblock if…

  • • You need ultra-fast, distributed NVMe storage for multiple databases or workloads.
  • • You want software-defined storage that runs across clouds or bare metal.
  • • You need tenant isolation, QoS, and efficient scaling for many apps at once.
  • • You’re building a platform and need a storage foundation, not just Postgres.

FAQ: Simplyblock vs Vela

Is Vela the same as Simplyblock?

No. Vela is an enterprise Postgres platform for developers and platform teams, while Simplyblock is the high-performance storage engine that powers Vela under the hood.

Do I need Simplyblock to use Vela?

Yes. Vela always runs on Simplyblock’s storage layer. However, this is fully integrated — users interact with Vela’s Postgres and Supabase-style UI, not the storage system directly.

Can Simplyblock be used without Vela?

Yes. Simplyblock is a standalone SDS platform that can power any database or data-intensive workload, not just Postgres. Vela is one product built on top of it.

Who should use Vela?

Teams that want Postgres with instant cloning, branching, RBAC, IAM, and BYOC/on-prem deployment. It’s aimed at developers, QA, and platform engineers who need fewer production mistakes and faster releases.

Who should use Simplyblock?

Infrastructure and platform teams that need ultra-fast, durable, multi-tenant NVMe storage for any workload. It’s the foundation layer for databases, AI pipelines, and Kubernetes platforms.

How do they work together?

Simplyblock provides the low-latency NVMe storage and copy-on-write snapshots. Vela builds on that to deliver a Postgres platform with developer workflows, APIs, and enterprise features.

Bring Postgres Branching to Your Cloud

See how Vela’s BYOC model, instant cloning, and enterprise RBAC reduce production mistakes and speed up releases.