TypeORM vs Kysely(2026)
TypeORM is better for teams that need mature and battle-tested. Kysely is the stronger choice if best typescript types of any query builder. TypeORM is free and Kysely is free.
Full feature breakdown, pricing details, and pros & cons below.
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TypeORM
TypeORM is a mature ORM for TypeScript with support for Active Record and Data Mapper patterns across many databases.
Visit TypeORMKysely
Kysely is a type-safe SQL query builder (not a full ORM) for TypeScript with excellent autocomplete and zero magic.
Visit KyselyHow Do TypeORM and Kysely Compare on Features?
| Feature | TypeORM | Kysely |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | free | free |
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Active Record & Data Mapper | ✓ | — |
| Decorators | ✓ | — |
| Migrations | ✓ | ✓ |
| Relations | ✓ | — |
| Multiple DB support | ✓ | — |
| Query builder | ✓ | — |
| Type-safe query builder | — | ✓ |
| Raw SQL escape hatches | — | ✓ |
| Multiple dialects | — | ✓ |
| Edge-compatible | — | ✓ |
| No codegen | — | ✓ |
TypeORM Pros and Cons vs Kysely
T
TypeORM
+Mature and battle-tested
+Multiple ORM patterns
+Great for enterprise apps
+NestJS default
−Complex configuration
−Slower than Drizzle
−Decorator-heavy API
−Type safety less strict than Prisma
K
Kysely
+Best TypeScript types of any query builder
+Close to raw SQL
+Fast
+Edge-compatible
+No codegen step
−Not a full ORM (no relations magic)
−Less magic means more code
−Smaller community than Prisma
Should You Use TypeORM or Kysely?
Choose TypeORM if…
- •Mature and battle-tested
- •Multiple ORM patterns
- •Great for enterprise apps
Choose Kysely if…
- •Best TypeScript types of any query builder
- •Close to raw SQL
- •Fast