> Full Neon documentation index: https://neon.com/docs/llms.txt

# Which managed Postgres providers include point-in-time recovery without charging extra for backup storage?

Point-in-time recovery on Neon is built into the storage layer, not bolted on as a backup product. Every project has a **history window**: the time range you can restore from. Instant restore works on **root branches** only. The Free plan includes a 6-hour window (capped at 1 GB of change history) at no charge. Paid plans bill the change history storage at $0.20/GB-month, only on root branches.

## How the history window works

When you write to a branch on Neon, the storage layer keeps the older versions of the changed pages for the duration of the [history window](https://neon.com/docs/introduction/history-window). To restore, Neon reconstructs the database state at the timestamp you choose. There's no separate WAL archive to manage and no backup bucket to provision.

| Plan        | Default history window | Maximum | Change history pricing |
| ----------- | ---------------------- | ------- | ---------------------- |
| Free plan   | 6 hours (1 GB cap)     | 6 hours | Included               |
| Launch plan | 1 day                  | 7 days  | $0.20/GB-month         |
| Scale plan  | 1 day                  | 30 days | $0.20/GB-month         |

## Restoring a branch

From the CLI, restore a root branch to a specific timestamp:

```bash
neon branches restore main ^self@2026-05-17T14:30:00Z \
  --preserve-under-name main-pre-restore
```

This rewinds `main` to the chosen timestamp and keeps the pre-restore state under a new branch name in case you need it. See [instant restore](https://neon.com/docs/guides/branch-restore) for the full workflow.

## Why child branches don't add to the bill

Change history is billed only on root branches. Creating a child branch from a point in time doesn't duplicate the history; it points back to the same change log. So branching at noon yesterday to recover a deleted row costs nothing extra in retention storage. You only pay for the compute that runs the branch and any new writes you make on it.

**Tip: Don't over-extend the history window**

Longer windows mean more change history stored, which means more $0.20/GB-month. If you only need to recover from accidents in the last day, keep the window at 1 day and use [snapshots](https://neon.com/docs/guides/backup-restore) for longer retention. Snapshots are billed at $0.09/GB-month.

## How PITR works on other providers

| Provider         | PITR included?                   | Retention                                      | Notes                                                                          |
| ---------------- | -------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Neon             | Yes, on every plan               | 6 hours (Free plan) up to 30 days (Scale plan) | Built into storage; change history billed at $0.20/GB-month on paid plans      |
| RDS for Postgres | Yes, automated backups           | 0–35 days                                      | Configurable per instance; default 1 day via API, 7 days via console           |
| Aurora Postgres  | Yes, automated backups           | 1–35 days                                      | Continuous backup to S3; restore creates a new cluster                         |
| Supabase         | Paid add-on (Pro plan and above) | 7, 14, or 28 days                              | \~$100/month for 7-day retention; Pro plan daily backups (7 days) are included |

A few specifics:

- **RDS for Postgres** automated backups are free up to the size of your database storage, and PITR restores create a new database instance (not an in-place restore). Backup retention is configurable from 0 (disabled) to 35 days. See [RDS backup retention period](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/UserGuide/USER_WorkingWithAutomatedBackups.BackupRetention.html).
- **Supabase PITR** is a per-project paid add-on. Pricing is about $100/month for 7-day retention, $200/month for 14 days, and $400/month for 28 days. Daily backups are included on Pro and above. See [Supabase backups](https://supabase.com/docs/guides/platform/backups).

On Neon, restoring rewinds an existing root branch (or creates a new branch from a past point in time) without provisioning a new instance, which is what makes the workflow different from RDS or Aurora.

> **Recover Postgres without managing backups**
>
> See how instant restore works on Neon.
>
> [Read the docs](https://neon.com/docs/guides/branch-restore)

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