Connecting your own database to MSP Recapp

Free-tier workspaces must provide a PostgreSQL 14+ database. Learn how to connect your own database and which providers work best with MSP Recapp.

MSP Recapp stores all operational data — integrations, synced devices, organizations, and mappings — in a PostgreSQL database. On the Free plan, you bring your own PostgreSQL 14+ database (BYOD). Starter, Pro, and Enterprise plans include a managed database hosted and maintained by MSP Recapp, so no database setup is required on those plans.

If you are on the Free plan and have not yet connected a database, most features that read or write operational data will not work until you complete this setup.

Upgrading to the Starter plan ($20/mo) or higher removes the database requirement entirely — MSP Recapp provisions and manages the database for you.

Supported database providers

You can use any PostgreSQL 14+ host. The following providers have been tested and work well:

Supabase

Free tier includes a PostgreSQL database. Create a project, grab the connection string from the project settings, and you’re ready.

Neon

Serverless PostgreSQL with a generous free tier and automatic scaling. Recommended for getting started quickly.

Railway

Developer-focused platform with a PostgreSQL plugin. Simple setup with a built-in connection string viewer.

Any PostgreSQL 14+ host

Self-hosted, AWS RDS, Google Cloud SQL, Azure Database for PostgreSQL — any host that supports standard PostgreSQL connections works.

Connect your database

1. Create a PostgreSQL 14+ database

   Sign up with Supabase, Neon, Railway, or your preferred provider and create a new PostgreSQL database. Note down the host, port (usually 5432), database name, username, and password.

2. Go to Settings > Database

   In MSP Recapp, open Settings from the main navigation and click the Database tab.

3. Enable the external database toggle

   Switch on Use External Database. The connection form appears below the toggle.

4. Enter connection details

   Fill in the following fields:

   Field	Example
   Host	db.xxxx.supabase.co
   Port	5432
   Database Name	postgres
   Username	postgres
   Password	Your database password

5. Test the connection

   Click Test Connection. MSP Recapp attempts to connect to your database and reports success or failure. You must see a successful test before you can save.

6. Initialize the schema

   After a successful test, an Initialize Schema button appears. Click it to create the required tables in your database. Only run this once when setting up a new database.

7. Save

   Click Save Database Settings. Your workspace is now connected and operational data will flow to your external database.

What data is stored where

MSP Recapp splits data between two storage layers:

Data type	Stored in
Integrations and synced devices	Your external database
Organizations and mappings	Your external database
Scheduled reports	Your external database
Dismissed discrepancies	Your external database
Tenant metadata (name, slug, plan)	MSP Recapp platform database
Encrypted database credentials	MSP Recapp platform database

Your database credentials are encrypted with AES-256-GCM server-side before being stored. They are never saved or transmitted to client-side storage.

Switching from managed to BYOD

If you are on a Pro or Enterprise plan and want to move to your own database, the Database tab shows a Switch to Your Own Database option. Enter and verify your target database connection, optionally enable Migrate existing data, then confirm the switch.

Switching from a managed database to your own database will cancel your current Pro or Enterprise subscription and move your workspace to the Free plan immediately. Your managed database is preserved for 30 days after the switch.

Troubleshooting connection failures

If the connection test fails, verify the following:

• The host value does not include a protocol prefix (postgresql:// or postgres://). Enter only the hostname.
• The port is open and accessible from external networks. Some providers require you to allow external connections in their dashboard or firewall settings.
• The username and password are correct. Copy them directly from your provider’s dashboard to avoid typos.
• If your provider uses SSL, ensure SSL is enabled on the database — MSP Recapp connects with sslmode=require.

For more specific error messages, see Troubleshoot common MSP Recapp issues.