# Acra vs hcsql BETA: side-by-side comparison (2026)

[Acra](https://cybersectools.com/tools/acra) is a free [database security](https://cybersectools.com/categories/database-security) solution. [hcsql BETA](https://cybersectools.com/tools/hcsql-beta) is a commercial [database security](https://cybersectools.com/categories/database-security) solution by [Honeycake](https://cybersectools.com/companies/honeycake). Features, integrations, deployment and the company behind each one, side by side.

Need the answer fast? [Best Database Security Solutions for Business](https://cybersectools.com/shortlists/best-database-security-solutions) picks IBM Guardium, Imperva Data Security Fabric, Oracle Audit Vault and Database Firewall and 4 more.

## Side-by-side comparison

| | Acra | hcsql BETA |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free | Commercial |
| Category | Database Security | Database Security |
| Verified | No | No |
| Deployment type | Hybrid | On-Premises |
| Company size fit | SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise | SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise |
| GitHub stars | 1,458 | – |
| Last commit | Dec 2025 | – |
| Company | – | Honeycake |
| Headquarters | – | – |

### Use cases and capabilities

| | Acra | hcsql BETA |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption | Yes | Yes |
| Database Security | Yes | Yes |
| PII | – | Yes |
| SQL | – | Yes |
| Sensitive Data | – | Yes |
| Key Management | – | Yes |

### Core features

**Acra**

No features listed.

**hcsql BETA**

5 features listed. Sign in on the page to see them.

### Integrations

**Acra**

No integrations listed.

**hcsql BETA**

1 integration listed. Sign in on the page to see them.

## Which one fits you

Based on what each listing shows: deployment, company size, price and open source.

- [Acra](https://cybersectools.com/tools/acra) fits if you need both cloud and on-premises options, you need a free product and you want an open-source product.
- [hcsql BETA](https://cybersectools.com/tools/hcsql-beta) fits if you need to run it on your own servers.

## Acra vs hcsql BETA FAQ

Common questions when comparing Acra vs hcsql BETA for database security.

### What is the difference between Acra and hcsql BETA?

**Acra**: A database protection suite that provides field-level encryption, access control, and intrusion detection for distributed applications storing sensitive data.

**hcsql BETA**: Psql wrapper adding column-level encryption at rest for PostgreSQL databases. Built by Honeycake.

The table above shows where their features, integrations, deployment and company size fit differ.

### Who makes Acra and hcsql BETA?

**Acra** is open-source with 1,458 GitHub stars. **hcsql BETA** is made by Honeycake. The vendor behind a product decides its roadmap, support, and longevity, so check each company's profile before you commit.

### Is Acra a good alternative to hcsql BETA?

Often, yes. Acra and hcsql BETA are both Database Security products, and both cover Encryption, Database Security. Key differences: Acra is Free while hcsql BETA is Commercial, Acra is open-source. Use the table above to see where features, deployment and company size fit differ.

## Related comparisons

- [Acra vs Oracle Audit Vault and Database Firewall](https://cybersectools.com/compare/acra-vs-oracle-audit-vault-and-database-firewall)
- [Acra vs SecuPi Proactive Data Security Platform](https://cybersectools.com/compare/acra-vs-secupi-proactive-data-security-platform)
- [Acra vs Sotero Data Security Platform](https://cybersectools.com/compare/acra-vs-sotero-sotero-data-security-platform)
- [hcsql BETA vs Oracle Audit Vault and Database Firewall](https://cybersectools.com/compare/hcsql-beta-vs-oracle-audit-vault-and-database-firewall)
- [hcsql BETA vs SecuPi Proactive Data Security Platform](https://cybersectools.com/compare/hcsql-beta-vs-secupi-proactive-data-security-platform)
- [hcsql BETA vs Sotero Data Security Platform](https://cybersectools.com/compare/hcsql-beta-vs-sotero-sotero-data-security-platform)

## Alternatives to each

- [See all Acra alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/acra)
- [See all hcsql BETA alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/hcsql-beta)

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Source: https://cybersectools.com/compare/acra-vs-hcsql-beta

For AI agents: each product above has its own Markdown page (add .md to its URL, for example https://cybersectools.com/tools/acra.md). Every CybersecTools shortlist is listed at https://cybersectools.com/shortlists.md.

More on Acra and hcsql BETA: funding, momentum, hiring and news, plus the full product and company record, are available through the Mandos MCP Server (paid plans), which connects to AI assistants: https://mandos.io/mcp?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=compare-md