dbExpress Driver for SQLite: Encrypted, Statically Linked SQLite for Delphi dbExpress Applications
dbExpress Driver for SQLite is a Devart driver that lets Delphi and C++Builder applications built on Embarcadero's dbExpress framework use SQLite 3 databases, either through sqlite3.dll or with the SQLite engine linked statically into your executable, and with built-in database encryption. It costs $199.95 at checkout for one developer with a year of updates (Standard edition), and builds for Windows, macOS and Linux.
The two things that set it apart are in that sentence. Static linking means your application always runs the exact SQLite version you tested with, with no DLL to ship. Encryption means you don't have to buy a separate encrypted SQLite build to protect a local database on a laptop.
Quick facts
- Version: 5.5.0, released October 9, 2026
- Developer: Devart
- Database: SQLite 3.0 or later; the statically linked engine is SQLite 3.45.2 (since driver 5.2.1)
- Encryption: AES, Blowfish, TripleDES, Cast128 and RC4, or any third-party SQLite library with encryption
- IDEs: Delphi and C++Builder 6 to 13 Florence, every edition including Community
- Target platforms: Windows 32-bit and 64-bit, macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon), Linux 64-bit
- Price: Standard $199.95, Standard with Source Code $299.95, each with one year of updates and support
- Trial: 30 days, for evaluation only; the download needs a free Devart account
- Guarantee: 30-day money-back guarantee
- What we checked: on November 13, 2026, the order page priced the default order (Standard, single developer, 1 year of updates) at $199.95, with the yearly renewal listed at $99.95 before tax; the download page listed version 5.5.0 with a 19.47 MB installer. We didn't build an application with it.
Before you buy: it's for dbExpress code
SQLite is free, and RAD Studio already gives you ways to use it, including FireDAC. You pay for this driver when you have, or want, a dbExpress data layer (TSQLConnection, TSQLQuery, TClientDataSet) and need encryption, static linking, old IDEs or current SQLite versions under it. For a new application, compare it with Devart's LiteDAC or UniDAC, or with FireDAC, before deciding.
Download Free TrialBuy Now
Overview
dbExpress is Embarcadero's thin, database-independent data access layer: your code uses TSQLConnection and the standard datasets, and a driver library does the database-specific work. Devart's SQLite driver plugs into that layer, so you use it the way you'd use any dbExpress driver, and a project can move between SQLite and a server database by changing the driver rather than the code.
Devart keeps it in step with RAD Studio. Version 5.4.0 in September 2025 added RAD Studio 13 Florence, an ISO 8601-like TimeFormat and the RequiredFields option; 5.4.1 in April 2026 fixed an "Incorrect parameter" error with parameterized queries; 5.5.0 in October 2026 added Florence Release 2 and better Arm64EC support. The statically linked engine was moved to SQLite 3.45.2 in May 2024, and the JournalMode, LockingMode and Synchronous options, added in 2021, came with what Devart describes as significantly better performance at their default values.
Features
Static linking (Direct mode)
dbExpress Driver for SQLite can compile the SQLite engine into your application instead of loading sqlite3.dll. Your program then always uses the SQLite version you developed and tested with, and there's one less file to deploy or have overwritten by another installer. If you prefer, it can still load sqlite3.dll (libsqlite3 on macOS) or a third-party build.
Built-in database encryption
dbExpress Driver for SQLite encrypts database files with AES, Blowfish, TripleDES, Cast128 or RC4 when you use static linking, so there's no need to license a separate encrypted SQLite library. It also works with third-party SQLite libraries that have their own encryption. Encryption is supported on macOS as well as Windows.
SQLite tuning options
dbExpress Driver for SQLite exposes SQLite's own settings as driver options: JournalMode, LockingMode and Synchronous for speed and durability trade-offs, IntegerAsLargeInt for 64-bit integers, EnableLoadExtension for SQLite extensions, URI file names, and a TimeFormat for how times are stored. It also detects transaction state when a transaction is started or ended by an SQL statement.
Delphi 6 to 13, on three platforms
dbExpress Driver for SQLite supports Delphi and C++Builder from version 6 to 13 Florence, including Community Edition and the RAD Studio 64-bit IDE, with VCL on Windows and FireMonkey on Windows, macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon) and Linux 64-bit. Devart's free dbMonitor tool traces the SQL your application sends.
Benefits
- A protected local database. Data on a stolen laptop stays unreadable without the key.
- Predictable deployments. A statically linked engine can't be swapped out by a different sqlite3.dll on the user's PC.
- One data layer for local and server data. dbExpress code written against SQLite can move to a server database by changing drivers.
- Old projects keep compiling. Applications still built in Delphi 7 or 2007 get a maintained SQLite driver.
Real-World Uses
- Offline field app. A FireMonkey application for sales reps keeps orders in an encrypted SQLite file and syncs later.
- Single-file desktop product. A Windows utility ships as one EXE with the SQLite engine linked in.
- Local cache for a server app. A dbExpress client keeps reference data in SQLite and uses the same code paths as its server connection.
- Legacy maintenance. A Delphi 2007 application moves from an old, unencrypted SQLite DLL to a current engine with encryption.
Who It's For, and Who Should Skip It
dbExpress Driver for SQLite is for Delphi and C++Builder developers with dbExpress code who want SQLite with encryption or static linking, or who need SQLite support in older IDEs.
Skip it if:
- You don't use dbExpress. FireDAC, included with RAD Studio, handles SQLite well for new projects, and Devart's LiteDAC offers SQLite-specific components.
- You don't need encryption or static linking. RAD Studio's own options may already cover a plain SQLite database.
- You want a database design tool. The driver is a runtime library, not a designer; use a separate SQLite tool to build tables and indexes.
Usage Guide
- Sign in to (or create) a free Devart account and download the 19.47 MB installer from the driver's download page.
- Close the IDE and run the installer, choosing your IDE versions.
- On your TSQLConnection, choose the Devart SQLite driver and set Database to the path of your .db file.
- Either turn on Direct mode for the statically linked engine or set VendorLib to sqlite3.dll; an "SQLite function is not linked" or "Cannot load client library" error means neither is set up.
- Set an encryption key and algorithm if you want the file encrypted, and adjust JournalMode or Synchronous for your workload.
- Ship the driver library with your application (plus sqlite3.dll if you didn't link statically). With the Source Code edition you can build the driver into your EXE.
Where it falls short
- SQLite's own write limits remain. SQLite locks the whole file while writing, so many simultaneous writers wait on each other whatever driver you use.
- Linked engine lags SQLite releases. The statically linked engine is SQLite 3.45.2, updated with driver releases rather than every SQLite release; load a newer sqlite3.dll if you need the latest engine.
- Setup errors trip up newcomers. Forum threads show first-time users stuck on "Cannot load client library: sqlite3.dll" and on which driver DLL to deploy.
- Built into the EXE only with source. Linking the driver itself into your executable needs the Standard with Source Code edition.
- Short trial and guarantee. 30 days each, half the trial window Devart gives its DAC libraries.
What Users Say
dbExpress Driver for SQLite has no ratings on mainstream review sites. Its public record is Devart's forum, and most threads are setup and deployment questions answered by Devart's staff.
Getting started
A Delphi XE2 Professional user wrote in 2011: "I just need a "Hello World" app or help setting up my first table with data in it using DBXpress driver for SQLite in DXE2 Professional." He got "Cannot load client library: sqlite3.dll" when adding a field.
Devart's reply admitted a gap: "Unfortunately our dbExpress drivers do not support Delphi Data Explorer currently. We know about this issue and are working to resolve it," and suggested designing the database in a separate SQLite tool.
Deployment questions
A C++Builder XE user asked in 2012: "When we deploy the final application, which dll must be installed ? dbexpsqlite.dll or dbexpsqlite40.dll ?" and "Can we integrate this DLL into the exe".
Devart explained that "The number in DLL is not related to the dbExpress driver itself, this number states for the Delphi versions," and that "If you have the version of dbExpress driver for SQLite with source code, you can build our *.dll into your application."
The pattern: questions cluster around first setup and deployment, Devart answers them, and later releases fixed reported bugs such as the EnableLoadExtension option (fixed in 5.2.0). Use the trial to settle your deployment layout before you buy.
Comparisons
dbExpress Driver for SQLite vs FireDAC
FireDAC comes with RAD Studio and supports SQLite, including encryption, so for a new FireDAC-based application there's little reason to add this driver. Devart's driver earns its price when your code is dbExpress, when you need Delphi versions older than FireDAC, or when you want its particular set of encryption algorithms.
dbExpress driver vs LiteDAC
LiteDAC is Devart's SQLite component library, with its own connection and dataset components and SQLite-specific features beyond what dbExpress exposes. Pick LiteDAC for new code written for SQLite, and the dbExpress driver to keep a dbExpress application's architecture as it is.
Editions and Pricing
Both editions use the one Buy Now button on this page: you choose the edition, the license type (Single, Team or Site), 1, 2 or 3 years of updates, and optional Priority Support on the order page. Prices are for one developer with one year of updates.
| Edition |
Price |
What you get |
| Standard (default order) |
$199.95 |
The driver with direct SQLite connectivity, encryption, Windows, macOS and Linux targets, full data type support and dbMonitor tracing |
| Standard with Source Code |
$299.95 |
Everything in Standard plus the driver's source code, so you can build it into your executable |
A Team or Site license, more years of updates and Priority Support raise the price on the order page. The license itself stays valid after the year ends.
FAQs
Do I need to ship sqlite3.dll with dbExpress Driver for SQLite?
Not if you use Direct mode. dbExpress Driver for SQLite can link the SQLite engine into your application; sqlite3.dll is only needed when you choose to load the library instead.
Can dbExpress Driver for SQLite open a database encrypted by another tool?
Only if you load that tool's SQLite library. dbExpress Driver for SQLite works with third-party SQLite libraries that support encryption, while its own built-in encryption (AES, Blowfish, TripleDES, Cast128, RC4) applies to databases it encrypts itself.
Does the driver work with Delphi Community Edition?
Yes. dbExpress Driver for SQLite supports every Delphi and C++Builder edition, including Community, from version 6 to 13 Florence.
Can I use SQLite extensions?
Yes. dbExpress Driver for SQLite has an EnableLoadExtension option for loading SQLite extensions; a bug in setting it was fixed in version 5.2.0.
What happens when my year of updates ends?
You keep a perpetual license for the last version released during your subscription. Renewal (listed at $99.95 a year before tax on November 13, 2026) brings new versions and support.
Can I use the trial in a production application?
No. The 30-day trial of dbExpress Driver for SQLite is for evaluation only, and applications built with it can't be used commercially. The 30-day money-back guarantee covers the paid license.
System Requirements
- IDE: RAD Studio, Delphi or C++Builder 6 through 13 Florence (13 needs Release 2)
- Targets: Windows 32-bit and 64-bit; macOS Intel and Apple Silicon; Linux 64-bit
- Database: SQLite 3.0 or later
- Library: none in Direct mode; otherwise sqlite3.dll (libsqlite3 on macOS)
- Installer: 19.47 MB
Conclusion
dbExpress Driver for SQLite is worth $199.95 if your application is built on dbExpress and you want its SQLite data encrypted, the engine linked into your EXE, or a maintained driver for an older Delphi. Encryption without buying a separate SQLite build is the strongest reason to pick it. The main reason not to: SQLite itself is free, and for new code FireDAC or Devart's LiteDAC may do the job with no dbExpress layer at all. Try your deployment setup in the 30-day trial first.
Download Free TrialBuy Now