dbExpress Driver for InterBase and Firebird: Firebird 5 and InterBase 2020 for Existing Delphi dbExpress Code
dbExpress Driver for InterBase and Firebird is a Devart driver that lets Delphi and C++Builder applications built on Embarcadero's dbExpress framework work with InterBase 4.2 through 2020 and Firebird 1.x through 5.x. It costs $199.95 at checkout for one developer with a year of updates (Standard edition), and builds for Windows, macOS and Linux.
This is a driver for code that already exists. If your application talks to a Firebird or InterBase database through TSQLConnection and TSQLQuery, you point it at Devart's driver and keep the rest. What you gain is current server support (Firebird 5 since May 2024), every IDE from Delphi 6 to RAD Studio 13 Florence, and a team that still ships fixes twice a year.
Quick facts
- Version: 6.5.0, released October 9, 2026
- Developer: Devart
- Servers: Firebird 1.x, 2.x, 3.x, 4.x and 5.x; InterBase XE to 2020 on Windows, macOS and Linux, and InterBase 4.2 and later on Windows and macOS
- 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
- Connection: through the InterBase or Firebird client library (gds32.dll or fbclient.dll), which must be on the client
- 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 6.5.0 with a 13.89 MB installer. We didn't connect it to a Firebird or InterBase server.
Before you buy: two things that catch people out
First, this driver needs the client library. Unlike some of Devart's other drivers, it has no direct mode: it loads gds32.dll for InterBase or fbclient.dll for Firebird, whichever the VendorLib setting names, so that file has to ship with your application.
Second, Professional editions of Delphi and C++Builder limit dbExpress to local databases under Embarcadero's license, and that applies to any dbExpress driver, Devart's included. Devart's staff have said so on its forum and point those users to IBDAC, its component library, which doesn't use dbExpress. If you're on Professional and need a remote server, this driver isn't the fix.
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Overview
dbExpress is Embarcadero's thin, database-independent data access layer: your code works with TSQLConnection and the datasets, and a driver library does the server-specific work. Devart's driver implements that interface for both InterBase and Firebird in one package. It doesn't overwrite Embarcadero's InterBase driver: installing it adds a second driver next to the standard one, and you choose which one a connection uses.
The revision history goes back to version 1.00 and is still moving. Version 6.4.0 in April 2026 added RAD Studio 13 Florence Release 1 and the FloatAsSingle, UseReadConsistency and ConnectionConfigOverrides options; 6.5.0 in October 2026 added Release 2, better Arm64EC support, improved WAIT and LockTimeout handling, and a TrustedAuthentication option. Earlier releases brought Firebird 5 (6.1.2, May 2024), Firebird 4 and the macOS ARM target (6.0.1, September 2021), and over-the-wire encryption (5.3.1, July 2021).
Features
One driver for InterBase and Firebird
dbExpress Driver for InterBase and Firebird covers both database families: Firebird from 1.x to 5.x, and InterBase from 4.2 up to 2020. Which server you reach depends on the client library you load, so the same driver can serve an InterBase customer and a Firebird customer. Connection options include SQL dialect, Unicode handling, wait and lock timeouts, read consistency, encrypted (OTW) connections and trusted authentication.
Drop-in for existing dbExpress applications
dbExpress Driver for InterBase and Firebird works with the standard dbExpress components, so you use it the same way as Embarcadero's driver. It supports Delphi and C++Builder from version 6 to 13 Florence, including Community Edition, and the RAD Studio 64-bit IDE. Deployment stays light: no BDE or ODBC layer, just the driver library and the database client.
Windows, macOS and Linux targets
dbExpress Driver for InterBase and Firebird builds VCL applications for Windows and FireMonkey applications for Windows, macOS and Linux: 32-bit and 64-bit on Windows, 64-bit on Linux, and Intel or Apple Silicon on macOS. Since version 5.1.2 the trial is fully functional on macOS and Linux as well.
SQL tracing with dbMonitor
Devart's free dbMonitor tool shows the SQL statements, commits and rollbacks that go through the driver, which is the quickest way to find a slow screen or an unexpected transaction.
Benefits
- Old applications on new servers. A dbExpress application written for Firebird 2.5 can move to Firebird 5 without a rewrite of its data layer.
- Old IDEs keep working. Teams still maintaining a Delphi 7 or 2007 code base get current server support without upgrading the IDE.
- One purchase, two databases. Vendors whose customers run a mix of InterBase and Firebird need only one driver.
- A vendor that ships fixes. The driver has had at least one release in every year since 2019.
Real-World Uses
- A Firebird upgrade. A customer moves from Firebird 2.5 to 5, and the existing dbExpress client needs a driver that knows the newer server.
- Legacy maintenance. A line-of-business application built in Delphi 2007 on dbExpress needs Firebird 4 support and the team can't move IDEs yet.
- A Linux service. A Delphi back-end built on dbExpress is recompiled for Linux 64-bit and keeps talking to Firebird.
- Mixed customer base. A software house ships one build to customers on InterBase 2020 and others on Firebird, switching only the client library.
Who It's For, and Who Should Skip It
dbExpress Driver for InterBase and Firebird is for Delphi and C++Builder developers who maintain dbExpress applications on Firebird or InterBase and need newer servers, older IDEs, or macOS and Linux targets supported.
Skip it if:
- You're starting a new project. Devart's IBDAC (InterBase and Firebird only) or UniDAC (many servers) give you richer components, and FireDAC comes with RAD Studio.
- You use a Professional edition and need a remote server. Embarcadero's license limits dbExpress to local databases there, whichever driver you use.
- You want no client library to deploy. This driver always needs gds32.dll or fbclient.dll.
Usage Guide
- Sign in to (or create) a free Devart account and download the 13.89 MB installer from the driver's download page.
- Close the IDE and run the installer, choosing your IDE versions.
- Install the Firebird or InterBase client on the development PC, matching the bitness of your application.
- On your TSQLConnection, select the Devart InterBase driver and set VendorLib to fbclient.dll for Firebird or gds32.dll for InterBase.
- Set Database (for example host/port:path), User_Name, Password and SQLDialect in the connection parameters, then connect.
- Ship the driver library and the client library with your compiled application.
Where it falls short
- Wrong client library, no connection. InterBase and Firebird clients aren't interchangeable. Several "unable to connect" threads on Devart's forum come down to the client library: loading gds32.dll when the server is Firebird, or the reverse.
- Firebird 4 data types. A developer moving from Firebird 2 to 4 hit a type mismatch (FMTBcd expected, Float returned) on an existing field and needed both versions to work during the migration. Test your own schema in the trial.
- Precision limits on very wide NUMERICs. One trial user reported a NUMERIC(38,18) column coming back with a precision of 32.
- Regressions between versions happen. A user upgrading from 6.0.3 to 6.1.0 with Firebird 4.0.4 reported a loop that stopped after the first record. Keep the old DLL until a new version passes your tests.
- Short trial and guarantee. 30 days each, half the trial window Devart gives its DAC libraries.
What Users Say
Like most dbExpress drivers, this one has no ratings on mainstream review sites. What's public comes from Devart's forum and support community, and it's mostly practical: what installing it changes and what breaks during upgrades.
Will it replace the driver I have?
A Delphi XE Pro user asked in 2012 whether he'd "have to replace the IB driver I already have installed and working" to add Firebird. Devart's reply on its forum: "you do not need to remove or replace any drivers you are already using. When you install our dbExpress driver for InterBase and Firebird, you will have two dbExpress driver for InterBase, standard and ours. You will be able to use both of them."
The same user later struggled to connect with the trial: "Yesterday, for a while it worked." Then "After that it no longer connects." Devart's answer was the client library: "you should use the fbclient.dll library when working with Firebird, and gds32.dll when working with InterBase."
Upgrades and migrations
On Devart's support community, a developer wrote: "After updating our Delphi 11.3 application from the 6.0.3 of dbExpress to 6.1.0 for Firebird (v. 4.0.4) a problem occurred". In his words, "The loop is exited after the first record is processed even if there are many records in the table," and "This did not happen in all previous versions of the dbExpress library mentioned."
Another, migrating from Firebird 2 to Firebird 4 with dbxida 6.1.1, got "type mismatch to field 'QNTSAI', expecting :FMTBcd actual : Float" and wrote: "I need a way to use both versions until I migrate all the databases".
A trial user on Firebird 5 and Delphi 7 reported: "The DBX driver returns this field as TBytesField (or TFMTBCDField) with a precision of 32 instead of 38."
The pattern: the driver is a long-lived workhorse that people keep for years, often in old IDEs, and most trouble comes at upgrade time, either a server migration or a new driver version. Use the 30-day trial against a copy of your real database before you buy or upgrade.
Comparisons
Devart's driver vs Embarcadero's dbExpress driver
Both plug into the same dbExpress components and both need the client library. Devart's adds support from Delphi 6 onward, Firebird 5, macOS and Linux targets, options such as read consistency and trusted authentication, and a support forum. If Embarcadero's driver already works with your server and IDE, there's little reason to pay.
dbExpress driver vs IBDAC and FireDAC
IBDAC is Devart's full InterBase and Firebird component library, with its own datasets and server-specific components, and it isn't bound by the dbExpress local-only rule in Professional editions. FireDAC comes with RAD Studio. Both suit new code better. The dbExpress driver is the right buy when you want to keep an existing dbExpress application and only change what's underneath.
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 for InterBase and Firebird, 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 |
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
Does Devart's dbExpress driver support Firebird 5?
Yes. dbExpress Driver for InterBase and Firebird added Firebird 5 in version 6.1.2 (May 2024) and supports every Firebird release back to 1.x, plus InterBase up to 2020.
Can I install it next to Embarcadero's InterBase driver?
Yes. dbExpress Driver for InterBase and Firebird uses its own files, so after installing it you have both drivers and can pick either one per connection.
Does the driver work with Delphi Community Edition?
Yes. dbExpress Driver for InterBase and Firebird supports every Delphi and C++Builder edition, including Community, from version 6 to 13 Florence.
Do client PCs need the Firebird or InterBase client installed?
Yes. dbExpress Driver for InterBase and Firebird connects through the database's own client library, so fbclient.dll or gds32.dll must be present, either installed or shipped next to your application.
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 InterBase and Firebird 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
- Server: Firebird 1.x to 5.x, or InterBase 4.2 to 2020 (InterBase on Linux from XE)
- Client: the Firebird (fbclient.dll) or InterBase (gds32.dll) client library
- Installer: 13.89 MB
Conclusion
dbExpress Driver for InterBase and Firebird is worth $199.95 if you maintain a dbExpress application on Firebird or InterBase and need it on Firebird 5, an old IDE, or macOS and Linux, without rewriting the data layer. That continuity is the reason to buy it. The main reason not to: for new code, IBDAC or the free-with-RAD-Studio FireDAC give you more, and in a Professional edition it won't reach a remote server at all. Run the 30-day trial against a copy of your real database first.
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