Softwr

Software · head to head

Abstract vs Cockroach Labs

Abstract logo

Abstract

Software

Design version control and asset management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full review
Cockroach Labs logo

Cockroach Labs

Software

The cloud-native distributed SQL database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Abstract the product appears to be gone. Its documentation path 404s, goabstract.com no longer resolves, and abstract.com now belongs to an unrelated venture capital firm; Cockroach Labs basic and Standard tiers limited to AWS and GCP (select regions only)
  • They diverge on capability: Abstract covers Version control, Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Abstract and Cockroach Labs actually diverge.

Attributes where Abstract and Cockroach Labs differ
AttributeAbstractCockroach Labs
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsMacos, WebAWS, GCP, Azure

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (2015).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Abstract

  • Version control
  • Branching & merging
  • Asset library
  • Design tokens
  • Collaboration
  • File management
  • Comments
  • Activity tracking

Only in Cockroach Labs

  • Distributed SQL
  • Automatic Sharding
  • Multi-region Replication
  • Geo-partitioning
  • ACID Transactions
  • Horizontal Scaling
  • Survivability
  • PostgreSQL Compatibility

Both cover

  • SOC2
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Abstract

  • Design systemsnot Cockroach Labs
  • Version controlnot Cockroach Labs
  • Asset managementnot Cockroach Labs
  • Team collaborationnot Cockroach Labs

Cockroach Labs

  • Distributed SQL database for scalable applicationsnot Abstract
  • Multi-region deployment and failovernot Abstract

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Abstract

  • The product appears to be gone. Its documentation path 404s, goabstract.com no longer resolves, and abstract.com now belongs to an unrelated venture capital firm
  • Built around Sketch files, so it never covered teams that moved to Figma

Cockroach Labs

  • Basic and Standard tiers limited to AWS and GCP (select regions only)
  • Azure support restricted to Advanced tier only
  • Basic tier limited to 50 million RUs and 10 GiB storage per month
  • Advanced tier starts at $0.60/hour for 4 vCPUs minimum
  • 3 TiB maximum storage on Basic and Standard tiers, 10 TiB per node on Advanced

Pricing, plan by plan

Abstract

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 shared library
    • Basic version control
    • 2 team members
  • Pro$12/month
    • Unlimited libraries
    • Full version control
    • Unlimited team members
  • Enterprise$50/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • Advanced admin controls
    • Compliance & security

Cockroach Labs

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cockroach Labs review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Abstract if

  • You need version control.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Macos, Web.
  • You also want branching & merging.
Abstract review

Choose Cockroach Labs if

  • You need distributed sql.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on AWS, GCP, Azure.
  • You also want automatic sharding.
Cockroach Labs review

Questions people ask

Is Abstract or Cockroach Labs better?
Neither clearly leads. Abstract starts at Free and Cockroach Labs at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Abstract or Cockroach Labs?
Abstract starts at Free and Cockroach Labs at Free.
Does Abstract or Cockroach Labs run on more platforms?
Abstract runs on Macos, Web. Cockroach Labs runs on AWS, GCP, Azure.
Can I use Abstract for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Abstract best used for?
Abstract is most often used for design systems, version control, asset management, team collaboration. Of those, design systems and version control are not what Cockroach Labs is typically brought in for.
What can Abstract do that Cockroach Labs cannot?
Abstract covers Version control, Branching & merging, Asset library, Design tokens. Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Automatic Sharding, Multi-region Replication, Geo-partitioning. Both handle SOC2, Cloud deployment.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Abstract

More on Cockroach Labs

Keep looking

Other head to heads