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Database & Data Management · head to head

Amazon RDS vs Apache Pinot

Amazon RDS logo

Amazon RDS

Database & Data Management

Set up, operate, and scale a relational database in the cloud

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Apache Pinot logo

Apache Pinot

Database & Data Management

Real-time distributed OLAP datastore for analytics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Apache Pinot has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Amazon RDS no super-user access or direct host connectivity limits advanced customization; Apache Pinot self-hosted and distributed, so running it means operating a cluster rather than consuming a service
  • They diverge on capability: Amazon RDS covers Multiple DB Engines, Apache Pinot covers Real-time Analytics.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Amazon RDS and Apache Pinot actually diverge.

Attributes where Amazon RDS and Apache Pinot differ
AttributeAmazon RDSApache Pinot
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsAWS Cloud, Multi-AZ, Multi-regionLinux, Docker, Kubernetes
Founded20061999

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Database & Data Management).

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 Amazon RDS

  • Multiple DB Engines
  • Automated Backups
  • Multi-AZ Deployment
  • Read Replicas
  • Encryption
  • Performance Insights
  • Automatic Scaling
  • MySQL

Only in Apache Pinot

  • Real-time Analytics
  • Column-oriented
  • Distributed Processing
  • SQL Support
  • Pluggable Indexing
  • Star-tree Index
  • Upsert Support
  • Kafka

What people use each for

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

Amazon RDS

  • Transaction processingnot Apache Pinot
  • Data storagenot Apache Pinot
  • Application backendnot Apache Pinot
  • Reportingnot Apache Pinot
  • Data analyticsnot Apache Pinot

Apache Pinot

  • Sub-second analytics queries on freshly ingested datanot Amazon RDS
  • User-facing dashboards inside a productnot Amazon RDS
  • Real-time metrics at high ingest ratesnot Amazon RDS
  • Petabyte-scale analytics as run at LinkedIn and Ubernot Amazon RDS

Where each one falls short

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

Amazon RDS

  • No super-user access or direct host connectivity limits advanced customization
  • Pricing unpredictable and expensive compared to GCP alternatives with equivalent features
  • Limited access to system procedures and tables requiring advanced permissions
  • No Oracle RAC (Real Application Clusters) support for high-availability Oracle deployments

Apache Pinot

  • Self-hosted and distributed, so running it means operating a cluster rather than consuming a service
  • Managed hosting comes from third parties such as StarTree rather than from the project
  • Built for user-facing real-time OLAP, so it is not a general purpose database

Pricing, plan by plan

Amazon RDS

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Amazon RDS review.

Apache Pinot

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Real-time analytics
    • SQL queries
    • Horizontal scaling

Which should you pick?

Choose Amazon RDS if

  • You need multiple db engines.
  • You work on AWS Cloud, Multi-AZ, Multi-region.
  • You also want automated backups.
Amazon RDS review

Choose Apache Pinot if

  • You need real-time analytics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want column-oriented.
Apache Pinot review

Questions people ask

Is Amazon RDS or Apache Pinot better?
Neither clearly leads. Amazon RDS starts at On request and Apache Pinot at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Amazon RDS or Apache Pinot?
Apache Pinot has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Amazon RDS and Free for Apache Pinot.
Does Amazon RDS or Apache Pinot run on more platforms?
Amazon RDS runs on AWS Cloud, Multi-AZ, Multi-region. Apache Pinot runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
Can I use Apache Pinot for free?
Yes. Apache Pinot has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Amazon RDS starts at On request.
What is Amazon RDS best used for?
Amazon RDS is most often used for transaction processing, data storage, application backend, reporting. Of those, transaction processing and data storage are not what Apache Pinot is typically brought in for.
What can Amazon RDS do that Apache Pinot cannot?
Amazon RDS covers Multiple DB Engines, Automated Backups, Multi-AZ Deployment, Read Replicas. Apache Pinot covers Real-time Analytics, Column-oriented, Distributed Processing, SQL Support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Amazon RDS: What databases does Amazon RDS support?

Amazon RDS supports Amazon Aurora, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, Oracle Database, and Microsoft SQL Server as managed database engines.

Source
Amazon RDS: Does Amazon RDS handle backups automatically?

Yes. Amazon RDS automates backup configuration, backing up your database and transaction logs. Blue/Green Deployments allow safer updates by mirroring production in staging before applying changes.

Source
Amazon RDS: How does Amazon RDS Proxy improve performance?

Amazon RDS Proxy is a managed database proxy that makes applications more scalable by reducing database connection overhead, more resilient to database failures, and more secure through built-in authentication.

Source
Amazon RDS: Does Amazon RDS provide read replicas?

Yes. Amazon RDS supports read replicas across availability zones and regions, enabling horizontal scaling of read capacity while maintaining a single write primary.

Source
Amazon RDS: Can I access the host directly via SSH or Remote Desktop?

No. Amazon RDS does not allow direct host access via SSH, Telnet, or Windows Remote Desktop Connection. Database access is limited to database clients and management console.

Source
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