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Database & Data Management · head to head

Amazon RDS vs MongoDB

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
MongoDB logo

MongoDB

Database & Data Management

The developer data platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only MongoDB 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; MongoDB 16 MB maximum document size limits large single objects
  • They diverge on capability: Amazon RDS covers Multiple DB Engines, MongoDB covers Document model.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Amazon RDS and MongoDB actually diverge.

Attributes where Amazon RDS and MongoDB differ
AttributeAmazon RDSMongoDB
Starting priceOn requestFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsAWS Cloud, Multi-AZ, Multi-regionCloud (Atlas), Self-hosted, Multi-cloud (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure)
CategoryDatabase & Data ManagementUnknown
Founded20062007

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated).

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
  • Performance Insights
  • Automatic Scaling
  • MySQL
  • PostgreSQL

Only in MongoDB

  • Document model
  • Distributed architecture
  • ACID transactions
  • Real-time analytics
  • Full-text search
  • Time series data
  • Geospatial queries
  • Aggregation framework

Both cover

  • Encryption

What people use each for

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

Amazon RDS

  • Transaction processingnot MongoDB
  • Data storagenot MongoDB
  • Application backendnot MongoDB
  • Reportingnot MongoDB
  • Data analyticsnot MongoDB

MongoDB

  • Mobile applicationsnot Amazon RDS
  • Content managementnot Amazon RDS
  • Real-time analyticsnot Amazon RDS
  • IoT applicationsnot Amazon RDS
  • Gaming backendsnot 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

MongoDB

  • 16 MB maximum document size limits large single objects
  • No native JOIN support for relational data operations
  • Higher memory usage due to storing field names with each document
  • Eventual consistency in distributed deployments can cause data stale reads

Pricing, plan by plan

Amazon RDS

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Amazon RDS review.

MongoDB

Free
  • M0Free
    • 512 MB storage
    • Learning and exploration
  • M2$9/month
    • 2 GB storage
    • Development and testing
  • M5$25/month
    • 5 GB storage
  • M10+$56.94/month
    • Dedicated clusters for production

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 MongoDB if

  • You need document model.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud (Atlas), Self-hosted, Multi-cloud (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure).
  • You also want distributed architecture.
MongoDB review

Questions people ask

Is Amazon RDS or MongoDB better?
Neither clearly leads. Amazon RDS starts at On request and MongoDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Amazon RDS or MongoDB?
MongoDB has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Amazon RDS and Free for MongoDB.
Does Amazon RDS or MongoDB run on more platforms?
Amazon RDS runs on AWS Cloud, Multi-AZ, Multi-region. MongoDB runs on Cloud (Atlas), Self-hosted, Multi-cloud (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure).
Can I use MongoDB for free?
Yes. MongoDB 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 MongoDB is typically brought in for.
What can Amazon RDS do that MongoDB cannot?
Amazon RDS covers Multiple DB Engines, Automated Backups, Multi-AZ Deployment, Read Replicas. MongoDB covers Document model, Distributed architecture, ACID transactions, Real-time analytics. Both handle Encryption.

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
MongoDB: Does MongoDB offer a free tier?

Yes. MongoDB Atlas offers an M0 free tier with 512 MB storage for learning and exploration, plus paid options starting at $9/month for M2 with 2 GB storage.

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
MongoDB: Can I self-host MongoDB?

Yes. You can run MongoDB Community Edition on your own servers, or use MongoDB Enterprise Advanced for self-managed production deployments with enterprise features.

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
MongoDB: What is the maximum document size in MongoDB?

Documents are limited to 16 MB. For documents exceeding this limit, you can use MongoDB's GridFS API to store files larger than the maximum size.

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
MongoDB: Does MongoDB support ACID transactions?

Yes. MongoDB supports ACID transactions within a single document by default, and multi-document ACID transactions are available for replica sets and sharded clusters in MongoDB 4.0+.

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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