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Databases · head to head

Apache Airflow vs Cockroach Labs

Apache Airflow logo

Apache Airflow

Databases

Programmatically author, schedule and monitor data workflows in Python

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cockroach Labs logo

Cockroach Labs

Databases

The cloud-native distributed SQL database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Apache Airflow self-hosting is genuinely heavy: scheduler, metadata database, workers and executor choice are a standing operational job; Cockroach Labs basic and Standard tiers limited to AWS and GCP (select regions only)
  • They diverge on capability: Apache Airflow covers Pipelines as Python, Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apache Airflow and Cockroach Labs actually diverge.

Attributes where Apache Airflow and Cockroach Labs differ
AttributeApache AirflowCockroach Labs
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence fee; managed services billed separatelyfreemium
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hostedAWS, GCP, Azure
FoundedUnknown2015

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

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 Apache Airflow

  • Pipelines as Python
  • Web UI
  • Cloud provider packages
  • Jinja templating
  • Retries and dependencies
  • Extensible operators

Only in Cockroach Labs

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

What people use each for

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

Apache Airflow

  • Scheduling nightly ETL where step order and retries matternot Cockroach Labs
  • Coordinating machine learning training and evaluation runsnot Cockroach Labs
  • Orchestrating dbt runs alongside extraction and loadingnot Cockroach Labs
  • Replacing a sprawl of cron jobs with dependencies and visible run historynot Cockroach Labs

Cockroach Labs

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

Where each one falls short

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

Apache Airflow

  • Self-hosting is genuinely heavy: scheduler, metadata database, workers and executor choice are a standing operational job
  • Built for scheduled batch work, and a poor fit for event-driven or sub-minute latency pipelines
  • Because DAGs are Python that the scheduler parses continuously, expensive top-level code in a DAG file slows the whole scheduler
  • Local development and testing of DAGs is awkward compared with newer orchestrators designed with it in mind

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

Apache Airflow

Free
  • Apache AirflowFree
    • Full scheduler and web UI
    • All provider packages
    • No task or DAG limits

Cockroach Labs

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cockroach Labs review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Apache Airflow if

  • You need pipelines as python.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
  • You also want web ui.
Apache Airflow 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 Apache Airflow or Cockroach Labs better?
Neither clearly leads. Apache Airflow 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, Apache Airflow or Cockroach Labs?
Apache Airflow starts at Free and Cockroach Labs at Free.
Does Apache Airflow or Cockroach Labs run on more platforms?
Apache Airflow runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted. Cockroach Labs runs on AWS, GCP, Azure.
Can I use Apache Airflow for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Apache Airflow best used for?
Apache Airflow is most often used for scheduling nightly etl where step order and retries matter, coordinating machine learning training and evaluation runs, orchestrating dbt runs alongside extraction and loading, replacing a sprawl of cron jobs with dependencies and visible run history. Of those, scheduling nightly etl where step order and retries matter and coordinating machine learning training and evaluation runs are not what Cockroach Labs is typically brought in for.
What can Apache Airflow do that Cockroach Labs cannot?
Apache Airflow covers Pipelines as Python, Web UI, Cloud provider packages, Jinja templating. Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Automatic Sharding, Multi-region Replication, Geo-partitioning.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apache Airflow: Is Apache Airflow free?

Yes. Airflow is open source under the Apache Software Foundation with no licence fee. Costs are the infrastructure to run it, or a managed service such as Google Cloud Composer or Amazon MWAA.

Cockroach Labs: What does the free Basic tier include?

The Basic tier is free and includes 50 million RUs and 10 GiB storage per month, with a maximum compute of 30K RU/sec. No credit card is required to start.

Source
Apache Airflow: What language are Airflow workflows written in?

Python. A workflow is a Python file, so standard language features including loops and datetime handling can generate tasks dynamically, with no XML or command-line configuration.

Cockroach Labs: How much do the paid tiers cost?

Standard tier starts at $0.18 per hour for 2 vCPUs, and Advanced tier starts at $0.60 per hour for 4 vCPUs. Both tiers support additional resources with higher costs for increased compute and storage.

Source
Apache Airflow: Is Airflow suitable for real-time pipelines?

Not really. Airflow is designed for scheduled batch orchestration. Event-driven or sub-minute work is better served by a streaming platform such as Kafka or a purpose-built streaming engine.

Cockroach Labs: What are the storage limits for each tier?

Basic plan supports up to 3 TiB storage, Standard tier up to 3 TiB, and Advanced tier up to 10 TiB per node with unlimited total storage.

Source
Apache Airflow: What are the main alternatives to Airflow?

Dagster and Prefect are the two most commonly weighed against it, both newer and both designed around the local development and testing experience Airflow is criticised for.

Cockroach Labs: Can I get trial credits before paying?

Yes, new users can try CockroachDB free with $400 in credits. The Basic and Standard plans do not require a credit card to start.

Source
Cockroach Labs: Do legacy contracts have different pricing?

Customers with annual or multi-year contracts entered before December 1, 2024 can view legacy pricing terms on a separate page, which apply until their contract renewal date.

Source
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