Softwr

Databases · head to head

Apache Doris vs Namespace

Apache Doris logo

Apache Doris

Databases

MPP analytical database with a MySQL wire protocol and sub-second aggregation on wide tables

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit Apache DorisFull review
Namespace logo

Namespace

Developer Tools

The dev platform for the next 100 billion commits

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit NamespaceFull review

The short version

  • Namespace is a developer infrastructure platform.
  • Apache Doris is free; Namespace starts at $100/mo.
  • Only Apache Doris lists MySQL wire protocol; only Namespace lists GitHub Actions runners.
  • Where Namespace falls short: developer plan is pay-as-you-go only; minimum usage unclear.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apache Doris and Namespace actually diverge.

Attributes where Apache Doris and Namespace differ
AttributeApache DorisNamespace
PlatformsLinux, Self-hostedWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux
CategoryDatabasesDeveloper Tools

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes).

Not yet recorded: pricing model for Namespace.

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 Doris

  • MySQL wire protocol
  • Aggregate and unique key models
  • Materialised views
  • Multi-catalogue federation
  • Routine load from Kafka
  • Compute storage separation
  • Inverted indexes
  • Workload groups

Only in Namespace

  • Devboxes
  • GitHub Actions runners
  • Docker builds
  • Cross-invocation caching
  • NVMe storage
  • High-speed networking
  • Multiple OS support
  • Bazel and Turborepo support

What people use each for

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

Apache Doris

  • A team whose MySQL read replica can no longer serve reporting queries and wants an OLAP engine its existing drivers already speaknot Namespace
  • A real-time dashboard backend needing sub-second aggregation over billions of rows with hundreds of concurrent usersnot Namespace
  • An ad or ecommerce platform that needs updates and deletes on analytical tables, which append-only OLAP engines handle badlynot Namespace
  • A data team that wants one SQL endpoint over both internal tables and existing Hive or Iceberg tables in the lakenot Namespace

Namespace

  • Providing AI coding agents with cloud-based development environmentsnot Apache Doris
  • Accelerating CI builds with faster GitHub Actions runnersnot Apache Doris
  • Distributing builds across teams with managed infrastructurenot Apache Doris
  • Scaling development velocity for monorepo organizationsnot Apache Doris

Where each one falls short

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

Apache Doris

  • Two competing commercial vendors, VeloDB and SelectDB, were founded by overlapping core contributors, which makes the long-term governance and roadmap of the project harder to predict than a single-sponsor project
  • A large share of design discussion, issue reports and documentation detail originates in Chinese, so teams that do not read it get a thinner picture of known problems and workarounds
  • Operating a cluster means managing frontend and backend node roles, tablet balancing and compaction tuning, and compaction backlogs under heavy upsert load are a recurring production complaint
  • The MySQL protocol compatibility is at the wire level, not full MySQL semantics, so queries and functions still need porting and the familiarity can mislead
  • Managed cloud availability outside China and major clouds is limited compared with ClickHouse or Snowflake, so many Western adopters end up self-hosting whether they wanted to or not

Namespace

  • Developer plan is pay-as-you-go only; minimum usage unclear
  • Team plan $100/mo is competitive but usage limits may be tight
  • Devbox pricing separate at $0.004/minute could add up quickly
  • Enterprise plan requires custom sales conversation

Pricing, plan by plan

Apache Doris

Free
  • Apache DorisFree
    • Apache 2.0 licence with no usage restrictions
    • All engine features included
    • Community support via mailing list and Slack

Namespace

Free
  • DeveloperFree
    • Pay-as-you-go
    • On-demand compute
    • Docker builds
  • Team$100/mo
    • 100,000 unit minutes
    • 1,000 Docker builds
    • Everything in Developer
  • Business$250/mo
    • 250,000 unit minutes
    • 2,500 Docker builds
    • Everything in Team
  • EnterpriseOn request
    • Custom compute/Docker build limits
    • Audit log export
    • Enterprise SSO

Which should you pick?

Choose Apache Doris if

  • You need mysql wire protocol.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Self-hosted.
  • You also want aggregate and unique key models.
Apache Doris review

Choose Namespace if

  • You need devboxes.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want github actions runners.
Namespace review

Questions people ask

Is Apache Doris or Namespace better?
Neither clearly leads. Apache Doris starts at Free and Namespace at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apache Doris or Namespace?
Apache Doris starts at Free and Namespace at Free.
Does Apache Doris or Namespace run on more platforms?
Apache Doris runs on Linux, Self-hosted. Namespace runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux.
Can I use Apache Doris for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Apache Doris best used for?
Apache Doris is most often used for a team whose mysql read replica can no longer serve reporting queries and wants an olap engine its existing drivers already speak, a real-time dashboard backend needing sub-second aggregation over billions of rows with hundreds of concurrent users, an ad or ecommerce platform that needs updates and deletes on analytical tables, which append-only olap engines handle badly, a data team that wants one sql endpoint over both internal tables and existing hive or iceberg tables in the lake. Of those, a team whose mysql read replica can no longer serve reporting queries and wants an olap engine its existing drivers already speak and a real-time dashboard backend needing sub-second aggregation over billions of rows with hundreds of concurrent users are not what Namespace is typically brought in for.
What can Apache Doris do that Namespace cannot?
Apache Doris covers MySQL wire protocol, Aggregate and unique key models, Materialised views, Multi-catalogue federation. Namespace covers Devboxes, GitHub Actions runners, Docker builds, Cross-invocation caching.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apache Doris: Is Apache Doris really free?

Yes, it is Apache 2.0 with no usage restrictions. The commercial products are managed services from VeloDB and SelectDB.

Namespace: How is compute usage metered on the Developer plan?

Developer plan uses pay-as-you-go billing. Devboxes bill at $0.004 per minute. Storage and caching services have separate usage-based fees. A 30-day free trial is available to test usage patterns.

Source
Apache Doris: Can I use my MySQL tools with it?

Yes, it implements the MySQL wire protocol, so clients and BI connectors attach without a new driver, though SQL semantics differ.

Namespace: What is the difference between Team and Business plans?

Team ($100/mo) includes 100,000 unit minutes and 1,000 Docker builds with email support. Business ($250/mo) includes 250,000 unit minutes, 2,500 Docker builds, and high concurrency with a dedicated Slack channel.

Source
Apache Doris: How does it compare with ClickHouse?

Doris handles updates and high concurrency more comfortably; ClickHouse is generally faster on raw single-query scan throughput and has far wider Western support.

Namespace: Can Namespace support AI coding agents?

Yes, Namespace Devboxes are specifically designed as feature-rich development environments for AI coding agents, with full tooling and performance optimization.

Source
Apache Doris: Who maintains it?

The Apache Software Foundation project, with most committers employed by VeloDB or SelectDB.

Share

Related pages

More on Apache Doris

More on Namespace

Keep looking

Other head to heads