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Databases · head to head

Apache Doris vs VerneMQ

Apache Doris logo

Apache Doris

Databases

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
VerneMQ logo

VerneMQ

Databases

Erlang MQTT broker whose source is Apache 2.0 but whose official binaries need a paid subscription

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; VerneMQ the official binaries and Docker images are not Apache 2.0 but sit under a EULA requiring a yearly commercial subscription, a distinction easy to miss and awkward to discover during a licence audit.
  • They diverge on capability: Apache Doris covers MySQL wire protocol, VerneMQ covers Erlang/OTP clustering.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Apache Doris and VerneMQ differ
AttributeApache DorisVerneMQ
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
PlatformsLinux, Docker, KubernetesLinux, Docker, macOS, Kubernetes

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 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 VerneMQ

  • Erlang/OTP clustering
  • MQTT 5.0 support
  • Plugin system
  • Backpressure handling
  • Bridge support
  • Metrics export
  • MQTT over WebSockets
  • Pluggable auth backends

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 VerneMQ
  • A real-time dashboard backend needing sub-second aggregation over billions of rows with hundreds of concurrent usersnot VerneMQ
  • An ad or ecommerce platform that needs updates and deletes on analytical tables, which append-only OLAP engines handle badlynot VerneMQ
  • A data team that wants one SQL endpoint over both internal tables and existing Hive or Iceberg tables in the lakenot VerneMQ

VerneMQ

  • An industrial operator that wants an MQTT broker with predictable memory behaviour and no data integration features it will not usenot Apache Doris
  • A team building from source to stay strictly under Apache 2.0 terms with no vendor licence entanglementnot Apache Doris
  • A deployment needing custom authentication logic implemented as a plugin in Lua or over a webhooknot Apache Doris
  • An organisation that wants a broker maintained by a small European company rather than by a vendor that keeps changing licencesnot 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.

VerneMQ

  • The official binaries and Docker images are not Apache 2.0 but sit under a EULA requiring a yearly commercial subscription, a distinction easy to miss and awkward to discover during a licence audit.
  • Octavo Labs is a very small company, so support depth, response times and the bus factor on the codebase are materially thinner than at HiveMQ or EMQ.
  • There is no data integration or rule engine layer, so routing messages into a database means writing and operating your own consumer service.
  • Operating an Erlang cluster requires runtime knowledge that most teams do not have and will use for nothing else in their stack.
  • There is no vendor-managed cloud offering, so every deployment is self-operated with the infrastructure and on-call cost that implies.

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

VerneMQ

Free
  • Source buildFree
    • Apache 2.0 licensed source from GitHub
    • Full clustering and plugin capability
    • You compile and package it yourself
  • Binary packages and Docker images$undefined/year
    • Covered by the VerneMQ EULA, not Apache 2.0
    • Yearly usage subscription expected for commercial use
    • Official builds and Docker images
  • Commercial support$undefined/year
    • Evaluation, customisation and operations assistance
    • Custom development
    • Long-term maintenance agreements

Which should you pick?

Choose Apache Doris if

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

Choose VerneMQ if

  • You need erlang/otp clustering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, macOS, Kubernetes.
  • You also want mqtt 5.0 support.
VerneMQ review

Questions people ask

Is Apache Doris or VerneMQ better?
Neither clearly leads. Apache Doris starts at Free and VerneMQ at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apache Doris or VerneMQ?
Apache Doris starts at Free and VerneMQ at Free.
Does Apache Doris or VerneMQ run on more platforms?
Apache Doris runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. VerneMQ runs on Linux, Docker, macOS, Kubernetes.
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 VerneMQ is typically brought in for.
What can Apache Doris do that VerneMQ cannot?
Apache Doris covers MySQL wire protocol, Aggregate and unique key models, Materialised views, Multi-catalogue federation. VerneMQ covers Erlang/OTP clustering, MQTT 5.0 support, Plugin system, Backpressure handling.

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.

VerneMQ: Is VerneMQ free?

The source is Apache 2.0 and free. The official binary packages and Docker images are covered by a separate EULA that expects a yearly fee for commercial use.

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.

VerneMQ: Is the project still maintained?

Yes. Octavo Labs AG in Zurich continues to publish 2.x releases, most recently in 2026.

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.

VerneMQ: Does it have a managed cloud?

No. Every deployment is self-hosted, with commercial support available from Octavo Labs.

Apache Doris: Who maintains it?

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

VerneMQ: How does it compare to EMQX?

Narrower in features and without a rule engine, but with a simpler licence story for source builds after EMQX moved to BSL.

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