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Apache Druid vs Lambda (AWS Serverless)

Apache Druid logo

Apache Druid

Software

Real-time analytics database for sub-second OLAP queries

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lambda (AWS Serverless) logo

Lambda (AWS Serverless)

Software

Run code without thinking about servers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Apache Druid open-source offering lacks high-availability, distributed architecture, and enterprise security features; Lambda (AWS Serverless) billed on two axes at once, $0.20 per million requests plus $0.0000166667 per GB-second of duration, so memory settings change the bill as much as traffic does
  • They diverge on capability: Apache Druid covers Real-time Ingestion, Lambda (AWS Serverless) covers Function-as-a-Service.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apache Druid and Lambda (AWS Serverless) actually diverge.

Attributes where Apache Druid and Lambda (AWS Serverless) differ
AttributeApache DruidLambda (AWS Serverless)
Pricing modelopen-sourceusage-based
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Native deployment (Java-based)Web, Api
Founded19992014

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

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 Druid

  • Real-time Ingestion
  • Sub-second Queries
  • Column-oriented Storage
  • Streaming Integration
  • Approximate Algorithms
  • Flexible Schemas
  • Time-based Partitioning
  • Kafka

Only in Lambda (AWS Serverless)

  • Function-as-a-Service
  • Event-driven execution
  • Auto-scaling
  • Pay-per-use
  • Multiple languages
  • Concurrency limits
  • Dead Letter Queues
  • Environment variables

What people use each for

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

Apache Druid

  • Real-time analytics platforms ingesting millions of events per second from streaming sourcesnot Lambda (AWS Serverless)
  • Applications requiring sub-second queries over high-cardinality datasets (billions to trillions of rows)not Lambda (AWS Serverless)
  • Time-series and event analysis at massive scale with columnar storage efficiencynot Lambda (AWS Serverless)

Lambda (AWS Serverless)

  • Event-driven functions without managing serversnot Apache Druid
  • API backends behind API Gatewaynot Apache Druid
  • Processing S3, DynamoDB, SQS and Kinesis eventsnot Apache Druid
  • Scheduled jobs without a always-on instancenot Apache Druid
  • Edge compute through Lambda@Edgenot Apache Druid

Where each one falls short

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

Apache Druid

  • Open-source offering lacks high-availability, distributed architecture, and enterprise security features
  • Requires native integration with Apache Kafka or Amazon Kinesis for real-time ingestion; custom integrations need development
  • High-concurrency query support (hundreds of thousands QPS) requires significant cluster infrastructure investment

Lambda (AWS Serverless)

  • Billed on two axes at once, $0.20 per million requests plus $0.0000166667 per GB-second of duration, so memory settings change the bill as much as traffic does
  • Provisioned concurrency, used to avoid cold starts, is charged separately at $0.0000041667 per GB-second whether or not the function runs
  • Ephemeral storage beyond the included 512 MB is metered
  • Lambda@Edge costs $0.60 per million requests, three times the standard request rate
  • VPC use and cross-region data transfer carry EC2 charges on top

Pricing, plan by plan

Apache Druid

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Apache Druid review.

Lambda (AWS Serverless)

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • 1M free requests/month
    • 400,000 GB-seconds/month
    • Always free

Which should you pick?

Choose Apache Druid if

  • You need real-time ingestion.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Docker, Kubernetes, Native deployment (Java-based).
  • You also want sub-second queries.
Apache Druid review

Choose Lambda (AWS Serverless) if

  • You need function-as-a-service.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want event-driven execution.
Lambda (AWS Serverless) review

Questions people ask

Is Apache Druid or Lambda (AWS Serverless) better?
Neither clearly leads. Apache Druid starts at Free and Lambda (AWS Serverless) at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apache Druid or Lambda (AWS Serverless)?
Apache Druid starts at Free and Lambda (AWS Serverless) at Free.
Does Apache Druid or Lambda (AWS Serverless) run on more platforms?
Apache Druid runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Native deployment (Java-based). Lambda (AWS Serverless) runs on Web, Api.
Can I use Apache Druid for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Apache Druid best used for?
Apache Druid is most often used for real-time analytics platforms ingesting millions of events per second from streaming sources, applications requiring sub-second queries over high-cardinality datasets (billions to trillions of rows), time-series and event analysis at massive scale with columnar storage efficiency. Of those, real-time analytics platforms ingesting millions of events per second from streaming sources and applications requiring sub-second queries over high-cardinality datasets (billions to trillions of rows) are not what Lambda (AWS Serverless) is typically brought in for.
What can Apache Druid do that Lambda (AWS Serverless) cannot?
Apache Druid covers Real-time Ingestion, Sub-second Queries, Column-oriented Storage, Streaming Integration. Lambda (AWS Serverless) covers Function-as-a-Service, Event-driven execution, Auto-scaling, Pay-per-use.
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