Software · head to head
Apache Druid vs Cockroach Labs
Apache Druid
Software
Real-time analytics database for sub-second OLAP queries
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Apache Druid open-source offering lacks high-availability, distributed architecture, and enterprise security features; Cockroach Labs basic and Standard tiers limited to AWS and GCP (select regions only)
- They diverge on capability: Apache Druid covers Real-time Ingestion, Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Apache Druid and Cockroach Labs actually diverge.
| Attribute | Apache Druid | Cockroach Labs |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | open-source | freemium |
| Platforms | Docker, Kubernetes, Native deployment (Java-based) | AWS, GCP, Azure |
| Founded | 1999 | 2015 |
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 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 Druid
- Real-time analytics platforms ingesting millions of events per second from streaming sourcesnot Cockroach Labs
- Applications requiring sub-second queries over high-cardinality datasets (billions to trillions of rows)not Cockroach Labs
- Time-series and event analysis at massive scale with columnar storage efficiencynot Cockroach Labs
Cockroach Labs
- Distributed SQL database for scalable applicationsnot Apache Druid
- Multi-region deployment and failovernot 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
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 Druid
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Apache Druid review.
Cockroach Labs
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Cockroach Labs review.
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.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Apache Druid or Cockroach Labs better?
- Neither clearly leads. Apache Druid 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 Druid or Cockroach Labs?
- Apache Druid starts at Free and Cockroach Labs at Free.
- Does Apache Druid or Cockroach Labs run on more platforms?
- Apache Druid runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Native deployment (Java-based). Cockroach Labs runs on AWS, GCP, Azure.
- 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 Cockroach Labs is typically brought in for.
- What can Apache Druid do that Cockroach Labs cannot?
- Apache Druid covers Real-time Ingestion, Sub-second Queries, Column-oriented Storage, Streaming Integration. Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Automatic Sharding, Multi-region Replication, Geo-partitioning.