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Databases · head to head

Apache Druid vs FullStory

Apache Druid logo

Apache Druid

Databases

Real-time analytics database for sub-second OLAP queries

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
FullStory logo

FullStory

E-Commerce

Digital experience intelligence platform

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; FullStory free tier limited to 30,000 sessions per month, no 5,000+ monthly active user sites
  • They diverge on capability: Apache Druid covers Real-time Ingestion, FullStory covers Session replay.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apache Druid and FullStory actually diverge.

Attributes where Apache Druid and FullStory differ
AttributeApache DruidFullStory
Pricing modelopen-sourcequote
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Native deployment (Java-based)Web, Mobile
CategoryDatabasesE-Commerce
Founded19992014

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

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 FullStory

  • Session replay
  • Heatmaps
  • Conversion funnels
  • User journey mapping
  • Error tracking
  • Frustration signals
  • Search functionality
  • Custom events

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 FullStory
  • Applications requiring sub-second queries over high-cardinality datasets (billions to trillions of rows)not FullStory
  • Time-series and event analysis at massive scale with columnar storage efficiencynot FullStory

FullStory

  • User experience analysisnot Apache Druid
  • Bug reproductionnot Apache Druid
  • Conversion optimizationnot Apache Druid
  • Customer supportnot Apache Druid
  • Product developmentnot 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

FullStory

  • Free tier limited to 30,000 sessions per month, no 5,000+ monthly active user sites
  • Personal email addresses cannot be used for signup; business email domain required
  • Paid plan pricing not publicly listed, requires sales contact for quotes
  • Free plan has no email support, only community-based assistance
  • Mobile app analytics requires a separate add-on purchase

Pricing, plan by plan

Apache Druid

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Apache Druid review.

FullStory

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1,000 sessions/month
    • 14-day data retention
    • Basic analytics
  • Business$undefined/month
    • Custom sessions
    • 3-month retention
    • Advanced analytics
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited sessions
    • Custom retention
    • Advanced privacy controls

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 FullStory if

  • You need session replay.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want heatmaps.
FullStory review

Questions people ask

Is Apache Druid or FullStory better?
Neither clearly leads. Apache Druid starts at Free and FullStory at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apache Druid or FullStory?
Apache Druid starts at Free and FullStory at Free.
Does Apache Druid or FullStory run on more platforms?
Apache Druid runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Native deployment (Java-based). FullStory runs on Web, Mobile.
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 FullStory is typically brought in for.
What can Apache Druid do that FullStory cannot?
Apache Druid covers Real-time Ingestion, Sub-second Queries, Column-oriented Storage, Streaming Integration. FullStory covers Session replay, Heatmaps, Conversion funnels, User journey mapping.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apache Druid: Is Apache Druid free to use?

Apache Druid is an open-source project with no licensing fees. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, and the Druid name and logo are trademarks of The Apache Software Foundation.

Source
FullStory: What does FullStory's free tier include?

30,000 sessions per month, 10 user seats, 5,000 server-side events per month, 1 year of session replay retention, and 1 year of product analytics retention. Session capture pauses when you exceed the monthly limit, though existing sessions remain accessible.

Source
Apache Druid: Can I use Apache Druid for commercial purposes?

Yes, Apache Druid is open-source software available for commercial use at no cost. The CC BY-SA 4.0 license permits commercial deployment.

Source
FullStory: What features are excluded from the free plan?

Dashboards, configurable form privacy, Go-Live functionality, Streams, client-side rate hooks, mobile app analytics, and StoryAI are not available on the free tier. Email support is also unavailable; only community-based help is provided.

Source
Apache Druid: Where do I find pricing for commercial support or services?

No pricing or support tiers are published on the Apache Druid homepage. For commercial support options, contact the Apache Druid community or consult additional resources beyond the project website.

Source
FullStory: Can I use a personal email to sign up for FullStory's free plan?

No. FullStory requires a business email domain for signup; personal email services like Gmail cannot be used for free plan registration.

Source
FullStory: How does FullStory integrate with Slack?

FullStory's Slack integration allows individual users to send noteworthy sessions to Slack channels. Advanced and Enterprise plans can configure Alerts to receive notifications in Slack when user metrics exceed defined thresholds.

Source
FullStory: What analytics platforms does FullStory integrate with?

FullStory integrates with Segment, Mixpanel, Adobe Analytics, Google Analytics, Salesforce, HubSpot, and others. These integrations allow you to attach FullStory session URLs to events in your analytics platform for cross-platform correlation.

Source
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